Neurosurgical clip applier

• US 5,122,150 A
• Filed: 05/25/1990
• Issued: 06/16/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ana E. Puig
• Original Assignee: Ana E. Puig
• Inventors: Puig, Ana E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pellegrino, Stephen C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jackson, Gary
• Application Number:
  US07/528,993
• Time in Patent Office: 753 Days
• Field of Search: 606/138, 606/139, 606/142, 227/901
• US Class Current: 606/142
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1285 for minimally invasive surgery

Abstract

A surgical instrument for applying ligating clips. The instrument is made with as few detachable parts as possible to avoid any possibility that parts may be loosened and fall into the body of the person being operated on. The instrument comprises two jaws, one of which is stationary and the other of which can be moved towards the stationary jaw by squeezing the handle of the instrument. The movement of these jaws can be used to apply a ligating clip to a blood vessel or to other tissue.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument for applying surgical ligating clips onto a blood vessel or tissue in connection with a surgical operation, said instrument comprising a pair of opposed jaws, wherein one of said jaws is stationary, the second jaw is capable of movement toward and away from said stationary jaw;

said movable jaw being connected to a piston shaft which is connected to a plunger;

said plunger, piston shaft, and movable jaw being held in an extended position by a compressible spring;

said instrument further comprising a displaceable handle capable of pivoting movement;

means comprising a cam and roller for converting pivoting movement of said handle into linear reciprocating motion of said plunger, piston shaft, and moveable jaw.

2. The surgical instrument, according to claim 1, wherein said instrument further comprises a turn wheel which enables said opposed jaws to be rotated with respect to said handles.

3. The surgical instrument, according to claim 1, wherein said instrument is made of titanium.

4. The surgical instrument, according to claim 1, wherein the handles of said instrument have holes to make the instrument more lightweight.

5. A surgical instrument for applying surgical ligating clips onto a blood vessel or tissue in connection with a surgical operation, said instrument comprising a pair of opposed jaws, wherein one of said jaws is stationary, the second jaw is capable of movement toward and away from said stationary jaw;

said moveable jaw being connected to a piston shaft which is connected to a plunger;

a pair of opposed handles integrally joined to each other but capable of pivoting movement toward and away from each other by elastic bending of the material from which they formed;

an actuating member comprising a pair of leg members joined together by a bight portion, the free ends of each of said leg members being rigidly secured to a respective one of said opposed handles;

said bight portion connected to said piston shaft;

said leg members and said bight portion being integrally joined to each other so that no relative motion between the bight portion and either of said leg members is possible at the point of junction between them, whereby pivoting movement of said handles is converted into linear reciprocating movement of said bight portion and of said piston rod, thereby causing movement of said moveable jaw toward and away from said stationary jaw.

6. The surgical instrument, according to claim 5, further comprising adjusting means, said adjusting means being effective to control the relative resting positions and range of motion of said jaws.

7. A surgical instrument for applying surgical ligating clips onto a blood vessel or tissue in connection with a surgical operation, said instrument comprising a pair of opposed jaws, wherein one of said jaws is stationary, the second jaw is capable of movement toward and away from said stationary jaw;

said moveable jaw being connected to a piston shaft which is connected to a plunger;

a pair of opposed handles integrally joined to each other but capable of pivoting movement toward and away from each other by elastic bending of the material from which they formed;

an actuating member, first means comprising a cam and roller for converting pivoting movement of the handles into linear reciprocating motion of said actuating member, further means interposed between said actuating member and said moveable jaw for converting reciprocating motion of the actuating member into movement of said moveable jaw toward said stationary jaw whereby said jaws are moveable from a first position in which they receive and retain therebetween an open ligating clip and a second position in which the clip is clamped onto a blood vessel or tissue.

8. The surgical instrument, according to claim 7, further comprising adjusting means, said adjusting means being effective to control the relative resting positions and range of motion of said jaws.