Electrosurgical forceps with slow closure sealing plates and method of sealing tissue

1. Electrosurgical bipolar forceps for sealing tissue, comprising:

at least one shaft member having an end effector assembly disposed at a distal end thereof, the end effector assembly including jaw members movable from a first position in spaced relation relative to one another to at least one subsequent position wherein the jaw members cooperate to grasp tissue therebetween; and

each of the jaw members including a sealing plate which communicates electrosurgical energy through tissue held therebetween, at least one of the sealing plates including at least one adjustable stop member coupled to at least one controller, the at least one adjustable stop member configured to separate the sealing plates by a predetermined gap distance and the at least one controller configured to adjust the at least one adjustable stop member to close the sealing plates at a predetermined rate.

2. The electrosurgical bipolar forceps for sealing tissue as in claim 1 , wherein the at least one controller is threadably coupled to the at least one adjustable stop member.

3. The electrosurgical bipolar forceps for sealing tissue as in claim 1 , further comprising:

a knife channel defined along a length of at least one of the jaw members, the knife channel being dimensioned to reciprocate a cutting mechanism therealong; and

an actuator operatively connected to one of the shaft members for selectively advancing the cutting mechanism from a first position wherein the cutting mechanism is disposed proximal to tissue held between the jaw members to at least one subsequent position wherein the cutting mechanism is disposed distal to tissue held between the jaw members.

4. The electrosurgical bipolar forceps as in claim 1 , wherein the at least one controller which adjusts the at least one adjustable stop member includes at least one mechanism selected from a group consisting of gearing mechanisms, camming mechanisms, pneumatic mechanisms, hydraulic mechanisms, electro-mechanical actuators, ferroelectric actuators, piezo-electric actuators, piezo-ceramic actuators, magnetostrictors, and rotational actuators.

5. The electrosurgical bipolar forceps for sealing tissue according to claim 1 further comprising:

a sensor assembly which determines at least one pre-surgical tissue parameter and transmitting data pertaining to at least one tissue parameter to an electrosurgical energy source; and

a control source which determines the gap distance and the predetermined rate as a function of at least one tissue parameter and which transmits control signals to the at least one controller.

6. The electrosurgical bipolar forceps for sealing tissue according to claim 5 , wherein the at least one tissue parameter is chosen from a group consisting of tissue type, tissue thickness, tissue compliance, and tissue impedance.

7. A method for sealing tissue comprising the steps of:

providing electrosurgical bipolar forceps having an end effector assembly attached at a distal end thereof, the end effector assembly including jaw members, each of the jaw members including a sealing plate, at least one of the sealing plates including at least one adjustable stop member coupled to at least one controller;

determining at least one pre-surgical parameter;

extending the at least one adjustable stop member to adjust a gap distance between the jaw members based upon the at least one pre-surgical parameter;

actuating the jaw members to grasp tissue between the sealing plates;

conducting energy to the sealing plates though the tissue grasped therebetween; and

retracting the at least one adjustable stop member at a predetermined rate based upon the at least one pre-surgical parameter to effect a tissue seal.

8. The method according to claim 7 , further comprising the steps of:

determining the at least one pre-surgical parameter with a sensor assembly;

transmitting data pertaining to the at least one pre-surgical parameter to a control source;

determining the gap distance and the predetermined rate as a function of the at least one pre-surgical parameter; and

transmitting control signals from the control source to the at least one controller.

9. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the at least one pre-surgical parameter is chosen from a group consisting as tissue type, tissue thickness, tissue compliance, and tissue impedance.

10. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the at least one controller includes at least one mechanism selected from a group consisting of gearing mechanisms, camming mechanisms, pneumatic mechanisms, hydraulic mechanisms, electro-mechanical actuators, ferroelectric actuators, piezo-electric actuators, piezo-ceramic actuators, magnetostrictors, and rotational actuators.