Heating element

Abstract: A medical device (1) for simultaneously cutting tissue with a heating element (16), cauterizing the tissue with sealing elements (14, 15), and stapling the tissue together. The heating elements comprise bipolar RF electrodes.

Abstract: A surgical apparatus and methods for severing and welding tissue, in particular blood vessels. The apparatus includes an elongated shaft having a pair of relatively movable jaws at a distal end thereof. A first heating element on one of the jaws is adapted to heat up to a first temperature and form a welded region within the tissue, while a second heating element on one of the jaws is adapted to heat up to a second temperature and sever the tissue within the welded region. The first and second heating elements may be provided on the same or opposite jaws. A control handle provided on the proximal end of the elongated shaft includes controls for opening and closing the jaws, and may include an actuator for sending current through the first and second heating elements. The first and second heating elements may be electrically connected in series, and the first heating element may be bifurcated such that it conducts about one half of the current as the second heating element. A force-limiting mechanism provided either within the control handle, in the elongated shaft, or at the jaws limits the pressure applied to the tissue by the jaws to ensure that the tissue is severed and the ends effectively welded within a short amount of time.

Abstract: A battery operated, hand-held cautery apparatus including a cauterizing unit with a cautery body and a heating assembly having a heating element, a switch assembly, and a housing assembly is disclosed. The switch assembly is essentially the position of a battery. That is, the battery acts as a switch. Power is not supplied to the heating element when the battery is in a first position, but power is supplied to the heating element when the battery is moved to a second position. The housing assembly may include a biasing member in contact with the battery such that the biasing force of the biasing member must be overcome to move the battery from the first position to the second position and thus energize the heating element.

Abstract: The suture removal instrument comprises an elongated body (12) having a proximal handle portion and insulated distal portion, a first conductive member (72,74) extending from the insulated distal portion of the elongated body, terminating in a wedge-shaped tip, a resistive heating element (76) extending alongside the first conductive member and affixed at its distal end to the wedge-shaped tip, conduction means for supplying power to the heating element, activation means (58) for controlling the supply of power to the heating element and circuitry (200) for providing power to the heating element as pulses of high current of a predetermined duration.