Surgical clamp apparatus

• US 5,449,365 A
• Filed: 04/19/1994
• Issued: 09/12/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: United States Surgical Corporation (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: United States Surgical Corporation (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Green, David T., Zvenyatsky, Boris
• Primary Examiner(s): Pellegrino, Stephen C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHMIDT, JEFFREY
• Application Number:
  US08/229,867
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: 606/142, 606/143, 606/147, 606/151, 606/157, 606/158, 606/139, 606/205, 606/206-208, 227/901, 227/902, 128/831, 128/843
• US Class Current: 606/142
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1285 for minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2905 flexible
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 227/901 Surgical clip appliers

Abstract

Apparatus is provided for applying a surgical clamp during endoscopic or laparoscopic procedures which includes a handle portion, an endoscopic portion extending longitudinally from the handle portion, and a surgical clamp detachably mounted adjacent a distal end of the endoscopic portion. The surgical clamp includes opposed cooperating jaw members which are movable between an initially closed position and an open position. Structure is associated with the endoscopic portion of the apparatus for detachably engaging the surgical clamp and a mechanism is provided for moving the opposed cooperating jaws between the initially closed position and the open position and for moving the engaging structure between a disengaged position and an engaged position. Preferably, a distal end portion of the endoscopic portion of the apparatus is adapted to articulate relative the longitudinal axis of the endoscopic portion for increasing the range of operability of the apparatus during surgical procedures.

Claims

1. Apparatus for applying and retrieving a surgical clamp comprising:

a) a handle portion;

b) an endoscopic portion having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end extending longitudinally from said handle portion;

c) a surgical clamp detachably mounted adjacent said distal end of said endoscopic portion and including opposed cooperating jaw members remotely actuable to move in a first plane between a first position and a second position by actuation means controllable from said handle portion; and

d) engaging means associated with said distal end of said endoscopic portion for detachably engaging and retrieving said surgical clamp, said engaging means including opposed engaging arm members movable in a second plane between a primary position in engagement with said surgical clamp and a secondary position spaced from said surgical clamp to facilitate detachment of said surgical clamp from said endoscopic portion, said arm members actuable remote from said distal end of said endoscopic portion and movable in a longitudinal direction relative to the endoscopic portion to effect movement of said cooperating jaw members in said first plane.

2. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein a distal portion of said endoscopic portion is movably connected to a proximal portion of said endoscopic portion.

3. Apparatus as recited in claim 2, further comprising means associated with said handle portion for effectuating the articulation of said distal portion of said endoscopic portion relative to a longitudinal axis of said proximal portion.

4. Apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein said means for effectuating the articulation of said distal portion comprises a rack member mounted for reciprocating longitudinal movement in said handle portion in response to rotation of a pinion member.

5. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said first position corresponds to said opposed cooperating jaw members being in an open position.

6. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said surgical clamp includes means for biasing said opposed cooperating jaw members in said second position corresponding to said jaw members being in a closed position.

7. Apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein said surgical clamp includes an upper jaw member and a lower jaw member, said lower jaw member having a cavity defined therein for accommodating said biasing means and at least a portion of a barrel member biased by said biasing means, said upper jaw member being operatively connected to said barrel member for biasing said upper jaw member toward said lower jaw member.

8. Apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein said opposed cooperating jaw members include link means for guiding the cooperative movement of said opposed jaw members between said first position and said second position.

9. Apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein said link means comprises a pivoting link member connecting said upper jaw member to said barrel member to effect relative movement of said opposed jaw members.

10. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said opposed engaging arm members have a generally T-shaped head portion which detachably engage corresponding slots formed in said surgical clamp.

11. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said engaging means includes an extension member operatively associated with a pivoting handle of said handle portion and extending through said endoscopic portion to said detachable engaging means.

12. Apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein a ratcheting mechanism is associated with said extension member and is actuable independent of said pivoting handle for selectively maintaining said extension member in a desired longitudinal position.

14. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising seal means associated with said endoscopic portion for inhibiting the egress of insufflation gas therethrough.

13. Apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein said ratcheting mechanism selectively maintains said extension member in a first longitudinal position corresponding to said opposed engaging arm members moving into an engaged position and a second longitudinal position corresponding to said opposed jaw members moving into an open position.

15. Apparatus for applying and retrieving a surgical clamp comprising:

a) a handle portion;

b) an endoscopic portion including a proximal portion extending longitudinally from said handle portion and a distal portion connected to said proximal portion;

c) a surgical clamp detachably mounted adjacent a distal end of said distal portion, said surgical clamp including opposed cooperating jaw members initially biased in a first position and remotely movable in a first plane to a second position;

d) engaging means associated with said distal portion of said endoscopic portion for detachably engaging and retrieving said surgical clamp, said engaging means including opposed engaging arm members movable in a second plane between a primary position in engagement with said surgical clamp and a secondary position spaced from said surgical clamp to facilitate detachment of said surgical clamp from said endoscopic portion, said arm members actuable remote from said distal end of said endoscopic portion and movable in a longitudinal direction relative to the endoscopic portion to effect movement of said cooperating jaw members in said first plane; and

e) means associated with said handle portion for articulating said distal portion of said endoscopic portion relative to a longitudinal axis of said proximal portion.

16. Apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein said means for articulating said distal portion comprises a rack member mounted for reciprocating longitudinal movement in said handle portion in response to rotation of a pinion member.

17. Apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein said surgical clamp includes an upper jaw member and a lower jaw member, said lower jaw member having a cavity defined therein for accommodating biasing means and at least a portion of a barrel member biased by said biasing means, said upper jaw member being operatively connected to said barrel member for biasing said upper jaw member toward said lower jaw member.

18. Apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein a link member connects said upper jaw member to said barrel member for directing the movement of said opposed jaw members between said first position and said second position.

19. Apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein each of said opposed engaging arm members have a generally T-shaped head portion which engage corresponding slots formed in said surgical clamp.

20. Apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein an extension member operatively associated with a pivoting handle in said handle portion extends through said endoscopic portion to said opposed engaging arm members for moving said arm members between said primary position and said secondary position.

21. Apparatus as recited in claim 20, wherein a ratcheting mechanism is associated with said extension member and is actuable independent of said pivoting member for selectively maintaining said extension member in a desired longitudinal position.

22. Apparatus as recited in claim 21, wherein said ratcheting mechanism is provided to selectively maintain said extension member in a first longitudinal position corresponding to said opposed engaging arm members being moved into an engaged position and a second longitudinal position corresponding to said opposed jaw members being moved into an open position.

23. Apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein said first plane is orthogonal to said second plane.

24. Apparatus for applying and retrieving a surgical clamp comprising:

a) a handle portion;

b) an endoscopic portion including a proximal portion extending longitudinally from said handle portion and a distal portion movably connected to said proximal portion;

c) means for articulating said distal portion of said endoscopic portion relative to a longitudinal axis of said proximal portion;

d) a surgical clamp detachably mounted adjacent a distal end of said distal portion, said surgical clamp including opposed cooperating jaw members initially biased in a first position and remotely actuable to move to a second position;

e) a pair of opposed engaging arm members for detachably engaging and retrieving said surgical clamp, said opposed engaging arm members each having a camming surface associated therewith, said arm members actuable remote from said distal end of said endoscopic portion; and

f) actuation structure associated with said handle portion for camming said engaging arm members between a primary position wherein said engaging arm members are in engagement with said surgical clamp and a secondary position wherein said engaging arm members are spaced from said surgical clamp, and for moving said cooperating jaw members between said first position and said second position by translating in a longitudinal direction relative to the endoscopic portion.

25. Apparatus as recited in claim 24, wherein said means for articulating said distal portion comprises a rack member mounted for reciprocating longitudinal movement in said handle portion in response to rotation of a pinion member.

26. Apparatus as recited in claim 24, wherein said surgical clamp includes an upper jaw member and a lower jaw member, said lower jaw member having a cavity defined therein for accommodating biasing means and at least a portion of a barrel member, said upper jaw member being operatively connected to said barrel member for biasing said upper jaw member in said closed position.

27. Apparatus as recited in claim 24, wherein each of said opposed engaging arm members have a generally T-shaped head portion which engage corresponding slots formed in said surgical clamp.

28. Apparatus as recited in claim 24, wherein said actuation structure for moving said cooperating jaw members comprises an extension member operatively associated with a pivoting handle in said handle portion and extending through said endoscopic portion to said opposed engaging arm member.

29. Apparatus as recited in claim 28, wherein a ratcheting mechanism is associated with said extension member and is actuable independent of said pivoting handle for selectively maintaining said extension member in a desired longitudinal position.

30. Apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein said ratcheting mechanism is provided for selectively maintaining said extension member in a first longitudinal position corresponding to said opposed engaging arm members being cammed into an engaged position and a second longitudinal position corresponding to said opposed jaw members being moved into an open position.

31. Apparatus as recited in claim 24, further comprising seal means associated with said endoscopic portion for inhibiting the egress of insufflation gas therethrough.

32. An apparatus for applying a surgical clamp to body tissue comprising:

a) a handle assembly including a pivoting actuation handle;

b) an elongated body extending distally from the handle assembly and defining a longitudinal axis;

c) a pair of cooperating actuation arms operatively associated with a distal end of the elongated body;

d) a surgical clamp detachably supported at the distal end of the elongated body and including a pair of cooperating jaws movable in a first plane between open and closed positions; and

e) an actuator extending from the actuation handle to the actuation arms to translate motion therebetween, wherein movement of the actuation handle through a first distance effects movement of the actuation arms in a second plane between a first position spaced from the surgical clamp and a second position engaged with the surgical clamp, and movement of the actuation handle through a second distance effects longitudinal translation of the actuation arms relative to the elongated portion while in the second position to effect movement of the cooperating jaws in the first plane.