Ligation clip applier

• US 8,172,870 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2004
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microline Surgical, Inc. (Hoya Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microline Surgical, Inc. (Hoya Corporation)
• Inventors: Shipp, John I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Gary
• Assistant Examiner(s): YABUT, DIANE D
• Application Number:
  US10/864,780
• Publication Number:
  US 20050119677A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,890 Days
• Field of Search: 606151-158, 606205-210, 606/139, 606142-144
• US Class Current: 606/205
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/083 Clips, e.g. resilient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1227 Spring clips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1285 for minimally invasive surgery

Abstract

A ligation clip applicator design is provided that is particularly applicable to placement of a surgical ligation clip during a laparoscopic surgical procedure. The applicator has a magazine including first and second longitudinally extending partially closed channels within which enlarged portions of a ligation clip are received and held in an open position. First and second substantially parallel compression members are attached to the magazine and have first and second channel extensions therein aligned with the first and second channels of the magazine for receiving the first and second enlarged portions of the clip. The channel extensions include first and second releasing openings. The compression members close about a vessel, remaining substantially parallel as they close. The clip is pushed forward into the compression members to a position where the enlarged portions of the clip are aligned with the releasing openings, permitting the clip to be released to close and ligate the vessel.

Claims

1. A ligation clip and a surgical ligation apparatus in combination with one another for compressing a fluid carrying structure,

said ligation clip comprising a clamping arm and a support member biased toward one another, wherein said surgical ligation apparatus positions said ligation clip so that the fluid carrying structure is received between said clamping arm and said support member;

and

said surgical ligation apparatus comprising;

a proximal end, an opposite distal end, and a mid-longitudinal axis passing through said proximal and distal ends;

a shaft having a passage adapted to receive at least one said surgical ligation clip therein;

upper and lower compression members proximate said distal end of said apparatus, each of said upper and lower compression members having a clamping surface for contacting the fluid carrying structure, and a longitudinal axis, said clamping surfaces being substantially parallel to one another in an open position, said clamping surfaces each having a forward portion proximate

said distal end of said apparatus and an opposite rearward portion, and said upper and lower compression members being non-pivotably moveable relative to one another, said rearward portions of said upper and lower clamping surfaces being moveable relative to one another a distance that is generally equal to a distance that said forward portions of said upper and lower clamping surfaces are moveable relative to one another to compress the fluid carrying structure between said clamping surfaces, wherein said upper and lower compression members each include a first guide surface on the proximalmost portions thereof; and

an actuating system adapted to move said upper and lower compression members toward each other so that the longitudinal axes of said upper and lower compression members remain substantially parallel to one another and to the mid-longitudinal axis of said surgical ligation apparatus, said actuating system including a second guide surface configured to move against the first guide surfaces of said upper and lower compression members to move said upper and lower compression members toward each other.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said upper and lower compression members each move relative to the mid-longitudinal axis of said apparatus.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said upper and lower compression members are biased to the open position for receiving the fluid carrying structure therebetween.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a spring adapted to bias said upper and lower compression members to the open position for receiving the fluid carrying structure therebetween.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said clamping surfaces of said upper and lower members include a plurality of ridges and grooves to frictionally hold the fluid carrying structure.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a clip carrier moveable within said passage of said shaft for holding a plurality of surgical ligation clips therein, said clip carrier having a proximal end and an opposite distal end.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said clip carrier includes a guide surface for maintaining substantially vertical movement of said upper and lower compression members relative to one another.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a pair of springs, each spring of the pair of springs disposed between the upper and lower compression members and arranged to receive said at least one surgical ligation clip between the pair of springs.

9. A surgical ligation clip and a surgical ligation apparatus in combination with one another for compressing a fluid carrying structure,

said surgical ligation clip comprising a clamping arm and a support member biased toward one another, wherein said surgical ligation apparatus positions said surgical ligation clip so that the fluid carrying structure is received between said clamping arm and said support member;

and

said surgical ligation apparatus comprising;

a proximal end, an opposite distal end, and a mid-longitudinal axis passing through said proximal and distal ends;

a shaft having a passage adapted to receive said surgical ligation clip therein; and

upper and lower compression members proximate said distal end of said apparatus, said upper and lower compression members each having a clamping surface for contacting the fluid carrying structure, a longitudinal axis, and being non-pivotably moveable relative to one another so that the longitudinal axes of said upper and lower compression members remain substantially parallel to one another and to the mid-longitudinal axis of said surgical ligation apparatus, said clamping surfaces being substantially parallel to one another in an open position, and said upper and lower compression members each having a guide surface for guiding said surgical ligation clip over at least a portion of the fluid carrying structure, and said upper and lower compression members each further having a first guide surface on the proximalmost portions thereof and configured such that a second guide surface is movable against the first guide surfaces to relatively move said upper and lower compression members.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said upper and lower compression members are biased to the open position for receiving the fluid carrying structure therebetween.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a pair of springs, each spring of the pair of springs disposed between the upper and lower compression members and arranged to receive said at least one surgical ligation clip between the pair of springs.

12. A method of ligating a fluid carrying structure, the method comprising the steps of:

inserting into a patient a surgical ligation instrument having an upper compression member with a longitudinal axis and an upper clamping surface and a lower compression member with a longitudinal axis and a lower clamping surface, the upper and lower compression members being moveable relative to one another between an open position for receiving the fluid carrying structure and a closed position for compressing the fluid carrying structure therebetween, and the upper and lower clamping surfaces being adapted to contact the fluid carrying structure;

positioning the fluid carrying structure between clamping surfaces of the instrument;

moving the upper and lower compression members and the clamping surfaces thereof toward a mid-longitudinal axis of the instrument from the open position, where the longitudinal axes are disposed at a first angle relative to one another and the upper and lower clamping surfaces are substantially parallel to one another, to the closed position, where the longitudinal axes are disposed at a second angle relative to one another generally equal to the first angle and the upper and lower clamping surfaces are substantially parallel to one another, wherein said moving the upper and lower compression members is effected by first guide surfaces on the proximalmost portions of each of the upper and lower compression members being contacted and moved by respective second guide surfaces of the instrument;

maintaining the substantially parallel orientation of the upper and lower clamping surfaces during movement of the upper and lower compression members from the open position to the closed position;

moving a ligation clip through at least a portion of the instrument and then over a portion of the clamping surfaces of the instrument, the ligation clip being resiliently biased to a closed position; and

releasing the ligation clip to permit the ligation clip to move to the closed position.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of moving the upper and lower compression members includes moving the clamping surfaces toward a proximal end of the instrument.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the upper and lower clamping surfaces each have a forward portion and a rearward portion, the step of moving the upper and lower compression members including moving the forward and rearward portions of the upper and lower clamping surfaces toward each other a generally equal distance.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of moving includes opening the ligation clip to a maximum open position prior to moving the clip over the clamping surfaces.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of inserting a clip carrier into a passage of the instrument, the clip carrier being adapted to hold a plurality of surgical ligation clips.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the ligation clip includes a clamping arm and a support arm biased toward one another for receiving the fluid carrying structure therebetween.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising moving the ligation clip between a pair of pair of springs disposed between the upper and lower compression members.