Single stroke endoscopic surgical clip applier

• US 8,585,717 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2009
• Issued: 11/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Sorrentino, Gregory, Whitfield, Kenneth H.
• Primary Examiner(s): McDermott, Corrine M
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAUER, CHRISTINA C
• Application Number:
  US12/539,069
• Publication Number:
  US 20100057102A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,561 Days
• Field of Search: 606/142, 606/143, 606/213, 606/219, 606/157, 227/175.1, 227/176.1
• US Class Current: 606/143
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1285 for minimally invasive surgery

Abstract

An apparatus for application of surgical clips to body tissue is provided and includes a handle assembly; a shaft assembly including a housing extending distally from the handle assembly and defining a longitudinal axis; a plurality of surgical clips disposed within the shaft assembly; a jaw mounted adjacent a distal end portion of the shaft assembly, the jaw being movable between an open spaced-apart condition and a closed approximated condition; and a pusher bar reciprocally disposed within the housing of the shaft assembly and being detachably connectable to the housing of the shaft assembly, the pusher bar being configured to load a distal-most surgical clip into the jaws during distal movement and remain connected to the housing of the shaft assembly and in a distally advanced position during an approximation of the jaws.

Claims

1. An apparatus for application of surgical clips to body tissue, the apparatus comprising:

a handle assembly including a trigger and a drive bar reciprocally translatable by the trigger upon an actuation thereof;

a shaft assembly extending distally from the handle assembly and defining a longitudinal axis, the shaft assembly including;

a housing;

a plurality of surgical clips disposed within the housing;

a jaw mounted adjacent a distal end portion of the housing, the jaw being movable between an open spaced-apart condition and a closed approximated condition;

a pusher bar disposed within the housing for reciprocal movement between a proximal position and a distal position defining a stroke having a length, the pusher bar being configured to load a distal-most surgical clip into the jaws upon a movement from the proximal position to the distal position;

an advancer plate disposed within the housing for reciprocal movement between a proximal position and a distal position, wherein the advancer plate is engaged by the pusher bar during a distal and a proximal movement of the pusher bar to effectuate one of a distal and proximal movement of the advancer plate, wherein the advancer plate moves a distance less than the length of the stroke; and

a snap clip supported on the advancer plate and detachably engagable to the housing to releasably maintain the advancer plate in one of the proximal position and the distal position.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a wedge plate reciprocally disposed within the housing, the wedge plate being movable between a position where a distal end thereof is disposed in the jaws and a position where the distal end thereof is free from said jaws; and

a connector plate reciprocally disposed within the housing, wherein the connector plate detachably connects to at least one of the pusher bar and the wedge plate during at least a portion of a firing stroke of the apparatus.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the connector plate detachably connects to each of the pusher bar and the wedge plate during at least a portion of the firing stoke of the apparatus.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the pusher bar includes a spring clip supported thereon for detachably connecting to a first feature provided on the connector plate, and the wedge plate includes a spring clip supported thereon for detachably connecting to a second feature provided on the connector plate.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the spring clip of the pusher bar is connected to the first feature of the connector plate during an initial distal movement of the connector plate to pull the pusher bar in a distal direction.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the housing includes a stationary feature blocking distal movement of the pusher bar beyond the initial distal movement, and wherein the first feature of the connector plate disconnects from the spring clip of the pusher bar upon continued distal movement beyond the initial distal movement.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the pusher bar includes a further spring clip supported thereon for detachably connecting to the stationary feature of the housing when the pusher bar is at a distal-most position.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the connection of the further spring clip of the pusher bar and the stationary feature of the housing maintains the pusher bar at the distal-most position thereof during a firing of the apparatus.

9. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the spring clip of the wedge plate is connected to the second feature of the connector plate during an initial distal movement of the connector plate to pull the wedge plate in a distal direction such that the distal end thereof is disposed in the jaws.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the second feature of the connector plate disconnects from the spring clip of the wedge plate following an initial distal movement of the wedge plate.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the wedge plate is moved in a proximal direction at a time prior to an approximation of the jaws to free the jaws of the distal end of the wedge plate.

12. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the pusher bar and the wedge plate each disconnect from the connector plate following an initial distal movement of each of the pusher bar and the wedge plate.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein each of the pusher bar and the wedge plate re-connect with the connector plate upon a respective proximal movement thereof.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the advancer plate is disposed adjacent to the pusher bar, the advancer plate including at least one fin engageable by a shoulder of the pusher bar, wherein the shoulder of the pusher bar engages the at least one fin of the advancer plate during a distal and a proximal movement of the pusher bar to effectuate one of a distal and proximal movement of the advancer plate.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the shaft assembly includes a clip carrier disposed within the housing adjacent the advancer plate, wherein the clip carrier is configured to retain the plurality of surgical clips.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the shaft assembly includes a clip follower slidably supported in the clip carrier at a location proximal of the plurality of surgical clips, the clip follower being configured to urge the plurality of surgical clips in a distal direction, the clip follower including a first tab projecting from a first surface thereof and a second tab projecting from a second surface thereof, wherein the first tab of the clip follower engages the advancer plate as the advancer plate is moved distally such that the clip follower is moved distally to advance the plurality of surgical clips, and wherein the second tab of the clip follower engages the clip follower as the advancer plate is moved proximally such that the clip follower remains stationary.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the shaft assembly includes a drive channel reciprocally disposed within the housing adjacent the clip carrier, wherein the drive bar selectively engages the drive channel to effect translation of the drive channel, wherein a distal end of the drive channel engages a surface of the jaws upon distal advancement thereof to effectuate approximation of the jaws.

18. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the clip follower is incrementally advanced through the shaft assembly.

19. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the clip follower includes a catch extending from a surface thereof, wherein the catch engages the pusher bar following firing of a last surgical clip and prevents movement of the pusher bar in a proximal direction.

20. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the snap clip includes a pair of tines configured for detachable engagement with the housing.

21. The apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the housing includes a first set of opposed retaining grooves configured to detachably receive the tines of the snap clip to releasably maintain the advancer plate in the proximal position.

22. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the housing includes a second set of opposed retaining grooves configured to detachably receive the tines of the snap clip to releasably maintain the advancer plate in the distal position.