Covidien received FDA regulatory approval to market its LigaSure small jaw instrument, an open sealer/divider, for use in head and neck procedures. The device, which adjusts energy delivery to the tip 3,333 times/second, is used to seal vessel walls while keeping surrounding tissue from being damaged by the heat. The jaw mechanism can be used independent of sealing, providing both cutting and blunt dissection for extra flexibility for the surgeon. Energy delivery can be activated with either a hand or foot switch.
The LigaSure small jaw instrument was cleared last year in the U.S. for general surgery.
Features from the product page:
- Seals and cuts vessels up to and including 7 mm in diameter
- Multifunctional – capable of sealing, blunt dissection, grasping and dividing tissue
- May reduce the exchange of instruments
For Open Surgical Procedures including:
- Endocrine procedures
- Head and neck procedures
- General procedures
- Plastic/reconstructive procedures
- Urologic procedures
- Thoracic procedures
Press release: Covidien Announces FDA 510(k) Clearance of LigaSure™ Small Jaw Instrument for Ear, Nose and Throat Surgical Procedures
Product page: LigaSure Small Jaw Instrument
Flashback: Covidien’s LigaSure Curved, Small Jaw, Open Sealer/Divider Cleared in US