Surgical ligating instrument

• US 4,576,166 A
• Filed: 06/29/1981
• Issued: 03/18/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sherwood Services AG
• Original Assignee: American Colloid Company (Minerals Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Montgomery, John R., Deniega, Jose C., Brumaghim, Milton W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thaler, Michael H.
• Application Number:
  US06/278,258
• Time in Patent Office: 1,723 Days
• Field of Search: 128/325, 128/334 R, 128/326, 227/DIG. 1, 29/243.56, 72/410
• US Class Current: 606/143
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0682 for applying U-shaped staples or clamps, e.g. without a forming anvil
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53783 Clip applier

Abstract

An improved surgical ligating instrument has been invented. The improvements comprise a crimping mechanism having canted jaws and an advancing mechanism having a clip actuator, said actuator having a first and a second pawl in alternate relationship.

A surgical ligating instrument has also been invented. The instrument comprises

a. a housing having a force activating and translating mechanism; b. a loading mechanism having an injector, the terminal end adjacent a single clip; c. an advancing mechanism having a pair of aligned members, the initial end of the members contained in the housing and the terminal end containing jaws; a clip actuator rotatably mounted adjacent the initial end of the jaws; a spring, a pusher at the terminal end of the spring, and a plurality of clips, the rearmost clip adjacent the pusher and the frontmost clip contained by the actuator; and d. a crimping mechanism having a crimp bar.

Claims

1. A surgical ligating instrument comprising

A. a housing having

I. a trigger, which can be activated by at least one thumb to cause a first force;

II. a sector gear on the distal end of said trigger, at least one reduction gear which meshes with said sector gear, and a rack which meshes with said reduction gear, to effect said first force;

III. a handle, which can be activated by at least one finger to cause a second force;

IV. means for translating said second force from said handle to a movable pin, to effect said second force; and

V. an interlock between said trigger and said handle such that said trigger is completely compressed before said handle is compressible; and

B. a probe having

I. means for advancing a plurality of ligating clips comprising

a. a pair of aligned members, each member containing an internal slot, the proximal end of said members contained in said housing and the distal end having canted jaws, said jaws during compression of said handle having no rectilinear motion relative to said housing;

b. a single clip actuator rotatably mounted adjacent the proximal end of said jaws, said actuator having a first and a second pawl in alternate relationship such that said actuator can repeatedly release the frontmost clip from said plurality of clips;

c. a spring, the proximal end contained to said housing;

d. a pusher at the distal end of said spring; and

e. a plurality of clips, the rearmost clip adjacent said pusher and the frontmost clip contained by said actuator, said spring, pusher and clips contained by the internal slots of said aligned members;

II. means for loading a ligating clip from the proximal end of said jaws comprising an injector, said injector having holding means such that said injector can be held adjacent to a single clip in said jaws, the proximal end of said injector adjacent said rack in said housing and the distal end adjacent a single clip, said injector adjoining said aligned members; and

III. means for crimping a single clip in said jaws comprising a movable crimp bar, the proximal end adjacent said movable pin in said housing and the distal end adjacent said jaws.

2. An instrument of claim 1 wherein said holding means comprises a pin on the initial end of said injector and a rotatable pawl contained in said housing, the distance between said pin and rotatable pawl about equal to the travel of a single clip adjacent the terminal end of said injector to said jaws.

3. An instrument of claim 2 wherein said second activating means on complete compression disengages said rotatable pawl such that said pin can be released.

4. An instrument of claim 1 wherein said injector contains a flanged portion and said pusher contains an opening whereby said flanged portion is held by said opening after said rearmost clip is crimped by said jaws.

5. An instrument of claim 4 wherein said first activating means is simultaneously locked as said flanged portion is held by said opening.