Endoscopic surgical clip applier with clip retention

• US 9,113,893 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2013
• Issued: 08/25/2015
• 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): Holwerda, Kathleen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Boutsikaris, Socrates L
• Application Number:
  US13/937,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20130296892A1
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 606142-143
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/3132 for laparoscopy
• 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 17/072 for applying a row of staples in a single action , e.g. the staples being applied simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/083 Clips, e.g. resilient
• 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 17/12 for ligaturing or otherwise compressing tubular parts of the body, e.g. blood vessels, umbilical cord specially adapted for vas deferens or fallopian tubes A61F6/20; materials for ligaturing blood vessels A61L17/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1222 Packages or dispensers therefor clip magazines incorporated in a clip-applying instrument A61B17/128; for surgical articles A61B50/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1285 for minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/29 Forceps for use in 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 2017/00221 with wireless transmission of data, e.g. by infrared radiation or radiowaves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00407 Ratchet means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2902 characterized by features of the actuating rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2932 Transmission of forces to jaw members
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2943 Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0803 Counting the number of times an instrument is used
• 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 2090/0814 Preventing re-use
• 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 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 shaft assembly defining a longitudinal axis, the shaft assembly including;

a housing;

a plurality of surgical clips disposed within the housing;

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

a pusher bar disposed within the housing for reciprocal movement between proximal and distal positions, the pusher bar being configured to load a distal-most surgical clip into the jaws while the jaws are in the open condition and remain in the distal position during an approximation of the jaws;

an advancer plate disposed within the housing for reciprocal movement between proximal and distal positions, 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; and

a wedge plate disposed within the housing for reciprocal movement between proximal and distal positions, wherein a distal end of the wedge plate is disposed in the jaws when in the distal position and a distal end thereof is free from the jaws when in the proximal position; and

a connector plate slidably interposed between the pusher bar and the wedge plate, the connector plate including a spring clip connecting feature;

wherein the wedge plate includes a spring clip supported thereon for detachably connecting to the spring clip connecting feature of the connector plate, wherein the spring clip connecting feature of the connector plate disengages from the spring clip of the wedge plate following completion of an initial distal joint movement of the connector plate and the wedge plate.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the advancer plate includes a spring clip supported thereon for detachably engaging a feature formed in the housing to maintain the advancer plate in the distal position.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a stationary feature projecting from the housing blocks distal movement of the pusher bar beyond an initial distal movement thereof.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the pusher bar includes a first spring clip supported thereon for detachably connecting to the stationary feature projecting from the housing for maintaining the pusher bar in the distal position when the pusher bar is in the distal position.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the connection of the first spring clip of the pusher bar and the stationary feature projecting from the housing maintains the pusher bar at the distal position thereof during a firing stroke of the apparatus.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the connector plate is detachably connectable to each of the pusher bar and the wedge plate.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the pusher bar further includes a second spring clip supported thereon for detachably connecting to a second spring clip connecting feature of the connector plate, wherein the second spring clip connecting feature of the connector plate disengages from the second spring clip following completion of an initial distal joint movement of the connector plate and the pusher bar.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the connector plate detachably connects to each of the pusher bar and the wedge plate during at least a portion of the firing stroke of the apparatus.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the second spring clip connecting feature of the connector plate disconnects from the second spring clip of the pusher bar upon continued distal movement beyond the initial distal movement of the pusher bar.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein a wedge plate spring clip connecting 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 6, wherein the pusher bar and the wedge plate each disconnect from the connector plate following a respective initial distal movement of each of the pusher bar and the wedge plate.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein each of the pusher bar and the wedge plate re-connect with the connector plate upon a respective proximal movement thereof.

13. 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.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, 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.

15. The apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising:

a handle assembly including a drive bar reciprocally translatable upon an actuation of a trigger;

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.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the wedge plate is disposed adjacent the drive channel.

17. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the clip follower is incrementally advanced through the shaft assembly.

18. The apparatus according to claim 14, 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.

19. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the handle assembly further includes a ratchet assembly disposed therein, wherein the ratchet assembly is prevented from re-setting when the pusher bar does not return to a proximal position.

20. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the shaft assembly includes a wedge plate lock, wherein the drive channel actuates the wedge plate lock upon distal advancement thereof to cause proximal movement of the wedge plate to withdraw the distal end of the wedge plate from the jaws and permit the drive channel to approximate the jaws.