Surgical device for clamping, ligating, and severing tissue

Abstract

A surgical device for severing tissue, the surgical device comprising; a first shaft having a first internal lumen and a first slot disposed at a distal end; a clamp slidingly disposed in the first slot between open and closed positions to capture tissue in the first slot, the clamp having a clamping surface disposed at a distal end; at least one electrode for applying RF energy to the tissue captured in the first slot; a cutting blade slidingly disposed in the first slot between open and closed positions, the cutting blade having a cutting edge to sever the tissue; first actuation means for actuating the clamp between the open and closed positions; and second actuation means for actuating the cutting blade between the open and closed positions.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A surgical device for severing tissue, the surgical device comprising; 
 a first shaft having a first internal lumen and a first slot disposed at a distal end;    a clamp slidingly disposed in the first slot between open and closed positions to capture tissue in the first slot, the clamp having a clamping surface disposed at a distal end;    at least one electrode for applying RF energy to the tissue captured in the first slot;    a cutting blade slidingly disposed in the first slot between open and closed positions, the cutting blade having a cutting edge to sever the tissue;    first actuation means for actuating the clamp between the open and closed positions; and    second actuation means for actuating the cutting blade between the open and closed positions.    
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a dissection tip disposed at the distal end of the first shaft for dissecting tissue.  
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first shaft is disposed at a proximal end to a handle.  
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the clamp comprises a second shaft having a second internal lumen, the second shaft being slidingly disposed in the first lumen.  
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the second shaft has a second slot at the distal end, wherein the second slot divides the clamping surface into two prongs.  
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the cutting blade is slidingly disposed in the second internal lumen of the second shaft.  
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one electrode comprises first and second electrodes, each of a different polarity.  
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the first electrode comprises at least the clamping surface of the clamp and the second electrode comprises at least the cutting edge of the cutting blade.  
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the first electrode comprises at least the clamping surface of the clamp and at least the cutting edge of the cutting blade and the second electrode comprises at least a portion of the first shaft.  
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein the at least a portion of the first shaft comprises an edge defining the first slot in the first shaft.  
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first actuation means comprises a button movably disposed in a handle and operatively connected to the clamp, wherein moving the button moves the clamp between the open and closed positions.  
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the second actuation means comprises a button movably disposed in a handle and operatively connected to the cutting blade, wherein moving the button moves the cutting blade between the open and closed positions.  
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second actuation means comprises a button movably disposed in a handle and operatively connected to the clamp and cutting blade, wherein moving the button a first predetermined amount moves the clamp between the open and closed positions and moving the button a second predetermined amount further moves the cutting blade between the open and closed positions.  
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the tissue is a side branch of a vessel being harvested.  
     
     
         15 . A method for severing tissue, the method comprising: 
 providing a surgical device comprising; a shaft having an first internal lumen and a slot disposed at a distal end; a clamp slidingly disposed in the slot between open and closed positions to capture tissue in the slot, the clamp having a clamping surface disposed at a distal end; at least one electrode for applying RF energy to the tissue captured in the slot; a cutting blade slidingly disposed in the slot between open and closed positions, the cutting blade having a cutting edge to sever the tissue; first actuation means for actuating the clamp between the open and closed positions; and second actuation means for actuating the cutting blade between the open and closed positions;    capturing tissue in the slot;    sliding the clamp in the slot to clamp the tissue in the slot;    applying RF energy to the at least one electrode to cauterize the tissue;    sliding the cutting blade in the slot to sever the cauterized tissue.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the tissue is a side branch of a vessel to be harvested.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising dissecting tissue from the vessel to be harvested.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first actuation means comprises a button movably disposed in a handle and operatively connected to the clamp, the method further comprising moving the button to move the clamp between the open and closed positions.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the second actuation means comprises a button movably disposed in a handle and operatively connected to the cutting blade, the method further comprising moving the button to move the cutting blade between the open and closed positions.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first and second actuation means comprises a button movably disposed in a handle and operatively connected to the clamp and cutting blade, the method further comprising moving the button a first predetermined amount to move the clamp between the open and closed positions and moving the button a second predetermined amount to further move the cutting blade between the open and closed positions.