Surgical clip and applier device and method of use

• US 8,915,931 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2011
• Issued: 12/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Boudreaux, Chad Paul, Ortiz, Mark S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Holwerda, Kathleen
• Assistant Examiner(s): SIMPSON, SARAH A
• Application Number:
  US13/026,675
• Publication Number:
  US 20110137324A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,408 Days
• Field of Search: 606/143, 606/157, 606/158, 606/142, 606/144, 132/276
• US Class Current: 606/142
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/064 Surgical staples, i.e. penetrating the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/072 for applying a row of staples in a single action , e.g. the staples being applied simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1227 Spring clips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1285 for minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00862 elastic or resilient for sutures A61B2017/0618
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07221 curved
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/037 with a frangible part, e.g. by reduced diameter

Abstract

A surgical clip is provided for ligating or transecting tissue, such as vessels, other tubular ducts, and the like and a surgical clip applier device for delivering and applying the surgical clip to the tissue. The surgical clip can include a spine and opposed arms extending from the spine where the arms can define a clamping length. In a resting state, the clip can be biased to a closed position such that the ends of each opposed arm are disposed in proximity to each other. With such biasing, when applied to a tissue, such as with a surgical clip applier, the clip can exert a positive clamping pressure to the tissue along the clamping length to seal the tissue and limit passage of fluids, such as blood, from the tissue.

Claims

1. A surgical fastener delivery system, comprising:

a delivery device having a handle and an elongate shaft extending from the handle, the elongate shaft having first and second opposed jaws disposed at a distal end of the elongate shaft and operable to move between an open, spaced-apart position and a closed position, each of the first and second opposed jaws having a clip guide extending longitudinally therethrough between proximal and distal ends thereof;

a surgical clip supply adapted to be disposed within the delivery device, the surgical clip supply including at least one surgical clip having a spine and first and second opposed arms extending therefrom, the spine and the first and second opposed arms defining a channel that receives tissue, and the first and second arms being biased to a closed position such that ends of each arm are disposed in proximity to each other to define a clamping region; and

a clip opening mechanism disposed within the delivery device and operable to position the at least one surgical clip from the closed position to an open, delivery position such that ends of each arm are disposed in a spaced-apart position with the first arm extending through the clip guide in the first jaw, the second arm extending through the clip guide in the second jaw, and the spine extending longitudinally parallel to the jaws, to thereby allow tissue to be received within the channel.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a cutting element disposed within the delivery device, the cutting element being selectively moveable from a retracted position to an extended position relative to a distal end of the elongate shaft and operable to incise tissue disposed between the opposed jaws.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a jaw closure assembly configured to position the opposed jaws between the open, spaced-apart position and the closed position.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a clip advancing assembly configured to move the at least one surgical clip of the surgical clip supply from the elongate shaft into the clip guides in the first and second opposed jaws.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the clip advancing assembly comprises at least one pusher bar and an advancement ratchet assembly configured to advance the at least one surgical clip toward the opposed jaws.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the clip opening mechanism comprises a ramp element disposed within the elongate shaft.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the clip opening mechanism is moveably coupled to the elongate shaft and is operable to translate along a longitudinal axis of the elongate shaft as the at least one surgical clip is moved toward the opposed jaws to maintain the arms of the at least one surgical clip in open, delivery position.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the opposed jaws are curved relative to a longitudinal axis of the elongate shaft.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the first and second opposed jaws further comprise at least one of a clip stop element disposed at a distal end of one of the opposed jaws configured to limit advancement of the at least one surgical clip beyond a distal end of the jaws, and a tissue stop element disposed at a proximal end of one of the opposed jaws configured to limit or prevent tissue held between the jaws from entering the surgical clip supply.

10. A surgical fastener delivery system, comprising:

a delivery device having a handle and an elongate shaft extending from the handle, the elongate shaft having opposed jaws disposed at a distal end of the elongate shaft and operable to move between an open, spaced-apart position and a closed position;

a surgical clip supply disposed within the delivery device, the surgical clip supply including at least one surgical clip having an elongated spine extending longitudinally through the delivery device, and opposed arms extending from opposed longitudinal edges of the elongated spine, the spine and the opposed arms defining an elongated channel that receives tissue, and the arms being biased to a closed position such that ends of each arm are disposed in proximity to each other to define a longitudinally extending clamping region; and

a clip advancing assembly configured to move the at least one surgical clip of the surgical clip supply from the elongate shaft into the opposed jaws.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a clip opening mechanism coupled to the clip advancing assembly and operable to position the at least one surgical clip from the closed position to an open, delivery position such that ends of each arm are disposed in a spaced-apart position to allow tissue to be received within the channel.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the clip opening mechanism translates along a longitudinal axis of the elongate shaft.

13. The system of claim 10, further comprising a clip opening mechanism coupled to a distal end of the elongate shaft and operable to position the at least one surgical clip from the closed position to an open, delivery position such that ends of each are disposed in a spaced-apart position to allow tissue to be received within the channel.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the clip opening mechanism comprises a ramp element having a wedge portion and an elongate portion.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the clip advancing assembly comprises at least one pusher bar and an advancement ratchet assembly configured to advance the at least one surgical clip toward the opposed jaws.

16. The system of claim 10, further comprising a cutting element disposed within the delivery device, the cutting element being selectively moveable from a retracted position to an extended position relative to a distal end of the elongate shaft and operable to incise tissue disposed between the opposed jaws.

17. The system of claim 10, further comprising a jaw closure assembly configured to position the opposed jaws between the open, spaced-apart position and the closed position.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the opposed jaws are curved relative to a longitudinal axis of the longitudinal shaft.

19. The system of claim 10, wherein the opposed jaws further comprise at least one of a clip stop element disposed at a distal end of one of the opposed jaws configured to limit advancement of the at least one surgical clip beyond a distal end of the jaws, and a tissue stop element disposed at a proximal end of one of the opposed jaws configured to limit or prevent tissue held between the jaws from entering the surgical clip supply.