SURGICAL CLIP APPLIER

• US 20110137323A1
• Filed: 11/04/2010
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Shaw, Kenneth, Malkowski, Jaroslaw T.
• Granted Patent: US 9,186,136 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/143
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/068 Surgical staplers , e.g. containing multiple staples or clampsstaplers containing only one staple A61B17/10; magazines or containers for staples A61B17/105; for performing anastomosis A61B17/115; staplers in general B25C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/083 Clips, e.g. resilient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/105 Wound clamp magazines for packaging sharps A61B50/3001
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/128 for applying or removing clamps or clips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00407 Ratchet means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0803 Counting the number of times an instrument is used
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0807 Indication means

Abstract

A surgical clip applier is provided including a housing; at least one handle pivotably connected to the housing; a channel assembly extending distally from the housing; a plurality of clips loaded in the clip carrier; a drive channel translatably supported in the housing and the channel assembly, the drive channel being translated upon actuation of the at least one handle; and a counter mechanism supported in the housing, the counter mechanism including indicia visible through the housing, wherein the indicia corresponds to a quantity of clips loaded in the clip applier, wherein the indicia decrements upon each firing of the clip applier resulting in a reduction in the quantity of clips remaining of the plurality of clips.

Claims

1. A surgical clip applier, comprising:

a housing;

at least one handle pivotably connected to the housing;

a channel assembly extending distally from the housing;

a plurality of clips loaded in the clip carrier;

a drive channel translatably supported in the housing and the channel assembly, the drive channel being translated upon actuation of the at least one handle; and

a counter mechanism supported in the housing, the counter mechanism including indicia visible through the housing, wherein the indicia corresponds to a quantity of clips loaded in the clip applier, wherein the indicia decrements upon each firing of the clip applier resulting in a reduction in the quantity of clips remaining of the plurality of clips.

2. The clip applier according to claim 1, wherein the counter mechanism is rotatably supported in the housing and includes a uni-directional clutch member permitting rotation of the counter mechanism in a single direction.

3. The clip applier according to claim 2, wherein the counter mechanism includes:

a counter dial rotatably supported in the housing, wherein the counter dial includes the indicia thereof; and

a counter clutch operatively connected to the counter dial such that rotation of the counter clutch in a first direction results in rotation of the counter dial in the first direction, and rotation of the counter clutch in second direction results in no rotation of the counter dial.

4. The clip applier according to claim 3, wherein the counter mechanism includes a latch member operatively engaged with the counter dial, wherein the latch member permits rotation of the counter dial in the first direction and inhibits rotation of the counter mechanism in a direction opposite to the first direction.

5. The clip applier according to claim 4, wherein the counter dial includes a plurality of grooves formed in an outer periphery thereof, and the latch member includes a resilient finger biased into engagement with the plurality of grooves of the counter dial.

6. The clip applier according to claim 3, wherein the counter clutch is concentrically, rotatably nested in a bore defined in the counter dial, and wherein the counter clutch includes at least one resilient finger extending therefrom for engagement with uni-directional teeth formed in a perimetrical surface of the bore of the counter dial.

7. The clip applier according to claim 6, wherein the drive channel defines an angled slot therein, and wherein the counter clutch includes a clutch pin extending from a surface thereof and slidably disposed in the angled slot of the drive channel, wherein translation of the drive channel in a first direction relative to the counter mechanism causes the clutch pin to be cammed by the angled slot thereof thereby causing the counter clutch to rotate in the first direction, and translation of the drive channel in a second direction relative to the counter mechanism causes the clutch pin to be cammed by the angled slot thereof thereby causing the counter clutch to rotate in the second direction.

8. The clip applier according to claim 7, wherein the counter mechanism includes a latch member operatively engaged with the counter dial, wherein the latch member permits rotation of the counter dial in the first direction and inhibits rotation of the counter mechanism in a direction opposite to the first direction.

9. The clip applier according to claim 8, wherein the counter dial includes a plurality of grooves formed in an outer periphery thereof, and the latch member includes a resilient finger biased into engagement with the plurality of grooves of the counter dial.

10. The clip applier according to claim 2, wherein the counter mechanism includes:

a counter dial defining a lock out groove formed in an outer perimetrical edge thereof; and

a lock out supported in the housing, the lock out being biased such that a first catch thereof engages against the outer perimetrical edge of the counter dial,

wherein as the counter dial is rotated and the lock out groove of the counter dial is brought into registration with the first catch of the lock out, the first catch of the lock out is urged into the lock out groove thereby preventing a rotation of the counter dial in an opposite direction.

11. The clip applier according to claim 10, wherein the lock out includes a second catch, and wherein the second catch moves into a path of a translating member of the clip applier when the first catch of the lock out is moved into the lock out groove of the counter dial, thereby inhibiting a translation of the translating member of the clip applier.

12. The clip applier according to claim 11, wherein the lock out groove of the counter dial moves into registration with the first catch of the lock out when a final clip of the plurality of clips has been fired.

13. The clip applier according to claim 12, wherein the lock out groove of the counter dial is associated with an indicia on the counter mechanism indicating that the final clip has been fired.

14. The clip applier according to claim 13, wherein the indicia on the counter mechanism indicating that the final clip of the plurality of clip has been fired is represented by the number “

zero.”

15. The clip applier according to claim 11, further comprising a ratchet mechanism including:

a ratchet pawl pivotably supported in the housing; and

a rack member provided on the translating member, wherein the rack member is in operative registration with the ratchet pawl, and wherein the rack member translates across the ratchet pawl as the translating member translates.

16. The clip applier according to claim 15, wherein the ratchet mechanism is prevented from re-setting when the rack member has not completed a fully translation.