ELECTROSURGICAL COAGULATING AND CUTTING INSTRUMENT

摘要

An electrosurgical coagulating and cutting instrument employing pairs ofclamping arms having wrist portions proximalto closing ramps and jaws and configured to close at their wrists first, thentheir distal tips and lastly, their heels. The instrumentincludes mechanisms for preventing the advancement of a cutting blade when thejaws are not closed. An actuator for closing thejaws includes an actuator handle and a drive head having teeth formed thereinand a pawl mounted in the handle for engaging theteeth, these latter structures forming a ratcheting mechanism. Said mechanismis controllably releaseable.