Surgical clip applier

• US 10,258,346 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2016
• Issued: 04/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Zergiebel, Earl M., Whitfield, Kenneth H., Sorrentino, Gregory, Slisz, Kevin Robert, Pedros, Roberto
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Phong Son H
• Application Number:
  US15/293,347
• Publication Number:
  US 20170027581A1
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/128 for applying or removing clamps or clips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1285 for minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00407 Ratchet means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/038 during shipment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0803 Counting the number of times an instrument is used
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/03 Automatic limiting or abutting means, e.g. for safety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/08 Accessories or related features not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A surgical clip applier is provided including a housing; a pair of handles; a channel assembly extending from the housing; a clip carrier disposed within said channel assembly and defining a channel and a plurality of windows; a wedge plate slidably disposed within said channel assembly and being operatively connected to said handles, said wedge plate including a plurality of apertures formed along a length thereof; a plurality of clips slidably disposed within said channel of said clip carrier; and a clip follower slidably disposed within said channel of said clip carrier at a location proximal of said plurality of clips. The clip follower is configured and adapted for selective engagement with said windows of said clip carrier and said apertures of said wedge plate to distally urge said plurality of clips relative to said clip carrier upon a distal advancement of said wedge plate.

Claims

1. A surgical clip applier, comprising:

a housing;

at least one handle pivotably connected to the housing;

a channel assembly extending from the housing;

a jaw assembly including a pair of jaws extending from an end of the channel assembly, opposite the housing, the jaw assembly movable between a spaced apart position and an approximated position in response to movement of the at least one handle;

a drive channel slidably disposed within at least one of the housing or the channel assembly, the drive channel having an end operatively connected to the at least one handle;

a wedge plate slidably disposed within at least one of the housing or the channel assembly, the wedge plate including a proximal end portion operably coupled to the drive channel such that the wedge plate is moved in a direction opposite to the drive channel, and a distal end portion configured for selective operative interposition between an inner surface of each of the pair of jaws of the jaw assembly,

wherein when the at least one handle is moved in a first direction, the drive channel is moved in a distal direction and the wedge plate is moved in a proximal direction such that the distal end portion of the wedge plate is withdrawn from the inner surface of each of the pair of jaws to enable the pair of jaws to move to the approximated position, and wherein when the at least one handle is moved in a second direction, the drive channel is moved in the proximal direction and the wedge plate is moved in the distal direction such that the distal end portion of the wedge plate is disposed between the inner surface of each of the pair of jaws to move the pair of jaws to the spaced apart position.

2. The clip applier according to claim 1, further comprising:

a clip carrier disposed within the channel assembly and defining a channel and a plurality of windows; and

a plurality of clips slidably disposed within the channel of the clip carrier.

3. The clip applier according to claim 2, further comprising:

a clip pusher bar slidably disposed within at least one of the housing or the channel assembly, the clip pusher bar having a first end operatively connected to the at least one handle and a second end defining a pusher terminating proximate the pair of jaws and being configured to engage a backspan of a distal-most clip of the plurality of clips; and

a clip follower slidably disposed within the channel of the clip carrier at a location proximal of the plurality of clips, the clip follower being configured and adapted for selective engagement with the plurality of windows of the clip carrier and the wedge plate,

wherein when the wedge plate is moved in the distal direction, the wedge plate distally urges the clip follower to distally urge the plurality of clips relative to the clip carrier.

4. The clip applier according to claim 3, further comprising a pusher bar cam pivotably supported on the drive channel and movable therewith, the pusher bar cam extending through a slot formed in the wedge plate and into a window formed in the clip pusher bar, wherein as the drive channel is moved distally the pusher bar cam moves the clip pusher bar distally.

5. The clip applier according to claim 4, wherein as the at least one handle is moved in the first direction an initial amount, the clip pusher bar is moved towards the pair of jaws to move the distal-most clip of the plurality of clips between the pair of jaws, and as the at least one handle is moved an additional amount in the first direction, the clip pusher bar is moved towards the housing to move the clip pusher bar proximally behind a next distal-most clip of the plurality of clips.

6. The clip applier according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the clip pusher bar or the drive channel is biased to a proximal position.

7. The clip applier according to claim 3, further comprising a lockout disposed in a distal portion end of the channel assembly, wherein the lockout is actuated by the clip follower when a last clip of the plurality of clips is expelled from the clip applier.

8. The clip applier according to claim 7, wherein the lockout is urged by the clip follower to extend across a path of the drive channel, thereby preventing the drive channel from moving distally.

9. The clip applier according to claim 1, wherein when the at least one handle is moved in the first direction, the drive channel is moved against the pair of jaws to move the pair of jaws to the approximated position, and wherein when the at least one handle is moved in the second direction, the drive channel is moved away from the pair of jaws to enable the pair of jaws to move to the spaced apart position.

10. The clip applier according to claim 1, further comprising a pivot arm operatively connected to the wedge plate and selectively engageable by the drive channel, wherein rotation of the pivot arm, during distal movement of the drive channel, results in proximal movement of the wedge plate.

11. The clip applier according to claim 4, wherein during distal movement of the drive channel, the pusher bar cam is rotated relative thereto such that the pusher bar cam disengages from the window of the clip pusher bar allowing the clip pusher bar to move proximally.

12. The clip applier according to claim 1, wherein the wedge plate is biased to a distal position.

13. The clip applier according to claim 1, further comprising a ratchet mechanism including:

a rack, having a plurality of ratchet teeth, associated with the drive channel; and

a pawl, having at least one tooth, disposed at a location to selectively engage the rack, wherein the pawl is biased into engagement with the rack, wherein as the drive channel is longitudinally reciprocated, the plurality of teeth are passed over the pawl, and wherein the pawl prevents inadvertent return of the drive channel before full actuation of the at least one handle.

14. A surgical clip applier, comprising:

a housing;

at least one handle extending from the housing;

a pair of jaws extending from an end of the channel assembly, opposite the housing, the pair of jaws movable between a spaced apart position and an approximated position in response to movement of the at least one handle;

a channel assembly connected to and extending from the housing;

a clip carrier disposed within the channel assembly and defining a channel;

a plurality of clips slidably disposed within the channel of the clip carrier;

a drive channel slidably disposed within at least one of the housing or the channel assembly, the drive channel including a strap at a distal end portion thereof, the strap configured and dimensioned to selectively engage the pair of jaws in order to effectuate closure of the pair of jaws in response to movement of the at least one handle; and

a lockout disposed in a distal end portion of the channel assembly, wherein when a last clip of the plurality of clips is expelled from the clip applier, a lockout tab of the lockout is urged to extend across a movement path of the strap of the drive channel, wherein the lockout tab of the lockout prevents the strap of the drive channel from moving distally such that the drive channel is prevented from moving distally.

15. The clip applier according to claim 14, further comprising a clip follower slidably disposed within the channel of the clip carrier at a location proximal of the plurality of clips, wherein when the last clip of the plurality of clips is expelled from the clip applier and the clip follower has been advanced to a distal position, a tab of the clip follower engages the lockout tab of the lockout to urge the lockout tab to extend across the movement path of the drive channel.

16. The clip applier according to claim 14, further comprising a wedge plate slidably disposed within at least one of the housing or the channel assembly, the wedge plate including a proximal end portion operably coupled to the drive channel such that the wedge plate is moved in a direction opposite to the drive channel, and a distal end portion configured for selective operative interposition between an inner surface of each of the pair of jaws,

wherein when the at least one handle is moved in a first direction, the drive channel is moved in a distal direction and the wedge plate is moved in a proximal direction such that the distal end portion of the wedge plate is withdrawn from the inner surface of each of the pair of jaws and the strap of the drive channel is moved to engage the pair of jaws to enable the pair of jaws to move to the approximated position, and

wherein when the at least one handle is moved in a second direction, the drive channel is moved in the proximal direction such that the strap disengages the pair of jaws and the wedge plate is moved in the distal direction such that the distal end portion of the wedge plate is disposed between the inner surface of each of the pair of jaws to move the pair of jaws to the spaced apart position.

17. The clip applier according to claim 16, further comprising a clip pusher bar slidably disposed within at least one of the housing or the channel assembly, the clip pusher bar having a first end operatively connected to the at least one handle and a second end defining a pusher terminating proximate the pair of jaws and being configured to engage a backspan of a distal-most clip of the plurality of clips,

wherein:

as the at least one handle is moved in the first direction an initial amount, the clip pusher bar is moved towards the pair of jaws to move the distal-most clip of the plurality of clips between the pair of jaws, and

as the at least one handle is moved an additional amount in the first direction, the clip pusher bar is moved towards the housing to move the clip pusher bar proximally behind a next distal-most clip of the plurality of clips.

18. The clip applier according to claim 17, further comprising a pusher bar cam pivotably supported on the drive channel and movable therewith, the pusher bar cam extending through a slot formed in the wedge plate and into a window formed in the clip pusher bar, wherein as the drive channel is moved distally the pusher bar cam moves the clip pusher bar distally.

19. The clip applier according to claim 18, wherein during distal movement of the drive channel, the pusher bar cam is rotated relative thereto such that the pusher bar cam disengages from the window of the clip pusher bar allowing the clip pusher bar to move proximally.

20. The clip applier according to claim 16, further comprising a pivot arm operatively connected to the wedge plate and selectively engageable by the drive channel, wherein rotation of the pivot arm, during distal movement of the drive channel, results in proximal movement of the wedge plate.