U.S. Patent 7824401 was awarded to Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. on 2010-11-02 and describes a “Robotic tool with wristed monopolar electrosurgical end effectors.” This patent has been cited 408 times by other U.S. patents which places it in the top 500 cited patents since 2010 according to our law firm research, and makes it of the most innovative medical technology patents in the field of instruments. The abstract states:

A surgical instrument for use with a robotic surgical system is described. The instrument includes an elongate shaft having a proximal end and a distal end. An electrically live wrist member is disposed at the distal end of the shaft. An electrocautery end effector is mounted to the wrist member. An interface is disposed at the proximal end of the shaft. The interface is removably connectable to the robotic surgical system. A conductor extends from the interface to the end effector so as to deliver electrical energy to tissue engaged by the end effector. A tip cover is disposed over the wrist member so that electrical current can only be conducted to tissues through the exposed end effector (e.g., to promote blood coagulation during usage) and not to other parts of the patient’s body. Link: U.S. Patent 7824401

This patent was originally filed on 2005-03-30 which gives it a processing time of 2043 days, compared to an average processing time of 1942 in the field. Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. has 692 total patents. The first named inventor is Scott E. Manzo of Shelton, WA. The primary examiner was Roy D Gibson.

Select Patents monitors top medical technology patents and instruments patents which have been allowed and granted worldwide. If you would like legal advice regarding a patent or would like to file a patent go to https://selectpatents.wpengine.com/contact/