Endoscopic pericardial scissors

Claim 1

A surgical scissors adapted for insertion through a trocar tube, comprising: a) a hollow tube having a proximal and distal ends and a longitudinal axis; b) a clevis coupled to said distal end of said hollow tube; c) first and second scissor blade means for cutting which are laterally offset from each other and each having proximal and distal portions, said proximal portion of said first scissor blade means having means for pivotally engaging said clevis; d) rod means extending at least partially through said hollow tube and having distal and proximal ends, said rod means for coupling to said proximal portion of said first scissor blade means at said distal end of said rod means; and e) actuating means engaged to said proximal end of said rod means for imparting reciprocal motion to said rod means relative to said hollow tube which is translated into pivotal motion of said first scissor blade means with said first and second scissor blade means assuming at least a first closed position and a second open position relative to each other, wherein said distal portions of said first and second scissor blade means each having an elongate straight blade edge, said elongate straight blade edge of said second scissor blade means extending away from said longitudinal axis at a first angle, and said elongate straight blade edge of said first scissor blade means extending away from said longitudinal axis at a second angle substantially similar to said first angle when said first and second scissor blade means assume said first closed position and at a third angle greater than said first angle when said first and second scissor blade means assume said second open position, said second scissor blade means having a probe element integral with said second blade means at a distal end of said second blade means, said probe element being laterally offset relative to and indented from said elongate straight blade edge of said second blade means and extending away from said second blade means and toward said first blade means, said second blade means with said probe element having a rounded presenting surface, and said first blade means having a rounded distal portion presenting a rounded surface substantially adjacent said rounded presenting surface of said second blade means, and wherein rotation of said first scissor blade means from said second open position to said first closed position causes a straight scissors cutting action between said elongate straight blade edges with proximal portions of said blade edges coming together in a bearing contact first, and distal portions of said blade edges coming together in a bearing contact last, wherein said probe portion element does not come in bearing contact with said elongate straight blade edge of said first scissor blade means.