Endoscopic clip applier

• US 10,159,492 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2016
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Zammataro, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): RODJOM, KATHERINE MARIE
• Application Number:
  US15/356,741
• Publication Number:
  US 20170065281A1
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/10 for applying or removing wound clamps, e.g. containing only one clamp or staple A61B17/076 takes precedence; containing multiple wound clamps A61B17/068; Wound clamp magazines containers, packaging elements or packages specially adapted for particular articles or with special means for dispensing contents B65D83/00, B65D85/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1285 for minimally invasive surgery

Abstract

An endoscopic surgical clip applier is provided, wherein a distal end of the surgical clip applier is introduced to a target surgical site through a cannula having a fixed diameter lumen. The surgical clip applier comprises an endoscopic portion supported by and extending from a handle assembly, and a pair of jaws supported at a distal end of an outer tube, wherein the pair of jaws are movable between a fully open condition and approximated conditions. When the pair of jaws are in the fully open condition the pair of jaws extend radially beyond an outer diameter of the outer tube to a dimension greater than the fixed diameter of the lumen of the cannula; and when the pair of jaws are in at least one approximated condition the pair of jaws have a transverse dimension permitting passage through the lumen of the cannula.

Claims

1. An endoscopic surgical clip applier comprising:

a handle assembly;

a trigger operatively coupled to the handle assembly;

an endoscopic assembly extending from the handle assembly, the endoscopic assembly including;

an outer tube defining a channel therein;

a pair of jaws supported at one end portion of the outer tube, the pair of jaws being movable between a spaced-apart position and an approximated position;

a wedge plate slidably disposed within the channel of the outer tube, at least one portion of the wedge plate being selectively interposable between the pair of jaws to maintain the pair of jaws in the spaced-apart position; and

an inner shaft slidably disposed within the channel of the outer tube, the inner shaft being operatively coupled to the wedge plate such that upon actuation of the inner shaft towards a first position, the at least one portion of the wedge plate is interposed between the pair of jaws to maintain the pair of jaws in the spaced-apart position and upon actuation of the inner shaft towards a second position, the at least one portion of the wedge plate is withdrawn from between the pair of jaws to permit the pair of jaws to be placed in the approximated position, wherein actuation of the inner shaft is independent of actuation of the trigger and wherein the trigger is actuatable to withdraw the at least one portion of the wedge plate from between the pair of jaws to permit the pair of jaws to be placed in the approximated position.

2. The endoscopic surgical clip applier according to claim 1, wherein the endoscopic assembly includes a biasing member operatively coupled to the wedge plate, the biasing member configured for urging the wedge plate towards a position wherein the at least one portion of the wedge plate is interposed between the pair of jaws.

3. The endoscopic surgical clip applier according to claim 1, wherein the inner shaft includes a distal end portion operatively coupled to the wedge plate and a proximal end portion disposed in the handle assembly, the proximal end portion of the inner shaft being accessible through the handle assembly to actuate the inner shaft between the first and the second positions thereof.

4. The endoscopic surgical clip applier according to claim 3, wherein the proximal end portion of the inner shaft includes an actuation member, the actuation member extending from the proximal end portion of the inner shaft and through a respective slot defined in the handle assembly, the actuation member configured for actuating the inner shaft between the first and the second positions thereof.

5. The endoscopic surgical clip applier according to claim 3, wherein the distal end portion of the inner shaft includes an attachment block and a proximal end portion of the wedge plate includes an attachment slot configured to receive the attachment block of the inner shaft to operatively couple the wedge plate and the inner shaft.

6. The endoscopic surgical clip applier according to claim 5, wherein the endoscopic assembly includes a link member secured to the wedge plate, the link member configured for reinforcing the proximal end portion of the wedge plate.

7. The endoscopic surgical clip applier according to claim 1, wherein the at least one portion of the wedge plate is interposed between the pair of jaws when the trigger is in an un-actuated position.

8. The endoscopic surgical clip applier according to claim 7, wherein the at least one portion of the wedge plate is interposed between the pair of jaws when the trigger is in the un-actuated position and the inner shaft is in the first position.

9. The endoscopic surgical clip applier according to claim 7, wherein the at least one portion of the wedge plate is withdrawn from between the pair of jaws when the trigger is in the un-actuated position and the inner shaft is in the second position.

10. The endoscopic surgical clip applier according to claim 1, wherein the endoscopic assembly includes:

at least one surgical clip disposed within the channel of the outer tube; and

a clip pusher configured to individually, distally advance the at least one surgical clip towards the pair of jaws while the pair of jaws are in the spaced-apart position.

11. The endoscopic surgical clip applier according to claim 1, further comprising a jaw closure member positioned adjacent the pair of jaws to move the pair of jaws to the approximated position upon actuation of the trigger.

12. An endoscopic surgical clip applier comprising:

a housing including a first actuation assembly and a second actuation assembly, wherein actuation of the second actuation assembly is independent of actuation of the first actuation assembly;

an endoscopic assembly extending from the housing, the endoscopic assembly including;

an outer tube defining a channel therein;

a pair of jaws supported at one end portion of the outer tube, the pair of jaws being movable between a spaced-apart position and an approximated position upon actuation of either the first actuation assembly or the second actuation assembly;

a wedge plate slidably disposed within the channel of the outer tube, at least one portion of the wedge plate being selectively interposable between the pair of jaws to maintain the pair of jaws in the spaced-apart position; and

an inner shaft at least partially disposed within the channel of the outer shaft, the inner shaft operatively coupling the wedge plate and the second actuation assembly such that upon actuation of the second actuation assembly towards a first position, the at least one portion of the wedge plate is interposed between the pair of jaws to maintain the pair of jaws in the spaced-apart position and upon actuation of the second actuation assembly towards a second position, the at least one portion of the wedge plate is withdrawn from between the pair of jaws to permit the pair of jaws to be placed in the approximated position and wherein the first actuation assembly includes a trigger actuatable to withdraw the at least one portion of the wedge plate from between the of jaws to permit the pair of jaws to be placed in the approximated position.

13. The endoscopic surgical clip applier according to claim 12, wherein the inner shaft includes a distal end portion operatively coupled to the wedge plate and a proximal end portion disposed in the housing and operatively coupled to the second actuation assembly.

14. The endoscopic surgical clip applier according to claim 13, wherein the second actuation assembly includes a pin extending from the proximal end portion of the inner shaft and through a respective slot defined in the housing, the pin being actuatable to move the inner shaft between a first position and a second position.

15. The endoscopic surgical clip applier according to claim 12, wherein the distal end portion of the inner shaft includes an attachment block and a proximal end portion of the wedge plate includes an attachment slot configured to receive the attachment block of the inner shaft to operatively couple the wedge plate and the inner shaft.

16. The endoscopic surgical clip applier according to claim 12, wherein the at least one portion of the wedge plate is interposed between the pair of jaws when the first actuation assembly is in an un-actuated position.

17. The endoscopic surgical clip applier according to claim 12, wherein the at least one portion of the wedge plate is interposed between the pair of jaws when the first actuation assembly is in the un-actuated position and the second actuation assembly is in the first position.

18. The endoscopic surgical clip applier according to claim 16, wherein the at least one portion of the wedge plate is withdrawn from between the pair of jaws when the first actuation assembly is in the un-actuated position and the second actuation assembly is in the second position.