Vessel sealer and divider for use with small trocars and cannulas

1. An endoscopic bipolar forceps, comprising:

a housing;

a shaft affixed to said housing having a movable jaw member and a fixed jaw member at a distal end thereof, said shaft defining a longitudinal axis therethrough;

a drive assembly comprising a spring, a drive flange and a reciprocating sleeve, said drive assembly being configured to move said movable jaw member relative to the fixed jaw member from a first position wherein the movable jaw member is disposed in spaced relation relative to the fixed jaw member to a second position wherein the movable jaw member is closer to the fixed jaw member for manipulating tissue;

a movable handle having a gripping member at a first end, a flange at a second end and a locking flange disposed therebetween which extends from said handle, said movable handle being movable from an open position wherein said jaw members are disposed in spaced relation relative to one another to a closed position which rotates the flange about a pivot to force the drive flange of said drive assembly into mechanical cooperation against said spring of said drive assembly to thereby move said reciprocating sleeve and thereby move said jaw members from the first and second positions, said spring of said drive assembly facilitating mechanical advancement of said reciprocating sleeve of said drive assembly to maintain a predetermined closure force between the movable jaw member and the fixed jaw in said second position, said pivot being located a fixed distance relative to said longitudinal axis in a direction substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the shaft and in a direction opposite to the handle to position said flange generally along said longitudinal axis;

a source of electrosurgical energy adapted to connect to each jaw member such that the jaw members are capable of conducting energy through tissue held therebetween to effect a tissue seal;

a selectively advanceable knife assembly which cuts tissue in a forward direction along the tissue seal, said locking flange of said handle being dimensioned to impede selective movement of said knife assembly when said handle is disposed in said open position and wherein said locking flange of said handle is repositioned to permit selective movement of said knife assembly when said handle rotates to said closed position.

2. An endoscopic bipolar forceps according to claim 1 wherein said predetermined closure force between the jaw members is in the range of about 3 kg/cm 2 to about 16 kg/cm 2 .

3. An endoscopic bipolar forceps according to claim 1 further comprising a rotating assembly for rotating said jaw members about the longitudinal axis defined through said shaft.

4. An endoscopic bipolar forceps according to claim 3 wherein said movable jaw member includes a first electrical potential and said fixed jaw member includes a second electrical potential, wherein said second electrical potential is conducted to said fixed jaw member by a conductive tube.

5. An endoscopic bipolar forceps according to claim 4 wherein said conductive tube is connected to said rotating assembly.

6. An endoscopic bipolar forceps according to claim 1 further comprising a hand switch disposed within said housing and in electromechanical cooperation with said source of electrosurgical energy, said hand switch allowing a user to selectively supply bipolar energy to said jaw members to effect a seal.

7. An endoscopic bipolar forceps according to claim 1 wherein said movable jaw member includes a detent which extends beyond said fixed jaw member and which is designed for engagement with said reciprocating sleeve such that upon translation of said reciprocating sleeve, said movable jaw member moves relative to said fixed jaw member.

8. An endoscopic bipolar forceps according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said jaw members includes a series of stop members disposed thereon for regulating the distance between said jaw members during sealing.

9. An endoscopic bipolar forceps, comprising:

a shaft having a movable jaw member and a fixed jaw member at a distal end thereof and said shaft having a longitudinal axis;

a drive assembly including a spring, said drive assembly being configured to move said movable jaw member relative to the fixed jaw member from a first position wherein the movable jaw member is disposed in spaced relation relative to the fixed jaw member to a second position wherein the movable jaw member is closer to the fixed jaw member for manipulating tissue;

a movable handle assembly having a locking flange which extends from said handle, said movable handle being movable about a pivot from an open position wherein said jaw members are disposed in spaced relation relative to one another to a closed position which rotates to force a drive flange of said movable handle into mechanical cooperation against said spring of said drive assembly to thereby move said jaw members from the first and second positions, said spring of said drive assembly facilitating mechanical advancement of said drive assembly to maintain a predeterminable and consistent closure force between the jaw members in said second position, said pivot being located a fixed distance relative to said longitudinal axis in a direction further from the longitudinal axis of the shaft and the handle to position said flange generally along said longitudinal axis;

a source of electrical energy adapted to connect to each jaw member such that the jaw members are capable of conducting energy through tissue held therebetween to effect a tissue seal;

a selectively advanceable knife assembly which cuts tissue in a forward direction along the tissue seal, said locking flange of said handle being dimensioned to impede selective movement of said knife assembly when said handle is disposed in said open position and wherein said locking flange of said handle is repositioned to permit selective movement of said knife assembly when said handle rotates to said closed position; and

a rotating assembly which selectively rotates said jaw members about said longitudinal axis, said rotating assembly being partially disposed within said housing and being located proximal to said movable handle and said drive assembly to facilitate actuation of said handle assembly.

10. An endoscopic bipolar forceps according to claim 9 further comprising:

a stop member disposed on at least one of said jaw members said stop member being dimensioned to regulate the distance between jaw members during sealing.

11. An endoscopic bipolar forceps according to claim 9 wherein said predeterminable closure force between the jaw members is in the range of about 3 kg/cm 2 to about 16 kg/cm 2 .