Surgical endoclip

• US 5,219,353 A
• Filed: 02/28/1992
• Issued: 06/15/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Frank V. Gates, Kathleen Ruddy, Thomas Q. Garvey III
• Original Assignee: Frank V. Gates, Kathleen Ruddy, Thomas Q. Garvey III
• Inventors: Gates, Frank V., Ruddy, Kathleen, Garvey, Thomas Q. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Pellegrino, Stephen C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jackson, Gary
• Application Number:
  US07/843,755
• Time in Patent Office: 473 Days
• Field of Search: 606/103, 606/120, 606/157-158, 24/457, 24/543, 24/563, 24/703.6, 24/704.1, 24/564
• 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: Y10T 24/44923 Clasp, clip, or support-clamp cut or shaped from a single sheet of resilient, uniformly thick, planar material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/44932 having specific surface material or irregularity on or along engaging face

Abstract

A surgical endoclip intended to be used with conventional instruments for applying surgical clips, such as those marketed by the United States Surgical Corporation (U.S. Surgical), is disclosed in which the clip fits within and is operated by the movable jaws in the U.S. Surgical Applier but the clip is constructed so as to provide a circumferential closing of the clip around the duct or vessel. The conventional movement of the jaws of the applier operates with the initially open surgical clip, which under pressure by the parallel movement of the jaws, closes about the duct or vessel being occluded.

Claims

1. A surgical endoclip comprising a thin metallic unitary member comprising a base terminating in a forward end in an upwardly and rearwardly extending section, said upwardly and rearwardly extending section terminating in a lower free-end, a corner formed between said lower free-end and said forward end of said base, said endoclip further comprising an upwardly and forwardly extending intermediate section extending from the rearward end of said base, said upwardly and forwardly extending intermediate section terminating in an upper arm substantially parallel to said base, said upper are terminating in an upper free-end, said surgical endoclip having an open position with said surgical endoclip lying within an initial plane, said surgical endoclip deformable to a closed position by pressure applied to said upper arm and base to displace said upper free-end to be captured and clamped in said corner under said lower free-end to form a circumferential closure on a duct to be sealed with said endoclip, said upper free-end and the upper surface of said base having complementary contours along the direction of relative movement between said upper free-end and said base as said upper free-end moves to be captured in said corner, said upper free-end being moved into and along said complementary surface of said base as said endoclip is being closed and the upper free end is moving forwardly toward said corner, said complementary contours guiding the proper closure to maintain the ends within said initial plane as said endoclip is being closed and preventing the ends of said upper-free-end and said lower free-end from projecting out from the closed endoclip to prevent piercing of surrounding tissue.

7. A surgical endoclip as set forth in claim 1, wherein the forward surface of said upper free-end comprises a Vee shape and the complementary surface of said base comprises a groove to receive and hold said Vee as said endoclip is closed.

2. A surgical endoclip as set forth in 1, wherein said metallic member comprises a bio-compatable metal.

3. A surgical endoclip as seth forth in 2, wherein said metal is titanium.

4. A surgical endoclip as set forth in 3, wherein said base member comprises means to hold said duct.

5. A surgical endoclip as set forth in 4, wherein said means to hold said duct comprises a nubbin.

6. A surgical endoclip as set forth in 5, wherein said nubbin comprises a sharp upper surface adapted to pierce and hold said duct.