Electrosurgical forceps for grasping, treating, and/or dividing tissue

1 . A forceps, comprising:

a first shaft member including a first inner frame;

a second shaft member including a second inner frame and an outer housing surrounding at least a portion of the second inner frame, the second inner frame including a first overhang member extending from an upper end of the second inner frame and a second overhang member extending from a bottom end of the second inner frame, wherein the second shaft member is pivotably connected to the first shaft member at a pivot member;

a first jaw member positioned distally of the pivot member;

a second jaw member positioned distally of the pivot member;

a filler member coupled to the second inner frame between the first and second overhang members such that the first and second overhang members inhibit vertical movement of the filler member; and

a strap member secured to the first and second overhang members to secure the filler member between the strap member and the second inner frame and inhibit lateral movement of the filler member, wherein the first overhang member, the second overhang member, the filler member, and the strap member are at least partially positioned proximally of the pivot member.

2 . The forceps according to claim 1 , wherein the strap member is laterally offset from a longitudinal axis defined through the second inner frame.

3 . The forceps according to claim 1 , wherein the pivot member pivotably couples the first and second inner frames to each other such that pivoting of the first and second shaft members relative to one another between spaced-apart and approximated positions pivots the first and second jaw members relative to one another between open and closed positions.

4 . The forceps according to claim 3 , wherein the second inner frame defines a first pivot aperture laterally aligned with a second pivot aperture defined by the filler member, and the pivot member is received through the first and second pivot apertures.

5 . The forceps according to claim 3 , wherein the filler member extends continuously from a proximal end disposed on the second inner frame to a distal end disposed distal to the pivot member.

6 . The forceps according to claim 5 , wherein the filler member dissipates heat away from the second jaw member toward the proximal end of the filler member.

7 . The forceps according to claim 1 , wherein the filler member is rigid.

8 . The forceps according to claim 1 , wherein the strap member inhibits lateral movement of the filler member by inhibiting movement of the filler member in a direction parallel to a pivot axis of the pivot member.

9 . A forceps, comprising:

a first shaft member including a first inner frame;

a second shaft member including a second inner frame and an outer housing surrounding at least a portion of the second inner frame, the second inner frame including a first overhang member extending from an upper end of the second inner frame and a second overhang member extending from a bottom end of the second inner frame;

a pivot member pivotably coupling the first and second inner frames to each other, wherein the first overhang member and the second overhang member are positioned proximally of the pivot member;

a first jaw member positioned distally of the pivot member;

a second jaw member positioned distally of the pivot member; and

a filler member coupled to the second inner frame between the first and second overhang members and extending from a proximal end disposed on the second inner frame proximal to the pivot member to a distal end disposed distal to the pivot member, wherein the filler member dissipates heat away from the distal end of the filler member toward the proximal end of the filler member.

10 . The forceps according to claim 9 , wherein the filler member extends continuously from the proximal end of the filler member to the distal end of the filler member.

11 . The forceps according to claim 9 , wherein the filler member is rigid.

12 . The forceps according to claim 9 , further comprising a strap member secured to the first and second overhang members to secure the filler member between the strap member and the second inner frame and inhibit lateral movement of the filler member.

13 . The forceps according to claim 9 , wherein the second inner frame defines a first pivot aperture laterally aligned with a second pivot aperture defined by the filler member, and the pivot member is received through the first and second pivot apertures.

14 . The forceps according to claim 9 , wherein the first and second overhang members inhibit vertical movement of the filler member.

15 . A forceps, comprising:

a first shaft member including a first inner frame and a first jaw member extending distally from the first inner frame;

a second shaft member pivotably coupled to the first shaft member at a pivot member and including a second inner frame, an outer housing surrounding at least a portion of the second inner frame, and a second jaw member extending distally from the second inner frame, the second inner frame including a first overhang member extending laterally from an upper end of the second inner frame and a second overhang member extending laterally from a bottom end of the second inner frame, wherein the first jaw member and the second jaw member are positioned distally of the pivot member and the first overhang member and the second overhang member are positioned proximally of the pivot member;

a filler member disposed between the first and second overhang members, the filler member configured to dissipate heat away from a distal end portion of the second shaft member toward a proximal end of the filler member; and

a strap member secured to the second inner frame to secure the filler member between the strap member and the second inner frame to inhibit lateral movement of the filler member.

16 . The forceps according to claim 15 , wherein the filler member extends from a distal end coupled to the second jaw member to the proximal end coupled to a proximal end portion of the second inner frame such that the filler member is configured to dissipate heat away from the second jaw member toward the proximal end of the filler member.

17 . The forceps according to claim 15 , wherein the strap member inhibits lateral movement of the filler member by inhibiting movement of the filler member in a direction parallel to a pivot axis of the pivot member.