Patent attributes
A heat pipe for a cautery surgical instrument such as a surgical forceps including a pair of elongate arms joined at an end so as to provide for resilient compressible movement of the arms between a normally open position and a squeezed closed position. The heat pipe provides for conduction of heat away from an electrode tip, and comprises an evaporator portion having a first diameter and a condenser portion spaced away from the evaporator end, and that transitions from the first diameter to at least one smaller diameter section. A socket is disposed within each arm of the forceps and includes a longitudinal blind hole that is sized so as to releasably receive the smaller diameter section of the condenser portion, and a catch for engaging a portion of the arm.