A surgical instrument comprises two oppositely-positioned working numbers each having proximal and distal ends and each having a working surface. The instrument also comprises at least one ring member affixed to a least one of the working members to encompass one or more of a user's fingers. In one embodiment at least one working surface has a heating element to cut or seal and cut tissue.
1. A surgical instrument for cutting or sealing and cutting tissue which comprises two oppositely-positioned working members each having proximal and distal ends and each having a working surface,
wherein at least one ring member is affixed to at least one of said working members to encompass one or more of a user's fingers, wherein at least one working surface has a heating element to cut or cut and seal tissue, and wherein a ring member affixed to a working member is slidingly affixed and may be positioned by the user at any point along the working member.
2. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein the instrument also comprises a battery pack electrically connected to the heating element.
3. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein a working surface contains one heating element.
4. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein the heating element is an electrically resistant wire, a printed circuit, thin film, or electrically conductive coating.
5. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein a heating element actuator is operatively connected to a working surface heating element.
6. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein the opposing working surfaces apply pressure and approximate tissue.
7. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein the heating element is capable of being heated to a temperature to first seal and then cut tissue.
8. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein the heating element has lower ohmic resistance than body tissue.
9. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein a sleeve extends over the distal end of one or both working members.
10. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein each heating element is substantially thermally insulated from the working members.
11. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein each working surface comprises a thermal conducting material.
12. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein each working surface comprises thermally reflective material.
13. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein the heating element is a heater wire comprising material selected from the group consisting of nichrome, stainless steel, nitinol, and metallic alloys.
14. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein each heating element is operatively connected to a power source.
15. The instrument of claim 14 , wherein the power source is a portable DC power source.
16. The instrument of claim 14 , wherein the power source is an RF power source.
17. The instrument of claim 14 , wherein the power source is a low frequency AC power source.
18. The instrument of claim 1 , which also comprises a heating element actuator responsive to a predetermined pressure to activate the heating element.