An end effector includes a first portion having a first specific acoustic impedance value, and a second portion having a second specific acoustic impedance value less than the first specific acoustic impedance value. The first portion includes a proximal end segment of the end effector and a distal end segment of the end effector, and the proximal end segment and the distal end segment are composed of a first material. The second portion includes an insert segment of the end effector composed of a second material. The insert segment is located between the proximal end segment and the distal end segment along the longitudinal axis of the end effector. The insert segment functions to bridge or fill the nodal energy gap. A surgical instrument includes a transducer configured to produce vibrations along a longitudinal axis as a predetermined frequency. An ultrasonic blade extends along the longitudinal axis coupled to the transducer. An insert segment or a pad is positioned adjacent to the blade such that it engages the blade when the surgical instrument is in a closed position and generates heat filling the nodal energy gap.

Claims

48 · 5 independent · depth 3

48 granted claims

›1.independentAn ultrasonic surgical instrument, comprising:nan end effector having a length extending along a longitudinal axis, the end effector configured to tra…+13

›2.↳ 1The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the second specific acoustic impedance value is less than the first specific acoustic impedance…d2

›3.↳ 1The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein:nthe proximal end comprises a proximal end segment and the distal end comprises a distal end se…d2+7

›4.↳ 3The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 3, wherein the proximal end segment and the distal end segment both comprise a first material and the inse…d3

›5.↳ 3The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 3, wherein the distal end segment, the proximal end segment and the insert segment have matching cross-sec…d3

›6.↳ 3The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 3, wherein the insert segment has a cross-sectional area less than a cross-sectional area of the proximal …d3

›7.↳ 3The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 3, wherein the insert segment is positioned at a location corresponding to the location of a nodal energy …d3

›8.↳ 3The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 3, wherein the insert segment comprises aluminum or alloys thereof, and the proximal end segment and the d…d3

›9.↳ 3The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 3, wherein the insert segment comprises aluminum or alloys thereof, and the proximal end segment and the d…d3

›10.↳ 3The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 3, wherein the insert segment comprises one or more holes open to an external surface of the end effector.d3

›11.↳ 1The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the second portion comprises a coating of material associated with the second portion.d2

›12.↳ 1The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the second portion comprises an internal cavity.d2

›13.↳ 1The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the end effector comprises an ultrasonic surgical blade.d2+1

›15.independentAn ultrasonic surgical instrument, comprising:nan end effector comprising a distal end segment, a distal insert segment, an intermediate insert segmen…+9

›16.↳ 15The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 15, wherein the second acoustic impedance material is the same as the fourth acoustic impedance material.d2

›17.↳ 15The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 15, wherein the second acoustic impedance material is different than the fourth acoustic impedance materia…d2

›18.↳ 15The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 15, wherein the first acoustic impedance material is the same as the fifth acoustic impedance material.d2

›19.↳ 15The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 15, wherein the first acoustic impedance material is different than the fifth acoustic impedance material.d2

›20.↳ 15The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 15, wherein the third acoustic impedance material has a greater acoustic impedance value than the first ac…d2

›21.↳ 15The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 15, wherein the first acoustic impedance material, the third acoustic impedance material and the fifth aco…d2

›22.↳ 15The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 15, wherein the third acoustic impedance material has a greater acoustic impedance value than the first ac…d2

›23.↳ 15The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 15, wherein the intermediate insert segment is positioned at a location corresponding to a location of a n…d2

›36.↳ 15The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 15, wherein the intermediate segment comprises one or more holes open to an external surface of the end ef…d2

›24.independentAn ultrasonic surgical blade comprising a plurality of segments, wherein at least one of the segments narrows a nodal gap along the blade.+11

›25.↳ 24The ultrasonic surgical blade of claim 24, wherein at least one of the segments is configured to narrow the nodal gap by increasing ultrasonic displac…d2

›26.↳ 24The ultrasonic surgical blade of claim 24, wherein at least one of the segments is configured to narrow the nodal energy gap by increasing at least on…d2

›27.↳ 24The ultrasonic surgical blade of claim 24, wherein at least one of the segments is configured to fill the nodal gap by frictionally generating heat du…d2

›28.↳ 24The ultrasonic surgical blade of claim 24, wherein at least one of the segments is configured to fill and narrow the nodal gap by frictionally generat…d2

›29.↳ 24The ultrasonic surgical blade of claim 24, wherein at least one of the segments comprises a portion of the blade coated with a material having a high …d2

›30.↳ 24The ultrasonic surgical blade of claim 24, wherein at least one of the segments comprises a portion of the blade coated with an acoustically lossy mat…d2

›31.↳ 24The ultrasonic surgical blade of claim 24, wherein at least one of the segments comprises a portion of the blade that has been cold worked.d2

›32.↳ 24The ultrasonic surgical blade of claim 24, wherein at least one of the segments comprises a portion of the blade having a smaller cross-sectional area…d2

›33.↳ 24The ultrasonic surgical blade of claim 24, further comprising:na proximal end segment;a distal end segment; andan insert segment;wherein the insert se…d2+1

›35.↳ 24The ultrasonic surgical blade of claim 24, wherein the at least one segment comprises one or more holes open to an external surface of the end effecto…d2

›37.independentAn ultrasonic surgical blade comprising a single material and having a length, wherein the specific acoustic impedance of the blade changes along the …+6

›38.↳ 37The ultrasonic surgical blade of claim 37, wherein the specific acoustic impedance of the blade changes abruptly due to an internal cavity in the surg…d2

›39.↳ 37The ultrasonic surgical blade of claim 37, wherein the specific acoustic impedance of the blade changes abruptly in a region of the surgical blade tha…d2

›40.↳ 37The ultrasonic surgical blade of claim 37, wherein the specific acoustic impedance of the blade changes gradually due to an internal cavity in the sur…d2

›41.↳ 37The ultrasonic surgical blade of claim 37, wherein the specific acoustic impedance of the blade changes gradually due to cold working of the surgical …d2

›42.↳ 37The ultrasonic surgical blade of claim 37, wherein the specific acoustic impedance of the blade changes gradually along the length and is at a local m…d2

›43.↳ 37The ultrasonic surgical blade of claim 37, wherein the specific acoustic impedance of the blade changes gradually along the length and is at a local m…d2

›44.independentAn ultrasonic surgical blade comprising a plurality of segments, wherein at least one of the segments is configured to fill a nodal energy gap.+4

Classifications

2 codes

IPC · International Patent Classification

Section A — Human necessities

A61B17/32

USPC · US Patent Classification

606/169

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Type	Document	Date
related publication	US 20090030311 A1	29 Jan 2009

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