Surgical instrument comprising an articulatable end effector

摘要

An electrosurgical instrument can comprise a handle, a shaft, and an end effector, wherein the end effector can be rotatably coupled to the shaft by an articulation joint. The instrument can further comprise a drive member and the articulation joint can comprise flexible support members which can be configured to support the drive member. The instrument can further comprise supply wires electrically coupled to electrodes in the end effector and a wire tensioning device configured to prevent the supply wires from accumulating slack within the articulation joint. The drive member can comprise a plurality of flexible layers wherein some of the layers can be comprised of an electrically insulative material and other layers can be comprised of an electrically conductive material which is in electrical communication with a cutting member in the end effector and/or electrodes positioned within the end effector.

主权项

1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
a handle comprising a trigger; a shaft comprising a proximal shaft portion coupled to said handle and a distal shaft portion; an articulation joint connected to said distal shaft portion; an end effector, comprising:
a proximal end coupled to said articulation joint;a distal end;a first jaw member;a second jaw member;a rotation joint, wherein one of said first jaw member and said second jaw member is movable relative to the other of said first jaw member and said second jaw member at said rotation joint; andan electrode; and a drive member extending through said articulation joint, wherein said drive member is operably coupled with said trigger, wherein an actuation of said trigger is configured to move said drive member toward said distal end of said end effector, wherein said drive member comprises a first flexible layer and a second flexible layer, wherein said first flexible layer is comprised of an electrically conductive material, wherein said second flexible layer is comprised of an electrically insulative material, and wherein said first flexible layer is relatively slidable with respect to said second flexible layer.