Endoscopic clip applier actuator

• US 20050277954A1
• Filed: 06/14/2004
• Published: 12/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Kortenbach, Juergen A., Francese, Jose Luis, Baxter, Chester O. III, Kratsch, Peter K., Smith, Kevin W., Rivera, Carlos, Messerly, Jeffrey David, Jamison, Barry Thomas, Dawson, Kristin Nicole Werner
• Granted Patent: US 8,216,255 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/142
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1285 for minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2902 characterized by features of the actuating rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2905 flexible
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2923 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 90/03 Automatic limiting or abutting means, e.g. for safety

Abstract

A flexible endoscopic clip applier includes a flexible coil with a manual actuator coupled to one end and a jaw assembly coupled to the other end. A store of clips is arranged adjacent to the jaw assembly and a clip pusher is arranged adjacent to the store of clips. The actuator includes a lever for opening and closing the jaws, a knob for rotating the jaw assembly, and a crank for dispensing clips. The knob and the lever are coupled to a single control member which extends through the coil to a joiner where it is joined to a pair of pull wires coupled to the jaws. The crank is coupled to a second control member which is threaded along a distal portion. The threaded portion engages a threaded member near the pusher and is coupled to the pusher such that rotation of the threaded control member by the crank causes the pusher to be moved distally.

Claims

1. An endoscopic clip applier, comprising:

a tube having a proximal end and a distal end;

a clip dispenser coupled to said distal end and containing a plurality of clips;

an actuator coupled to said proximal end;

a control member extending through said tube, said control member coupled to said clip dispenser and to said actuator, wherein

said actuator has a pair of rotatable members for rotating said control member, said rotatable members being arranged on opposite sides of said actuator to allow right and left hand use.

2. The clip applier according to claim 1, wherein:

said actuator is generally pistol shaped and said rotatable members are on left and right sides of said actuator.

3. The clip applies according to claim 1, further comprising:

a rotation limiter which prevents the rotatable members from being rotated in one of two directions.

4. The clip applier according to claim 1, further comprising:

a counter coupled to said rotatable members, said counter indicating one of (i) the number of clips remaining in the dispenser, (ii) the number of clips having been applied, and (iii) that there are no clips remaining in the dispenser.

5. The clip applier according to claim 1, further comprising:

a rotation stopper which prevents rotation of the rotatable members when no clips remain in the dispenser.

6. The clip applier according to claim 1, further comprising:

a rotation stopper which prevents rotation of the rotatable member after a predetermined number of clips have been dispensed.

7. The clip applier according to claim 1, wherein:

said tube is a flexible tube.

8. The clip applier according to claim 7, wherein:

said flexible tube comprises a coil.

9. An endoscopic clip applier, comprising:

a flexible tube having a proximal end and a distal end;

a clip dispenser coupled to said distal end and containing a plurality of clips;

an actuator coupled to said proximal end;

a control member extending through said flexible tube, said control member coupled to said clip dispenser and to said actuator, wherein

said actuator has a rotatable member for rotating said control member, said rotatable member being arranged such that it can be rotated in only one direction.

10. The clip applier according to claim 9, further comprising:

a counter coupled to said rotatable member, said counter indicating one of;

(i) the number of clips remaining in the dispenser, (ii) the number of clips having been applied, and (iii) that there are no clips remaining in the dispenser.

11. The clip applier according to claim 9, further comprising:

a rotation stopper which prevents rotation of the rotatable members when no clips remain in the dispenser.

12. The clip dispenser according to claim 9, wherein:

said rotatable member is arranged with ratchet teeth and a ratchet pawl.

13. An endoscopic clip applier, comprising:

a flexible tube having a proximal end and a distal end;

a clip dispenser coupled to said distal end and containing a plurality of clips;

an actuator coupled to said proximal end;

a control member extending through said flexible tube, said control member coupled to said clip dispenser and to said actuator,

said actuator having a rotatable member for rotating said control member, and

a counter coupled to said rotatable member, said counter indicating one of;

(i) the number of clips remaining in the dispenser, (ii) the number of clips having been applied, and (iii) that there are no clips remaining in the dispenser.

14. The clip applier according to claim 13, further comprising:

a rotation stopper which prevents rotation of the rotatable members when no clips remain in the dispenser.

15. The clip applier according to claim 13, further comprising:

a rotation stopper which prevents rotation of the rotatable members when a predetermined number of clips have been dispensed.

16. An endoscopic clip applier, comprising:

a flexible tube having a proximal end and a distal end;

a pair of jaws coupled to said distal end of said flexible tube;

a clip dispenser containing a plurality of clips mounted proximally to said jaws;

an actuator coupled to said proximal end of said flexible tube, said actuator including a member for opening and closing said jaws and a member for dispensing a clip from said clip dispenser, wherein

said member for opening and closing said jaws and said member for dispensing a clip from said clip dispenser are arranged such that a clip can only be dispensed when said jaws are closed.

17. The clip applier according to claim 16, wherein:

said member for opening and closing said jaws and said member for dispensing a clip from said clip dispenser are arranged such that after a clip is dispensed a next clip cannot be dispensed until said jaws are opened and closed again.