Surgical clip

• US 20020198549A1
• Filed: 06/25/2001
• Published: 12/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ID Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Syntheon LLC
• Inventors: Kortenbach, Juergen A., Sixto, Robert Jr., Bales, Thomas O.
• Granted Patent: US 6,716,226 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/157
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0644 penetrating the tissue, deformable to closed position
• 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 17/1285 for minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2905 flexible
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2946 Locking means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320064 with tissue or sample retaining means
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/10 using magnetic means, e.g. by measuring change of reluctance
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/44752 Integral locking-means

Abstract

A surgical clip includes a U-shaped configuration with first and second arms, and a bridge portion therebetween. The first arm is provided with a tip preferably having a catch, and the second arm extends into a deformable retainer having a tissue-piercing end and preferably also a hook. During application, tissue is clamped, and the clip is forced over the clamped tissue and the retainer of the second arm is bent and may be pierced through the tissue. The retainer is toward and around or adjacent the tip of the first arm preferably until the hook is engaged about the catch to secure the clip to the tissue and prevent the clip and tissue from separating. The clip is provided with structure that facilitates the stacking of a plurality of clips in a clip chamber of a clip applier.

Claims

1. A surgical clip, comprising:

a) a first arm portion having a tip and a first opposite end;

b) a second arm portion having a retainer extending therefrom and a second opposite end, said retainer being deformably bendable and having a tissue piercing tip; and

c) a bridge portion connecting the first and second opposite ends,

wherein said first and second arm portions and said bridge portion are in a generally U-shaped configuration, and said retainer is adapted to be plastically deformed toward said first arm and about or adjacent said tip of said first arm.

2. A surgical clip according to claim 1, wherein:

said first and second arm portions and said bridge portion are substantially stiff.

3. A surgical clip according to claim 1, wherein:

said clip is made from titanium or a titanium alloy.

4. A surgical clip according to claim 1, wherein:

said clip is made from one of stainless steel, tantalum, platinum, a radiopaque material, a nickel-titanium alloy, a martensitic alloy, and a plastic.

5. A surgical clip, comprising:

a) a first arm portion having a tip end provided with one of a hook portion and a catch portion, and a first opposite end;

b) a second arm portion having a retainer extending therefrom and a second opposite end, said retainer being plastically deformable and having the other of said hook portion and said catch portion; and

c) a bridge portion connecting the first and second opposite ends,

wherein said first and second arm portions and said bridge portion are in a generally U-shaped configuration.

6. A surgical clip according to claim 5, wherein:

said retainer, in a non-deformed configuration, extends substantially parallel to said first arm portion.

7. A surgical clip according to claim 5, wherein:

said other of said hook portion and said catch portion is adapted to engage said one of said hook portion and said catch portion when said retainer is deformably bent.

8. A surgical clip according to claim 5, wherein:

said first and second arm portions and said bridge portion are substantially stiff.

9. A surgical clip, comprising:

a) a first arm portion having a tip and a first opposite end;

b) a second arm portion having a retainer extending therefrom and a second opposite end, said retainer being deformably bendable and having a tip portion; and

c) a bridge portion connecting the first and second opposite ends,

wherein said clip has a first original configuration in which said retainer extends substantially parallel to both said first and second arms, and a second applied configuration in which said tip portion of said retainer is bent around or adjacent said tip of said first arm portion.

10. A surgical clip according to claim 9, wherein:

said first and second arms are each substantially stiff.

11. A surgical clip according to claim 9, wherein:

said first and second arms are substantially parallel to each other.

12. A surgical clip according to claim 9, wherein:

said tip portion is adapted to pierce tissue.

14. A surgical clip according to claim 13, wherein:

said clip is made from a unitary piece of titanium or titanium alloy.

15. A surgical clip according to claim 13, wherein:

said clip is made from one of stainless steel, tantalum, platinum, a radiopaque material, a nickel-titanium alloy, a martensitic alloy, and a plastic.

16. A surgical clip according to claim 13, wherein:

said retainer portion has a length substantially 0.7 to 2 times the dimension between an outside of said first arm portion and an outside of said second arm portion.

18. A surgical clip according to claim 17, wherein:

said recess is located between a central portion of said second arm and said retainer.

19. A surgical clip according to claim 17, wherein:

said recess is provided adjacent said bridge portion.

13. A surgical clip, comprising:

a) a relatively stiff first arm portion having a tip and a first opposite end;

b) a relatively stiff second arm portion having a transition portion and a second opposite end,

c) a plastically deformable retainer portion provided at the transition portion and extending therefrom; and

d) a relatively stiff bridge portion connecting the first and second opposite ends,

wherein said first and second arm portions and said bridge portion are together in a generally U-shaped configuration.

17. A surgical clip, comprising:

a) a first arm portion having a tip and a first opposite end,

b) a second arm portion having a retainer and a second opposite end; and

c) a bridge portion connecting the first and second opposite ends,

wherein a notch is provided at a junction of said first arm and said bridge portion, an elongate recess is provided along an exterior of said second arm, and an interior portion of each of said first and second arms has a shape which corresponds to an exterior portion of said bridge portion.

20. An arrangement of surgical clips, comprising:

a) a first surgical clip having,

i) a first arm portion having a tip and a first opposite end,

ii) a second arm portion having a retainer extending therefrom and a second opposite end, and

iii) a bridge portion connecting the first and second opposite ends,

wherein a notch is provided at a junction of said first arm and said bridge portion, an elongate recess is provided along an exterior of said second arm, and an interior portion of each of said first and second arms has a shape which corresponds to an exterior portion of said bridge portion; and

b) second and third surgical clips substantially similar to said first surgical clip,

wherein, when said first surgical clip is stacked on said second surgical clip and said second surgical clip is stacked on said third surgical clip, said notch of said first surgical clip is adapted to receive said tip of said first arm of said second surgical clip, said recess of said first surgical clip is adapted to receive said retainer of said second arm of said second surgical clip, and said interior portion of said first and second arms of said third surgical clip is adapted to receive said exterior portion of said bridge portion of said second surgical clip.

21. A surgical clip, comprising:

a) a first arm portion;

b) a second arm portion;

c) a plurality of retainer portions located on one or more of said first and second arm portions and extending therefrom; and

d) a bridge portion connecting the first and second opposite ends,

wherein said first and second arm portions and said bridge portion are together in a generally U-shaped configuration and are relatively stiff, and said retainer portions are adapted to be plastically deformable.

22. A surgical clip according to claim 21, further comprising:

e) at least one catch portion on one or more of said first and second arm portions adapted to engage at least one of said retainer portions.

23. A surgical clip according to claim 21, wherein:

at least one of said plurality of retainer portions are located on each of said first and second arm portions.

25. A method according to claim 24, further comprising:

d) prior to providing the first and second arm portions about the tissue, compressing the tissue.

26. A method according to claim 25, further comprising:

e) providing a clip applier device,

wherein said compressing the tissue is performed by said clip applier device.

27. A method according to claim 24, further comprising:

d) piercing the retainer through the tissue.

28. A method according to claim 24, wherein:

the tissue is non-tubular.

29. A method according to claim 24, wherein:

said folding the retainer includes plastically deformably bending said retainer substantially 180°

.

24. A method of applying a surgical clip to tissue, comprising:

a) providing a surgical clip having,

i) a first arm portion having a tip and a first opposite end,

ii) a second arm portion having a retainer extending therefrom in substantially the same direction as said second arm and a second opposite end, and

iii) a bridge portion connecting the first and second opposite ends;

b) providing the first and second arm portions about the tissue; and

c) folding the retainer about the tip of the first arm.