LIGATION CLIP

• US 20140243862A1
• Filed: 10/22/2012
• Published: 08/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teleflex Life Sciences LLC (Teleflex Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Atsina Surgical, LLC
• Inventors: Bagaoisan, Celso, Pai, Suresh, Dreher, James, Tamaddon, Kirk
• Granted Patent: US 9,855,053 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/157
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/122 Clamps or clips , e.g. for the umbilical cord for the vas deferens A61F6/206
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1285 for minimally invasive surgery

Abstract

A surgical ligation clip and method of operation are described and include a top jaw member and bottom jaw member joined at a hinge section for movement about the hinge section. The hinge section can be offset or space laterally from one or both of the jaw members. Teeth arrangements and distributions are also described, as well as closing and jaw ends engagement configurations, for example for more easily engaging/piercing connective or other tissue.

Claims

1. A ligation clip comprising:

first and second jaws having proximal portions extending generally longitudinally and movably coupled to each other by a flexible portion at the proximal portions; and

wherein the flexible portion includes a first angularly-extending element having first and second end points on different sides of an intermediate point and extending angularly from the first jaw and wherein the flexible portion is flexible between endpoints of the angularly-extending element and configured to allow the first and second jaws to move relative to each other as a result of flexibility at the intermediate point.

2. The clip of claim 1 wherein at least one of the jaws includes a tooth extending at an angle to a surface on which the tooth is supported.

3. The clip of claim 2 wherein the at least one of the jaws includes teeth extending at angles to their respective support surfaces different relative to each other.

4. The clip of claim 1 wherein at least one of the jaws includes a plurality of teeth, wherein a first density of teeth on one portion of the jaw is greater than or equal to zero and a second density of teeth on another portion of the jaw is greater than the first density of teeth.

5. The clip of claim 1 wherein the first and second jaws include teeth, and wherein the first jaw has a density of teeth different than a density of teeth on the second jaw.

6. The clip of claim 1 wherein one of the first and second jaws is an upper jaw and wherein the upper jaw includes a proximal portion and a distal portion and wherein the proximal portion includes teeth at a greater density than a section of teeth on the distal portion.

7. The clip of claim 1 wherein the at least one of the jaws includes a portion having a smooth surface of a given length where in the given length is greater than at least twice a smallest spacing between adjacent teeth on the clip.

8. The clip of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second jaws includes a lateral extension and wherein the lateral extension includes at least one tooth.

9. The clip of claim 1 wherein the first jaw includes at least first and second teeth and wherein when the clip is closed, the second jaw has no teeth between the first and second teeth on the first jaw.

10. The clip of claim 1 wherein the flexible portion includes a wall defining an opening through the flexible portion.

11. The clip of claim 10 wherein the wall defining the opening extends in a direction longitudinally a distance greater than a widthwise direction.

12. The clip of claim 10 wherein the flexible portion is formed so as to have different flexibility at different locations in the flexible portion.

13. The clip of claim 10 wherein the opening extends over an arc when the clip is in an open configuration.

14. The clip of claim 13 wherein the flexibility of the flexible portion at a center of the arc is greater than a flexibility of the flexible portion at an end of the arc.

15. The clip of claim 13 wherein the opening is formed on one side by a first wall having a first thickness and on another side by a second wall having a second thickness greater than the first thickness.

16. The clip of claim 1 wherein the flexible portion is spaced from the first jaw by a first relatively inflexible, angularly-extending element between the flexible portion and the first jaw.

17. The clip of claim 16 wherein the flexible portion is spaced from the second jaw by a second relatively inflexible, angularly-extending element between the flexible portion and the second jaw.

18. The clip of claim 17 wherein the first and second angularly-extending elements extend at approximately right angles to each other when the clip is in an open, relaxed state.

19. The clip of claim 10 wherein the clip includes a pivot point about which the first jaw pivots relative to the second jaw and wherein the pivot point when the clip is in an open configuration is within the opening through the flexible portion.

20. The clip of claim 1 wherein the first jaw includes a corner portion having a surface facing the second jaw wherein the surface of corner portion is curved.

21. The clip of claim 20 wherein the surface of the corner portion is partially circular.

22. The clip of claim 20 wherein the surface of the corner portion has an eccentric curvature.

23. The clip of claim 20 wherein the corner portion includes a plurality of teeth on the curved surface.

24. The clip of claim 23 wherein at least one of the teeth on the curved surface is oriented in a direction at least partly toward the flexible portion when the clip is open and in a relaxed state.

29. The clip of claim 1 further including a piercing element at a distal end portion of the first jaw, wherein the piercing element includes a longitudinally extending edge, and an edge receiver on a distal end portion of the second jaw.

25. A ligation clip comprising:

first and second jaws having respective proximal and distal end portions;

a junction portion having respective first and second end portions coupled to respective first and second jaws at their proximal end portions, wherein the junction portion includes an angularly-extending element extending over a defined length and at an angle to one of the first and second jaws and further including a wall defining an opening wherein the opening extends over a distance less than the defined length.

26. The clip of claim 25 wherein the opening is an arcuate opening.

27. The clip of claim 25 wherein the opening is offset from at least one of the first and second jaws.

28. The clip of claim 25 wherein the opening is offset from each of the first and second jaws.

30. A ligation clip comprising:

first and second jaws having respective distal end portions and coupled at proximal end portions for relative movement with respect to each other;

a piercing element at a distal end portion of the first jaw, the piercing element having a longitudinally extending edge facing proximally, and extending to a free end; and

an edge receiver at the distal end portion of the second jaw extending laterally outward from the second jaw to a tangent surface, and further including a distally-facing channel wherein the channel and the edge are configured such that when the clip is in a closed configuration the edge is positioned in the channel, and the free end does not extend beyond the tangent surface.

31. The clip of claim 30 wherein the edge receiver includes a groove.

32. The clip of claim 30 wherein the edge receiver includes a length greater than or equal to a length of the piercing element edge.

33. The clip of claim 30 further including a groove for guiding the longitudinally extending edge of the piercing element into the edge receiver.

34. The clip of claim 30 further including a pointed tooth on the second jaw at the distal end of the second jaw.

35. The clip of claim 30 wherein the piercing element includes first and second sides forming an inclusive angle of opposing faces wherein the angle is 150°

or less.

36. The clip of claim 30 wherein the piercing element has a durometer of at least 50 Shore D.

37. A method of using a ligation clip comprising:

positioning a ligation clip having first and second jaws so that the jaws are in an open configuration and a proximal portion of the first jaw is spaced apart from but closer to the second jaw than a distal portion of the first jaw;

applying forces to the first and second jaws to bring the first and second jaws closer together so that the proximal portion of the first jaw is adjacent the second jaw and the distal portion of the first jaw is not adjacent the second jaw; and

moving the proximal portion of the first jaw proximally along the second jaw.

38. The method of claim 37 further including moving the distal portion of the first jaw into contact with a distal portion of the second jaw.

39. The method of claim 37 wherein moving the proximal portion of the first jaw proximally includes moving the proximal portion of the first jaw proximally along the second jaw along an area of the second jaw without any teeth.

40. The method of claim 37 further including positioning a portion of a tissue between the proximal portion of the first jaw and second jaw and moving the tissue proximally.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein moving the tissue proximally includes moving the tissue proximally using the proximal portion of the first jaw.

42. The method of claim 40 further including contacting the portion of the tissue with a tooth on the first jaw.

43. The method of claim 37 wherein a spacing between the first and second jaws is reduced to a minimum prior to complete the closure of the clip when the clip is empty.

44. The method of claim 37 further including deflecting a hinge portion as a distal portion of the first jaw moves along a distal portion of the second jaw.

45. The method of claim 44 further including deflecting the hinge portion distally.

46. The method of claim 37 further including moving the proximal portion of the first jaw proximally to move tissue along the second jaw to an area adjacent a hinge portion.

47. The method of claim 37 further including moving the proximal portion of the first jaw proximally to move tissue in a direction away from the second jaw.