Surgical clip for clamping small blood vessels in brain surgery and the like

• US 4,777,949 A
• Filed: 05/08/1987
• Issued: 10/18/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thomas P. Carney
• Original Assignee: Metatech Corporation
• Inventors: Perlin, Alfred R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thaler, Michael H.
• Application Number:
  US07/048,002
• Time in Patent Office: 529 Days
• Field of Search: 128/346, 128/325, 128/326, 24/67.9, 24/67 R, 24/546
• US Class Current: 606/158
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1227 Spring clips
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/44778 Piece totally forms clasp, clip, or support-clamp and has shaped, wirelike, or bandlike configuration with uniform cross section throughout its length

Abstract

A miniature surgical clip made of a single continuous length of spring material comprising, in combination, first and second operating members arranged at an acute angle with respect to one another connected together at a common apex, the first operating member having an inwardly bent base leg which defines a guide element and a first jaw member which extends from the base leg in a direction away from the common apex. The second operating member includes a portion defining a second jaw member which extends adjacent to and beyond the guide element in a direction away from the common apex and substantially parallel to the first jaw member to form cooperating jaws which are straight and parallel. The second jaw member includes an additional portion which is sharply bent back along the second jaw member and slidingly grasps the guide element between the second jaw member and the additional portion, whereby the operating members are outwardly sprung with respect to one another for biasing the first and second jaw members resiliently into clamping engagement such that when a mutually inward force is applied to the operating members, the first and second jaw members are spread apart for engagement of a blood vessel between them, and such that, when the mutually inward force is released, the second jaw member is guided by the guide element towards the first jaw member and into directly opposed clamping engagement with the blood vessel.

Claims

1. A miniature surgical clip made of a single continuous length of spring material comprising, in combination, first and second operating members arranged at an acute angle with respect to one another connected together at a common apex, said first operating member having an inwardly bent base leg which defines a guide element and a first jaw member which extends from said base leg in a direction away from said common apex, said second operating member having a portion defining a second jaw member which extends adjacent to and beyond said guide element in a direction away from said common apex and substantially parallel to said first jaw member to form cooperating jaws which are straight and parallel, said second jaw member including an additional portion thereof which is sharply bent back along said second jaw member and slidingly grasps said guide element between said second jaw member and said additional portion, said operating members being outwardly sprung with respect to one another for biasing said first and second jaw members resiliently into clamping engagement whereby when a mutually inward force is applied to the operating members, said first and second jaw members are spread apart for engagement of a blood vessel between them, and whereby, when said mutually inward force is released, said second jaw member is guided by said guide element towards said first jaw member and into directly opposed clamping engagement with said blood vessel said first jaw member including an additional portion thereof which is sharply bent back along said first jaw member whereby said guide element is disposed between said first jaw member and said additional portion of said first jaw member.

2. The miniature surgical clip of claim 1 wherein said inwardly bent base leg terminates in a 270°

exit loop having a straight exit portion which forms said first jaw member.

3. The miniature surgical clamp of claim 1 wherein said gude element is firmly gripped between said first jaw member and said additional portion of said first jaw member.

4. The miniature surgical clamp of claim 1 wherein said first jaw member and said additional portion of said first jaw member are each laterally separated from said guide element by a distance at least equal to the diameter of said spring wire.

5. The miniature surgical clip of claim 1 wherein each of said operating members include an integral 360°

applicator loop formed in axial alignment at the midportion of each said operating member and perpendicular to the direction of extent of said guide element.