Reduced diameter clip applying arrangement

• US 20040010272A1
• Filed: 06/09/2003
• Published: 01/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microline Surgical, Inc. (Hoya Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microline PENTAX, Inc. (Hoya Corporation)
• Inventors: De Guille Bon, Henri F., Ung, Ly, Manetakis, Emmanuel
• Granted Patent: US 7,179,265 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/143
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1285 for minimally invasive surgery

Abstract

A clip applying device for the insertion and pinching of a medical clip within a mammalian body portion. The device comprises a housing supporting a proximal end of a delivery tube of the device. A pair of pinchable jaws are movably arranged at a distal end of the delivery tube. The device contains a plurality of preformed clips of a first width, the clips having leg portions, the clips also being movably disposed within the delivery tube between the housing and the jaws. A tool adjacent the jaws is arranged to enlarge the clips from a first width to a wider second width, as the clips emerge from the delivery tube.

Claims

1. A clip applying device for the insertion and pinching of a medical clip within a mammalian body portion, comprising:

a housing supporting a proximal end of a delivery tube of said device;

a pair of pinchable jaws movably arranged at a distal end of said delivery tube;

a plurality of pre-formed clips of a first width, said clips having leg portions, said clips being movably disposed within said delivery tube between said housing and said jaws; and

a tool adjacent said jaws arranged to enlarge said clips from said first width to a wider second width, as said clips emerge from said delivery tube.

2. The clip applying device as recited in claim 1, wherein said tool comprises a triangular form arranged to frictionally engage said leg portions of said clips to bias them apart.

3. The clip applying device as recited in claim 1, wherein said clips have a pre-formed bridging portion connecting said leg portions, said bridging portion being of “

V”

configuration.

4. The clip applying device as recited in claim 1, wherein said leg portions are skewed with respect to one another.

5. The clip applying device as recited in claim 3 wherein said preformed bridging portion of said pre-formed clip of a first width, comprises an angle of about 75 to 90 degrees.

6. The clip applying device as recited in claim 3, wherein said bridging portion of said clip of a second width, comprises an angle of about 90 to 110 degrees.

7. The clip applying device as recited in claim 1, wherein said delivery tube has an outer diameter of about 5 millimeters.

8. The clip applying device as recited in claim 1, wherein said leg portions of said clip of a second dimension are parallel.

9. A method of introducing a medical clip into a mammalian patient, comprising the steps of:

inserting an arrangement of clips of a first width dimension into a delivery tube, each of said clips having leg portions and a bridging portion between said legs, said delivery tube having a pair of clip pinching jaws on a distal end thereof;

advancing said clips through said tube and towards said jaws after said delivery tube has been inserted into the patient;

widening said clips into a second width dimension prior to pinching thereof; and

squeezing said clip by said jaws when said clip is at said second width dimension, and about a tissue, to pinch that tissue.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, including the step of:

forming said leg portions of each of said clip in a parallel relationship.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, including the step of:

engaging said leg portions of each of said clips by a forming tool so as to form said leg portions thereof into said parallel relationship.

12. The method as recited in claim 9, including the step of:

forming said bridging portion of each of said clips into a wider angled V shape.

13. The method as recited in claim 9, including the step of:

squeezing said jaws together to permit said device to be removed from said patient through a 5 millimeter opening in said patient.

14. A method of introducing a narrow clip into a patient for pinching tissue within said patient by a wider clip once within said patient, said method comprising the steps of:

introducing a delivery tube into a patient, said tube having a plurality of pre-formed clips of a narrow first width, aligned therein;

widening said pre-formed clips to a second wider width upon advancement of said clips from said tube;

pinching said clips by a pair of squeezable jaws arranged about tissue upon said clips being widened.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, including the step of:

forming a bridging portion of said clip from a 75 to 90 degree bend therein into a 90 to 110 degree bend to thus widen and spread apart said leg portions of said pre-formed clip.

16. The method as recited in claim 14, including the step of:

straightening a bridge portion of said clip by a forming tool prior to said pinching of said clip.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, including the step of:

sliding a distal end of each of a pair of legs of said clip on an edge of said forming tool to effect said straightening of said bridge portion of said clip.

18. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein said widening of said pre-formed clips comprises spreading leg members apart of said clip.

19. A method of introducing a narrow clip into a patient for pinching tissue within said patient by a wider clip once within said patient, said method comprising the steps of:

introducing a delivery tube into a patient, said tube having a plurality of pre-formed clips of a narrow first width, aligned therein; and

widening said pre-formed clips to a second wider width upon advancement of said clips from said tube so as to be able to engage tissue and pinch said tissue with said widened clip.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, including the step of:

pinching said widened clips within said patient.