Vessel sealer and divider

1. An endoscopic bipolar forceps for sealing and dividing tissue, comprising:

an elongated shaft having opposing jaw members at a distal end thereof, the jaw members being movable relative to one another about a pivot from a first position wherein the jaw members are disposed in spaced relation relative to one another to a second position wherein the jaw members cooperate to grasp tissue therebetween, each jaw member including an electrically conductive sealing surface having a non-stick coating disposed thereon to reduce tissue adherence;

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

a handle assembly being dimensioned to maintain a closure pressure in the range of about 3 kg/cm 2 to about 16 kg/cm 2 between the electrically conductive sealing surfaces;

a longitudinally reciprocating knife disposed within the elongated shaft, the knife being attached to a selectively translatable drive rod to sever tissue proximate the seal;

a bifurcated knife bar attached to the knife at a distal end thereof and attached to a knife guide at a proximal end thereof, said bifurcated knife bar including two forks being configured to ride about opposites sides of said pivot during translation of the bifurcated knife bar through tissue, wherein the bifurcated knife bar is closed at the distal end and open at the proximal end thereof; and

at least one non-conductive stop member operatively associated with the electrically conductive surface of at least one of the jaw members, the at least one non-conductive stop member being dimensioned to control the distance between the jaw members when tissue is held therebetween, wherein the at least one non-conductive stop member creates a gap between the electrically conductive sealing surfaces within the range of about 0.001 inches to about 0.006 inches.

2. An endoscopic bipolar forceps for sealing and dividing tissue according to claim 1 wherein said knife guide includes opposing spring tabs at a proximal end thereof which are configured to securely engage said selectively translatable drive rod.

3. An endoscopic bipolar forceps for sealing and dividing tissue according to claim 2 wherein said selectively translatable drive rod includes chamfered edges at a distal end thereof which facilitate engagement with said knife guide.

4. An endoscopic bipolar forceps for sealing and dividing tissue according to claim 1 wherein the knife guide include at least one rest which is configured to abut a proximal end of at least one jaw member when said jaw members are disposed in the closed position.

5. An endoscopic bipolar forceps for sealing and dividing tissue according to claim 1 wherein each of said forks includes a tapered shoulder portion which is dimensioned to limit the distal translation of the knife when activated.

6. An endoscopic bipolar forceps for sealing and dividing tissue according to claim 1 wherein each fork includes an arcuately-shaped notch disposed along an inner periphery thereof which is configured to facilitate insertion of a bushing about said pivot during assembly.

7. An endoscopic bipolar forceps for sealing and dividing tissue according to claim 1 further comprising a trigger assembly which operatively connects to said selectively translatable drive rod, said trigger assembly being selectively movable to actuate said selectively translatable drive rod.

8. An endoscopic bipolar forceps for sealing and dividing tissue according to claim 1 wherein each jaw member includes an outer peripheral surface manufactured from a material which reduces tissue adherence, the outer peripheral surface being selected from a group of materials consisting of: nickel-chrome, chromium nitride, Ni200, Ni201, inconel 600 and tin-nickel.

9. An endoscopic bipolar forceps for sealing and dividing tissue according to claim 1 wherein the non-conductive stop member creates a gap between the electrically conductive sealing surfaces within the range of about 0.002 inches to about 0.003 inches.

10. An endoscopic bipolar forceps for sealing and dividing tissue, comprising:

an elongated shaft having opposing jaw members at a distal end thereof, the jaw members being movable about a pivot relative to one another from a first position wherein the jaw members are disposed in spaced relation relative to one another to a second position wherein the jaw members cooperate to grasp tissue therebetween, each jaw member including an electrically conductive sealing surface made from a material designed to reduce tissue adherence;

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

a longitudinally reciprocating knife disposed within the elongated shaft, the knife being attached to a selectively translatable drive rod to sever tissue proximate the seal;

a bifurcated knife bar attached to the knife at a distal end thereof and attached to a knife guide at a proximal end thereof, said bifurcated knife bar including two forks being configured to ride about opposites sides of said pivot during translation of the bifurcated knife bar through tissue; and

a handle assembly being dimensioned to maintain a closure pressure in the range of about 3 kg/cm 2 to about 16 kg/cm 2 between the electrically conductive sealing surfaces.

11. An endoscopic bipolar forceps for sealing and dividing tissue according to claim 10 wherein the electrically conductive sealing surfaces includes a non-stick coating disposed thereon which is designed to reduce tissue adherence.

12. An endoscopic bipolar forceps for sealing and dividing tissue according to claim 11 wherein the non-stick coating includes one of TiN, ZrN, TiAlN, CrN, nickel/chrome alloys with a Ni/Cr ratio of approximately 5:1, Inconel 600, MedCoat 2000, Ni200 and Ni201.

13. An endoscopic bipolar forceps for sealing and dividing tissue according to claim 10 further comprising at least one non-conductive stop which creates a gap between the electrically conductive sealing surfaces within the range of about 0.001 inches to about 0.006 inches, wherein the non-stick coating is deposited on the electrically conductive sealing surfaces utilizing a vapor deposition manufacturing technique.

14. An endoscopic bipolar forceps for sealing and dividing tissue, comprising:

an elongated shaft having opposing jaw members at a distal end thereof, the jaw members being movable about a pivot relative to one another from a first position wherein the jaw members are disposed in spaced relation relative to one another to a second position wherein the jaw members cooperate to grasp tissue therebetween, each jaw member including an electrically conductive sealing surface made from a material designed to reduce tissue adherence;

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

a longitudinally reciprocating knife disposed within the elongated shaft, the knife being attached to a selectively translatable drive rod to sever tissue proximate the seal;

a bifurcated knife bar attached to the knife at a distal end thereof and attached to a knife guide at a proximal end thereof, said bifurcated knife bar including two forks being configured to ride about opposites sides of said pivot during translation of the bifurcated knife bar through tissue; and

at least one non-conductive stop member operatively associated with the electrically conductive surface of at least one of the jaw members, the at least one non-conductive stop member being dimensioned to control the distance between the jaw members when tissue is held therebetween, wherein the at least one non-conductive stop member creates a gap between the electrically conductive sealing surfaces within the range of about 0.001 inches to about 0.006 inches.