Surgical instrument with dual mode end effector and modular clamp arm assembly

1. An ultrasonic surgical instrument, comprising:

(a) an ultrasonic assembly comprising:

(i) a body defining an arcuate channel,

(ii) an acoustic waveguide secured relative to the body and extending along a longitudinal axis, and

(iii) an ultrasonic blade extending distally from the acoustic waveguide; and

(b) a clamp arm assembly coupled to the ultrasonic assembly and at least partially positioned along the longitudinal axis, wherein the clamp arm assembly comprises:

(i) a clamp arm,

(ii) a clamp arm actuator having a protrusion located thereon, and

(iii) a linkage assembly, wherein the linkage assembly is configured to pivotally couple the clamp arm actuator and the clamp arm relative to the body such that the clamp arm actuator rotates toward and away from the body and the clamp arm rotates toward and away from the ultrasonic blade,

wherein the protrusion is sized to be received by the arcuate channel and the protrusion configured to prevent translation of the clamp arm relative to the ultrasonic assembly when the protrusion is received by the arcuate channel.

2. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the linkage assembly includes a proximal pivot and a distal pivot, wherein the clamp arm actuator rotates about the proximal pivot to thereby pivot the clamp arm actuator toward and away from the body, wherein a distal portion of the clamp arm actuator transmits a rotational movement to a proximal portion of the clamp arm, wherein the clamp arm, in response to the rotational movement transmitted to the proximal portion of the clamp arm, rotates about the distal pivot to thereby drive the clamp arm toward and away from the ultrasonic blade.

3. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 2 , wherein the proximal pivot includes a boss that extends transversely relative to the longitudinal axis of the ultrasonic assembly through the clamp arm actuator.

4. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 2 , wherein the linkage assembly further includes an intermediate pivot positioned between the proximal pivot and the distal pivot, wherein the intermediate pivot rotatably couples the distal portion of the clamp arm actuator to the proximal portion of the clamp arm.

5. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 4 , wherein the intermediate pivot includes a pin and a slot, wherein the pin is positioned on one of the distal portion of the clamp arm actuator or the proximal portion of the clamp arm, and wherein the slot is positioned on the other of the distal portion of the clamp arm actuator or the proximal portion of the clamp arm.

6. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the clamp arm actuator is pivotable toward and away from the body along a first path, wherein the clamp arm is pivotable toward and away from the body along a second path, wherein the first and second paths are on a same side of the longitudinal axis.

7. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the clamp arm includes an upper tissue stop, wherein the upper tissue stop is configured to prevent a tissue from moving proximally when the tissue is clamped between the clamp arm and the ultrasonic blade.

8. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 7 , wherein the linkage assembly includes a linkage base, wherein the linkage base is configured to removably couple from the ultrasonic assembly.

9. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 8 , wherein the linkage base includes a channel configured to receive the ultrasonic blade therethrough.

10. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 8 , wherein the linkage base includes a lower tissue stop, wherein the lower tissue stop is configured to prevent the tissue from moving proximally when the tissue is clamped between the clamp arm and the ultrasonic blade.

11. A surgical instrument, comprising:

(a) a clamp arm assembly configured to removably couple with an ultrasonic assembly, wherein the clamp arm assembly comprises:

(i) a linkage base defining a longitudinal channel defining a longitudinal axis therealong, wherein the longitudinal channel is configured to receive the ultrasonic assembly,

(ii) a clamp arm, wherein the clamp arm is pivotally coupled to the linkage base at a distal pivot, wherein the clamp arm extends away from the longitudinal axis on a first side, and

(iii) a clamp arm actuator, having a protrusion located thereon, wherein the clamp arm actuator is pivotally coupled to the linkage base at a proximal pivot, wherein the clamp arm actuator is configured to be located on the first side of the longitudinal axis of the linkage base, wherein the clamp arm actuator is configured to pivot toward and away from the linkage base when the linkage base is coupled to the ultrasonic assembly to thereby pivot the clamp arm toward and away from the linkage base,

wherein the protrusion is sized to be received by an arcuate channel on the ultrasonic assembly, and the protrusion is configured to prevent translation of the clamp arm relative to the ultrasonic assembly when the protrusion is received by the arcuate channel.

12. The surgical instrument of claim 11 , wherein the linkage base includes an intermediate pivot having an intermediate pin and a slot positioned between the proximal pivot and the distal pivot, wherein the intermediate pin is configured to pivotally mate with the slot, wherein one of the intermediate pin or the slot is configured to rotate the other of the slot or intermediate pin to pivotally move the clamp arm toward or away from the linkage base when the clamp arm or the clamp arm actuator is pivotally moved towards or away from the linkage base.

13. The surgical instrument of claim 11 , wherein the clamp arm actuator includes an actuator Y-portion extending distally from a grip, wherein the actuator Y-portion rotatably couples to the proximal pivot.

14. The surgical instrument of claim 11 , wherein the clamp arm includes a clamp arm Y-portion extending proximally from a clamp pad, wherein the clamp arm Y-portion rotatably couples to the distal pivot.

15. The surgical instrument of claim 11 , wherein the ultrasonic assembly comprises:

(i) a body,

(ii) an acoustic waveguide secured relative to the body and configured to be positioned along the longitudinal axis, and

(iii) an ultrasonic blade extending distally from the acoustic waveguide.

16. The surgical instrument of claim 15 , wherein the clamp arm includes a first tissue stop and the linkage base includes a second tissue stop, wherein the first and second tissue stops are configured to prevent a tissue from moving proximally when the ultrasonic assembly is coupled with the clamp arm assembly and the tissue is clamped between the clamp arm and the ultrasonic blade.

17. An ultrasonic surgical instrument, comprising:

(a) an ultrasonic assembly, wherein the ultrasonic assembly comprises:

(i) a body defining an arcuate channel,

(ii) an acoustic waveguide secured relative to the body and defining a longitudinal axis, and

(iii) an ultrasonic blade extending distally from the acoustic waveguide; and

(b) a clamp arm assembly, wherein the clamp arm assembly is configured to removably couple with the ultrasonic assembly, wherein the clamp arm assembly comprises:

(i) a clamp arm,

(ii) a clamp arm actuator having a protrusion thereon, and

(iii) a linkage base, wherein the linkage base is configured to couple the clamp arm assembly to the ultrasonic assembly and pivotally couple the clamp arm to the clamp arm actuator, wherein the clamp arm actuator is configured to pivot toward and away from the body about the linkage base to thereby pivot the clamp arm toward and away from the ultrasonic blade when the ultrasonic assembly is coupled with the clamp arm assembly,

wherein the protrusion is sized to be received by the arcuate channel on the ultrasonic assembly, and the protrusion is configured to prevent translation of the clamp arm relative to the ultrasonic assembly when the protrusion is received by the arcuate channel.

18. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 17 , wherein the linkage base includes a proximal pivot and a distal pivot, wherein the clamp arm actuator is pivotable about the proximal pivot to thereby pivot the clamp arm actuator toward and away from the body, wherein a distal portion of the clamp arm actuator rotatably moves a proximal portion of the clamp arm to thereby drive the clamp arm toward and away from the ultrasonic blade.

19. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 18 , further comprising an intermediate pivot wherein the intermediate pivot rotatably couples the proximal portion of the clamp arm to the distal portion of the clamp arm actuator, wherein the intermediate pivot is configured to transmit a rotational movement from the clamp arm actuator to the clamp arm.

20. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 17 , wherein the linkage base includes a tissue stop, wherein the tissue stop is configured to prevent a tissue from moving proximally when the tissue is clamped between the clamp arm and the ultrasonic blade.