Blood vessel clip and applicator

• US 6,695,854 B1
• Filed: 11/29/1999
• Issued: 02/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Surgical Innovations Incorporated (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: General Surgical Innovations Incorporated (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Jervis, James E., Kayan, Helmut
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Gary
• Application Number:
  US09/450,921
• Time in Patent Office: 1,548 Days
• Field of Search: 606/142, 606/143, 606/157, 606/158
• US Class Current: 606/143
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/122 Clamps or clips , e.g. for the umbilical cord for the vas deferens A61F6/206
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1227 Spring clips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1285 for minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0042 with special provisions for gripping
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00429 with a roughened portion

Abstract

A blood vessel clip applicator preferably includes two twist pins at one end, between which a blood vessel is placed before occlusion. A magazine in the blood vessel clip applicator preferably holds a plurality of blood vessel clips and can be rotated independently from a grip assembly, whereby the twist pins can be rotated to compress a blood vessel held between them. A blood vessel clip is preferably placed on the blood vessel after it has been flattened.

A blood vessel clip preferably comprises spring quality material, and preferably has a head connected to a first leg and a second leg. The magazine preferably has a constricted region adjacent to an exit aperture. As the head enters the constricted region, the compressive force exerted on the head by the constricted region opens the blood vessel clip to an open position.

In an alternate embodiment, a plunger applies a blood vessel clip with a direct stroke. The plunger has a plurality of stepwise indentations used to restrain the blood vessel clips before application and for pushing them all forward substantially simultaneously during application.

In an alternate embodiment, a variety of blood vessel clips having different shapes, cross-sections and grooves are suitable for use with the blood vessel clip applicator. The alternate blood vessel clip preferably have two legs in a “V” configuration and a head connecting the two legs. The constricted region compresses the head of the blood vessel clip as it passes through the constricted region, thereby closing the clip onto the blood vessel. These alternate embodiments may comprise substantially annealed metal.

Claims

1. An apparatus for placing over a blood vessel a blood vessel clip comprising spring-quality material and having a head, comprising:

an applicator barrel having a distal end;

an exit aperture in said distal end of said applicator barrel;

a constricted region narrower than the head of the blood vessel clip, said constricted region spaced apart from said exit aperture and having a narrowest point narrower than said exit aperture; and

means for impelling the blood vessel clip through said constricted region, whereby compression of the head as it enters said constricted region forces the blood vessel clip open.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said impelling means comprises a plunger operably connected to a grip assembly.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a grip assembly having a handle and a trigger, said grip assembly attached to said applicator barrel;

a magazine connected to said applicator barrel, said magazine having a plunger space and a magazine passage separated by a divider shim, said magazine passage adapted to hold one or more blood vessel clips; and

a plunger extending into said plunger space, said plunger operably connected to said grip assembly and adapted to impel the blood vessel clip through said constricted region and said exit aperture.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a first pin extending distally from said magazine on one side of said exit aperture and a second pin extending distally from said magazine on substantially the other side of said exit aperture.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said first pin and said second pin are substantially parallel to the axial centerline of said magazine.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a protective ball attached to the distal end of both said first pin and said second pin.

7. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a rotating knob attached to said applicator barrel substantially coaxially with said applicator barrel.

8. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a staging space between said constricted region on one end and said plunger space and said magazine passage on the other.

9. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:

a ratchet rod operably connected to said plunger, said ratchet rod extending into said handle;

a rear chamber in said handle into which said ratchet rod extends;

a rotating wheel attached to said handle within said rear chamber, said rotating wheel having an axis of rotation substantially coaxial with the axial centerline of said ratchet rod; and

a return spring connecting the proximal end of said ratchet rod to said rotating wheel.

10. An apparatus for flattening a blood vessel, said apparatus comprising:

an applicator barrel having a distal end;

an exit aperture in said distal end of said applicator barrel;

a first pin extending distally from said applicator barrel on one side of said exit aperture; and

a second pin extending distally from said applicator barrel on substantially the opposite side of said exit aperture from said first pin.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said first pin and said second pin are substantially parallel to a centerline of said applicator barrel.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a protective ball attached to the distal end of both said first pin and said second pin.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a rotating knob attached to said applicator barrel substantially coaxially with said applicator barrel.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, said rotating knob having an index cavity with an opening, inside which an indexing spring biases an indexing ball toward said opening, said indexing ball adapted to fit against an index mark located in said handle when said opening is positioned adjacent said indexing mark.

15. An apparatus for applying to a blood vessel a blood vessel clip having a wide portion, comprising:

a grip assembly having a handle and a trigger;

an applicator barrel attached to said grip assembly;

a magazine connected to said applicator barrel, said magazine having a plunger space and a magazine passage separated by a divider shim, said magazine passage adapted to hold one or more blood vessel clips;

an exit aperture in said magazine through which the blood vessel clip is ejected;

a constricted region adjacent to said exit aperture, said constricted region narrower than the wide portion of the head of the blood vessel clips;

a plunger extending into said plunger space, said plunger operably connected to said grip assembly and adapted to serially impel said blood vessel clips through said constricted region and exit aperture;

a first pin extending distally from said magazine on one side of said exit aperture, substantially parallel to a centerline of said magazine;

a second pin extending distally from said magazine on substantially the other side of said exit aperture from said first pin, substantially parallel to a centerline of said magazine;

a protective ball attached to the distal end of both said first pin and said second pin;

a rotating knob attached to said applicator barrel substantially coaxially;

a ratchet rod extending into said handle and operably connected to said plunger, said ratchet rod;

a rear chamber in said handle into which said ratchet rod extends;

a rotating wheel attached to said handle within said rear chamber, said rotating wheel having an axis of rotation substantially coaxial with said ratchet rod; and

a return spring connecting the proximal end of said ratchet rod to said rotating wheel.

16. An apparatus for crimping a substantially annealed blood vessel clip having a head, comprising:

an applicator barrel having a distal end;

an exit aperture in said distal end of said applicator barrel;

a constricted region narrower than the head of the blood vessel clip, said constricted region adjacent to said exit aperture; and

means for impelling the blood vessel clip through said constricted region, whereby the head is deformed to clamp the blood vessel clip shut.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, where said means for impelling is a plunger operably connected to a grip assembly.