Endoscopic surgical clip applier

• US 7,717,926 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2005
• Issued: 05/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Whitfield, Kenneth H., Sorrentino, Greg
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Anhtuan T
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TUAN VAN
• Application Number:
  US11/245,493
• Publication Number:
  US 20060079912A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,684 Days
• Field of Search: 606/142, 606/143, 606/157, 606/158, 606/219
• US Class Current: 606/143
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00234 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0682 for applying U-shaped staples or clamps, e.g. without a forming anvil
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/10 for applying or removing wound clamps, e.g. containing only one clamp or staple A61B17/076 takes precedence; containing multiple wound clamps A61B17/068; Wound clamp magazines containers, packaging elements or packages specially adapted for particular articles or with special means for dispensing contents B65D83/00, B65D85/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/105 Wound clamp magazines for packaging sharps A61B50/3001
• 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 17/128 for applying or removing clamps or clips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1285 for minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00115 with audible or visual output with imaging means A61B90/37, A61B34/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00367 Details of actuation of instruments, e.g. relations between pushing buttons, or the like, and activation of the tool, working tip, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00407 Ratchet means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00778 Operations on blood vessels A61B2017/22097, A61B2017/320741 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/12004 for haemostasis, for prevention of bleeding
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2923 Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2926 Details of heads or jaws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0803 Counting the number of times an instrument is used
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0807 Indication means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0811 for the position of a particular part of an instrument with respect to the rest of the instrument, e.g. position of the anvil of a stapling instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/08 Accessories or related features not otherwise provided for

Abstract

An apparatus for application of surgical clips to body tissue has a handle portion with a body extending distally from the handle portion defining a longitudinal axis and a plurality of surgical clips disposed within the body. The apparatus also has a jaw assembly mounted adjacent a distal end portion of the body with the jaw assembly including first and second jaw portions movable between a spaced-apart and an approximated position. The apparatus further has a wedge plate longitudinally movable between the first and the second jaw portions, and a clip pusher configured to individually distally advance a surgical clip to the jaw assembly while the jaw portions are in the spaced apart position with an actuator. The actuator is at least partially disposed within the body and longitudinally movable in response to actuation of the handle portion and has a cam link. The apparatus also has a jaw closure member positioned adjacent the first and second jaw portions to move the jaw portions to the approximated position. The cam link longitudinally moves wedge plate between the first and the second jaw portions.

Claims

1. An apparatus for application of surgical clips to body tissue, which comprises:

a) a handle portion;

b) a body extending distally from the handle portion and defining a longitudinal axis;

c) a plurality of surgical clips disposed within the body;

d) a jaw assembly mounted adjacent a distal end portion of the body, the jaw assembly including first and second jaw portions movable between a spaced-apart and an approximated position;

e) a wedge plate longitudinally movable between the first and the second jaw portions;

f) a clip pusher configured to individually distally advance a surgical clip to the jaw assembly while the jaw portions are in the spaced apart position;

g) an actuator at least partially disposed within the body and longitudinally movable in response to actuation of the handle portion, the actuator having a cam link mounted thereto and being in operative cooperation with the wedge plate; and

h) a jaw closure member positioned adjacent the first and second jaw portions to move the jaw portions to the approximated position, wherein said cam link longitudinally moves said wedge plate between the first and the second jaw portions,

wherein said wedge plate;

biases the first and the second jaw portions when said wedge plate is longitudinally moved between the first and the second jaw portions; and

maintains said first and said second jaw portions in a fixed predetermined relationship during loading of said clip, said fixed predetermined relationship preventing flexing of the first and the second jaw members during clip loading; and

wherein said wedge plate has;

a first proximal window adapted to be engaged by a member disposed in said body, said member being configured to hold said wedge plate in a distal most position, said distal most position being between said first and said second jaw members; and

a second proximal window adapted to be engaged by said member, said second proximal window configured to hold said wedge plate in a proximal most position being retracted from said first and said second jaw members, said proximal most position of said wedge plate configured to allow the first and the second jaw members to be moved to the approximated position to compress said clip.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said wedge plate has a rounded distal tip.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first proximal window is connected to said second proximal window by a longitudinal slot.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said member is movable from said second proximal window to first proximal window by moving said wedge plate distally.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said cam link is engageable with a cam slot in said wedge plate, wherein said cam slot is has a driving edge.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said member is a flexible leg.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said cam slot has a proximal side and a distal side, wherein at said distal side said cam link traverses past said driving edge at a demarcation line, and wherein at said demarcation line said cam link terminates distal movement of said wedge plate.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said wedge plate further comprises a biasing device, and wherein at said demarcation line the disengagement between said cam link and said driving edge permits said biasing device to retract said wedge plate.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said cam link disengages said wedge plate at said demarcation line, and wherein the disengagement of said cam link permits retraction of said rounded distal end from between said first and said second jaw members.