Ligation clip and clip applier

• US 6,350,269 B1
• Filed: 03/01/1999
• Issued: 02/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microline Surgical, Inc. (Hoya Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Apollo Camera, LLC
• Inventors: Shipp, John I., Satterfield, James A., Shepard, Steven Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Connor, Cary E.
• Application Number:
  US09/258,943
• Time in Patent Office: 1,093 Days
• Field of Search: 606/143-148, 606/151-153, 606/157-158, 606/142, 606/219, 227/175, 227/176-182, 227/901, 227/902, 227/19
• US Class Current: 606/143
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1227 Spring clips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1285 for minimally invasive surgery

Abstract

The ligation clip applicator and ligation clip design are provided which are particularly applicable to placement of a surgical ligation clip during a laparoscopic surgical procedure. The clip includes a support member and a clamping arm having enlarged portions thereon. The applicator device has a magazine including first and second longitudinally extending partially closed channels within which the enlarged portions of the support member and the clamping arm are received with the clip held in an open position. First and second articulated jaws are attached to the magazine and have first and second channel extensions therein aligned with the first and second channels of the magazine, so that a clip can be received from the magazine in the jaws with the first and second enlarged portions of the support member and the clamping arm being received in the first and second channel extensions of the jaws. The channel extensions include first and second releasing openings. The jaws are closed about a vessel to pre-clamp the vessel. The clip is pushed forward into the jaws to a position where the enlarged portions of the support member and the clamping arm are aligned with the releasing openings and the support member and the clamping arm are released allowing the support member and the clamping arm to move toward each other to ligate the vessel therebetween.

Claims

1. A surgical clip applicator apparatus for applying a clip having a support member and a clamping arm, the support member and the clamping arm each having enlarged portions, comprising:

a magazine having first and second longitudinally extending channels for receiving the enlarged portions of the support member and the clamping arm and holding the clip in an open position, a portion of the first and second channels being adapted to extend between the clamping arm and the support member of the clip; and

first and second jaws, at least one of the jaws being pivotally mounted relative to the magazine, the jaws having channel extensions therein aligned with the first and second channels of the magazine, so that the clip can be received from the magazine in the jaws with the first and second enlarged portions of the support member and the clamping arm being received in the first and second channel extensions of the jaws.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein;

the first and second channel extensions include first and second releasing openings, respectively, larger than the first and second enlarged portions of the support member and the clamping arm, so that when the clip is pushed forward in the jaws to a position where the enlarged portions are aligned with the releasing openings, the support member and the clamping arm are released allowing the support member and the clamping arm to move toward each other to ligate a lumen therebetween.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a pusher rod arranged to push the clip from the magazine into the jaws.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an actuator assembly, operably associated with the jaws, and movable between a first position in which the jaws are open, and a second position in which the jaws are closed.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the jaws, when closed together, define a bullet-shaped probe end.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

both of the jaws are pivotally mounted relative to the magazine.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the magazine comprises a one piece tubular member.

8. A surgical ligation apparatus, comprising:

a magazine having first and second longitudinally extending channels; and

a spring clip having;

a support member and a clamping arm;

a spring joining the support member and the clamping arm; and

first and second control surfaces defined on the support member and the clamping arm, respectively, the first and second control surfaces being received in and trapped within said first and second channels, respectively, with the support member and the clamping arm held apart in an open position.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

a plurality of such spring clips loaded in the magazine.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

first and second jaws, at least one of the jaws being pivotally attached to the magazine, the jaws having channel extensions therein aligned with the first and second channels of the magazine, so that the clip can be received from the magazine in the jaws with the first and second control surfaces of the support member and the clamping arm being received in the first and second channel extensions of the jaws.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein;

the first and second channel extensions include first and second releasing openings, respectively, larger than the first and second control surfaces of the support member and the clamping arm, so that when the clip is pushed forward in the jaws to a position where the control surfaces are aligned with the releasing openings, the support member and the clamping arm are released allowing the spring to bias the support member and the clamping arm toward each other to ligate a lumen therebetween.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

a pusher rod arranged to push the clip from the magazine into the jaws.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

an actuator assembly, operably associated with the jaws, and movable between a first position in which the jaws are open, and a second position in which the jaws are closed.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

said first and second control surfaces are defined on first and second wire loops integrally formed with the support member and the clamping arm of the spring clip.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein:

the spring of the spring clip has a pre-load such that when the spring clip is in a closed position, the first and second wire loops are forced against each other.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein:

the loops include clamping surfaces extending transverse to a length of the magazine so that a vessel stub can be clamped head on by placing the jaws head on over the vessel stub and releasing the clip.

17. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

the jaws, when closed together, define a bullet-shaped probe end.

18. A surgical ligation apparatus, comprising:

a magazine; and

a plurality of resilient clips resiliently biased toward a closed position and received within the magazine and held in an open position by the magazine.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein:

each of the resilient clips resiliently grips the magazine so that there is a frictional resistance to movement of the clips through the magazine.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

a driver rod individually engaging each of a plurality of the clips to individually move each of the plurality of clips through the magazine.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein:

each of the plurality of clips engaged by the driver rod is separate from and does not touch any of the other clips engaged by the pusher rod.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein:

the forwardmost clip engaged by the driver rod is the next to last clip forward in the magazine, and abuts against the last clip forward in the magazine so that the last clip forward in the magazine is pushed out of the magazine by the next to last clip forward in the magazine.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

a driver rod individually engaging a plurality of the clips to individually move the plurality of clips through the magazine.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein:

each of the plurality of clips engaged by the driver rod is separate from and does not touch any of the other clips engaged by the pusher rod.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein:

the forwardmost clip engaged by the driver rod is the next to last clip forward in the magazine, and abuts against the last clip forward in the magazine so that the last clip forward in the magazine is pushed out of the magazine by the next to last clip forward in the magazine.

26. A surgical ligation apparatus, comprising:

a magazine;

a plurality of resilient clips received within the magazine at least a majority of which clips are each located separate from and not in force transferring engagement with any of the other clips, the magazine holding the resilient clips in the open position; and

a driver rod individually engaging each of the majority of the plurality of clips, to individually move each of the majority of the plurality of clips through the magazine.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein:

each of the resilient clips includes a support member and a clamping arm which are held apart in an open position by the magazine so that the clip resiliently grips the magazine between the support member and the clamping arm and there is a frictional resistance to movement of the clips through the magazine.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein:

the driver rod includes a plurality of separate prongs each one of which prongs engages one of the clips.

29. A surgical clip applicator apparatus for ligating a vessel comprising:

a body;

a magazine extending from the body along a longitudinal axis;

a rotator connecting the magazine to the body so that the magazine can be rotated about its longitudinal axis relative to the body;

a resilient clip received in the magazine; and

first and second jaws, at least one of the jaws being pivotally mounted relative to the magazine, for receiving the clip from the magazine about the vessel to be ligated, the first and second jaws having first and second windows, respectively, defined therein located diametrically opposite each other about the longitudinal axis so that the vessel can be viewed through the windows when the vessel is received between the jaws.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising:

a pusher rod arranged to push the clip from the magazine into the jaws.

31. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising:

an actuator assembly, operably associated with the jaws, and movable between a first position in which the jaws are open, and a second position in which the jaws are closed.

32. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein:

the jaws, when closed together, define a bullet-shaped probe end.

33. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein:

both of the jaws are pivotally mounted relative to the magazine.

34. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein:

the magazine comprises a one piece tubular member.

35. A ligation clip applicator apparatus, comprising:

a body;

a clip magazine having a rear end fixedly attached to the body, and having a forward end;

a pair of jaws pivotally attached to the forward end of the clip magazine; and

an outer tube received about the clip magazine and being slidable relative to the body and the clip magazine, the outer tube being operably engaged with the jaws so that the jaws are moved between their open and closed positions as the outer tube slides relative to the clip magazine.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, further comprising:

a pusher rod, slidable relative to the clip magazine, for moving a plurality of clips lengthwise through the magazine.

37. The apparatus of claim 35, further comprising:

an actuator assembly, operably associated with the jaws, and movable between a first position in which the jaws are open, and a second position in which the jaws are closed.

38. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein:

the jaws, when closed together, define a bullet-shaped probe end.

39. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein:

the magazine comprises a one piece tubular member.

40. A surgical clip applicator apparatus for applying a clip having a support member and a clamping arm, the support member and the clamping arm each having enlarged portions, comprising:

a magazine having first and second longitudinally extending channels for receiving the enlarged portions of the support member and the clamping arm and holding the clip in an open position; and

first and second jaws, at least one of the jaws being pivotally mounted relative to the magazine, the jaws having channel extensions therein aligned with the first and second channels of the magazine, so that the clip can be received from the magazine in the jaws with the first and second enlarged portions of the support member and the clamping arm being received in the first and second channel extensions of the jaws, the first and second channel extensions including first and second releasing openings, respectively, larger than the first and second enlarged portions of the support member and the clamping arm, so that when the clip is pushed forward in the jaws to a position where the enlarged portions are aligned with the releasing openings, the support member and the clamping arm are released allowing the support member and the clamping arm to move toward each other to ligate a lumen therebetween.

41. The apparatus of claim 40, further comprising:

a pusher rod arranged to push the clip from the magazine into the jaws.

42. The apparatus of claim 40, further comprising:

an actuator assembly, operably associated with the jaws, and movable between a first position in which the jaws are open, and a second position in which the jaws are closed.

43. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein:

the jaws, when closed together, define a bullet-shaped probe end.

44. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein:

both of the jaws are pivotally mounted relative to the magazine.

45. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein:

the magazine comprises a one piece tubular member.

46. A surgical ligation apparatus, comprising:

a magazine;

a plurality of resilient clips received within the magazine at least a majority of which clips are each located separate from and not in force transferring engagement with any of the other clips, each of the resilient clips including a support member and a clamping arm which are held apart in an open position by the magazine so that the clip resiliently grips the magazine between the support member and the clamping arm and there is a frictional resistance to movement of the clips through the magazine; and

a driver rod individually engaging each of the majority of the plurality of clips, to individually move each of the majority of the plurality of clips through the magazine.

47. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein:

the driver rod includes a plurality of separate prongs each one of which prongs engages one of the clips.

48. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein:

the magazine comprises a one piece tubular member.

49. The apparatus of claim 46, further comprising:

first and second jaws, at least one of the jaws being pivotally attached to the magazine.

50. The apparatus of claim 49, further comprising:

an actuator assembly, operably associated with the jaws, and movable between a first position in which the jaws are open, and a second position in which the jaws are closed.

51. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein:

the jaws, when closed together, define a bullet-shaped probe end.