Articulating surgical apparatus

1. A forceps, comprising:

a housing;

a shaft extending from the housing and defining a longitudinal axis therethrough;

at least one tube coaxially disposed within the shaft, the at least one tube having a bent portion at a distal end thereof, the bent portion having a contour and defining an articulated configuration in an at-rest condition of the at least one tube; and

an end effector assembly operatively connected to a distal end of the at least one tube,

wherein the shaft is translatable along the longitudinal axis to straighten the bent portion of the at least one tube to move the bent portion of the at least one tube from the articulated configuration to a non-articulated configuration, and

wherein the at least one tube is translatable along the longitudinal axis to actuate the end effector from a first configuration to a second configuration.

2. The forceps according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one tube includes a first tube and a second tube, the first and second tubes each having a bent portion at a distal end thereof, the bent portions of the first and second tubes each having a contour.

3. The forceps according to claim 2 , wherein the end effector assembly includes first and second jaw members moveable from an first configuration for positioning about tissue to a second configuration for clamping tissue therebetween, the first and second jaw members including respective cam slots defined therein with a cam pin movable therein, the cam pin operably coupling the second tube to the first and second jaw members.

4. The forceps according to claim 3 , wherein the second tube is translatable along the longitudinal axis to move the first and second jaw members from the first configuration to the second configuration.

5. The forceps according to claim 4 , wherein the second tube is configured to house a cutter shaft therein.

6. The forceps according to claim 5 , wherein the cutter shaft includes a knife assembly having a knife blade configured to reciprocate through a knife channel operably defined within at least one of the first and second jaw members upon activation of a trigger assembly associated with the housing.

7. The forceps according to claim 6 , wherein an elongated slot is defined in at least a portion of the knife assembly and is configured to house a pivot pin and the cam pin therein such that the first and second jaw members are movable independent of the knife assembly.

8. The forceps according to claim 3 , wherein the first and second jaw members are configured to electrosurgically treat tissue and are adapted to connect to a source of electrosurgical energy via a cable.

9. The forceps according to claim 8 , wherein the second tube is configured to house a pair of leads of the cable to electrically couple respective seal plates of the first and second jaw members to the source of electrosurgical energy.

10. The forceps according to claim 2 , wherein a degree of curvature of the bent portion of the first tube and a degree of curvature of the bent portion of the second tube ranges from about 10 degrees to about 120 degrees.

11. The forceps according to claim 2 , further including a handle assembly including a movable handle movable relative to a fixed handle, the movable handle operatively connected to a drive assembly that together mechanically cooperate to impart movement of the second tube.

12. A forceps, comprising:

a housing;

a shaft that extends from the housing, the shaft having a bent portion at a distal end thereof, the bent portion having a contour and defining an articulated configuration in an at-rest condition of the shaft;

first and second tubes coaxially disposed within the shaft and defining a longitudinal axis therethrough; and

an end effector assembly operatively connected to a distal end of the shaft, the end effector assembly being actuatable by the second tube,

wherein the first tube is translatable along the longitudinal axis with respect to the shaft to straighten the bent portion of the shaft to move the bent portion of the shaft from the articulated configuration to a non-articulated configuration.

13. The forceps according to claim 12 , wherein the end effector assembly includes first and second jaw members, the first and second jaw members moveable from a first configuration for positioning about tissue to a second configuration for clamping tissue therebetween, the first and second jaw members including respective cam slots defined therein with a cam pin movable therein, the cam pin operably coupling the second tube to the first and second jaw members.

14. The forceps according to claim 13 , wherein the second tube is translatable along the longitudinal axis to move the first and second jaw members from the first configuration to the second configuration.

15. The forceps according to claim 13 , wherein the second tube is configured to house a cutter shaft therein.

16. The forceps according to claim 15 , wherein the cutter shaft includes a knife assembly having a knife blade configured to reciprocate through knife channels operably defined within at least one of the first and second jaw members upon activation of a trigger assembly associated with the housing.

17. The forceps according to claim 16 , wherein an elongated slot is defined in at least a portion of the knife assembly and is configured to house a pivot pin and the cam pin therein such that the first and second jaw members are movable independent of the knife assembly.

18. The forceps according to claim 13 , wherein the first and second jaw members are configured to electrosurgically treat tissue and are adapted to connect to a source of electrosurgical energy via an electrosurgical cable.

19. The forceps according to claim 13 , wherein the second tube is configured to house a pair of leads of the electrosurgical cable to electrically couple respective seal plates of the first and second jaw members to the source of electrosurgical energy.