Suture clip applier

A suture clip for selective attachment to a suture, the suture clip comprising:

• an elongated flexible beam having a distal end portion, a proximal end portion, a top surface and a bottom surface, the flexible beam further including a pair of arms extending laterally therefrom;
• and
• an elongated rigid channel, wherein the elongated rigid channel has a substantially U-shaped transverse cross-sectional profile with a horizontal base wall and vertical side walls having a distal end portion and proximal end portion, wherein each vertical side wall defines a holding step formed in an upper edge thereof;
• wherein the flexible beam and the channel are coupled to one another at their proximal end portions;
• and
• wherein the pair of arms of the flexible beam are in registration with a corresponding holding step formed in the upper edge of the vertical side walls.

A suture clip applier system, comprising:

• a suture clip applier for filing a suture clip onto a suture, the clip applier including:
• a housing;
• an elongated plunger slidably supported in the housing, the plunger having a distal end portion disposed within the housing and a proximal end portion extending from a proximal end of the housing;
• a hollow tube extending distally from the housing and defining a lumen therethrough;
• an actuation member having a distal end extending into the hollow tube and a proximal end operatively engaged with the plunger;
• and
• a working tip coupled to a distal end of the hollow tube, wherein the working tip has a substantially U-shaped transverse cross-sectional profile defining a channel having a base wall and a pair of spaced apart side walls, wherein the working tip defines:
• a lower contact surface along an internal face of the base wall, and
• an upper contact surface defined along an upper end surface of each side wall, wherein the upper contact surface of each side wall includes:
• a distal recess formed near a distal end thereof and a proximal recess formed proximal of the distal recess;
• and
• an internal retaining surface on both side walls parallel to the base wall,
• wherein the distal end of the actuation member is configured to engage a suture clip loaded into the working tip;
• and
• a suture clip loadable into and deployable from the working tip, the suture clip including:
• an elongated flexible beam having a distal end portion, a proximal end portion, a top surface and a bottom surface, the flexible beam further including a pair of arms extending laterally therefrom;
• and
• an elongated rigid channel, wherein the elongated rigid channel has a substantially U-shaped transverse cross-sectional profile with a horizontal base wall and vertical side walls having a distal end portion and proximal end portion, wherein each vertical side wall defines a holding step formed in an upper edge thereof;
• wherein the flexible beam and the channel are coupled to one another at their proximal end portions;
• wherein the pair of arms of the flexible beam are in registration with a corresponding holding step formed in the upper edge of the vertical side walls;
• and
• wherein, as the suture clip is urged in a distal direction relative to the working tip, the flexible beam is splayed apart from the channel to open the suture clip for receipt of a suture therein.

A method of securing a suture through an incision, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a suture clip applier having a working tip configured to retain and fire a suture clip;
• providing a suture clip having a biased closed configuration;
• loading the suture clip into the working tip of the clip applier;
• translating the suture clip distally relative to the working tip to a first position wherein the suture clip is splayed open;
• inserting a suture into the opened suture clip;
• and
• translating the suture clip distally relative to the working tip such that the suture clip is ejected from the working tip and biased to the closed configuration to close on and to retain the suture.

A method of securing a suture through an incision, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a suture clip applier having a working tip, the working tip has a substantially U-shaped transverse cross-sectional profile defining a channel having a base wall and a pair of spaced apart side walls, wherein the working tip defines:
• a lower contact surface along an internal face of the base wall;
• and
• an upper contact surface defined along an upper end surface of each side wall, wherein the upper contact surface of each side wall includes:
• a distal recess formed near a distal end of thereof and a proximal recess formed proximal of the distal recess;
• and
• an internal retaining surface projecting inwardly from both side walls of the channel;
• providing a suture clip including:
• an elongated flexible beam having a distal end portion, a proximal end portion, a top surface and a bottom surface, the flexible beam further including a pair of arms extending laterally therefrom;
• and
• an elongated rigid channel, wherein the elongated rigid channel has a substantially U-shaped transverse cross-sectional profile with a horizontal base wall and a pair of spaced apart vertical side walls having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion, wherein each vertical side wall of the suture clip defines a holding step formed in an upper edge thereof;
• wherein the flexible beam and the channel of the clip are coupled to one another at their proximal end portions;
• and
• wherein the pair of arms of the flexible beam are in registration with a corresponding holding step formed in the upper edge of the vertical side walls of the channel of the clip;
• loading a suture clip into the working tip such that the vertical side walls of the clip channel abut the retaining surface of the working tip, and the laterally extending arms of the flexible beam rest in the proximal recess of the working tip;
• translating the suture clip distally relative to the working tip such that the laterally extending arms of the suture clip are translated from the proximal recess of the working tip channel to the distal recess of the working tip while the clip channel is retained by the internal retaining surfaces of the working tip such that the distal ends of the flexible beam and the channel of the suture clip are separated to define an opening, and so that the distal end of the suture clip protrudes from the working tip;
• inserting a suture into the opening of the suture clip;
• and
• translating the suture clip distally relative to the working tip such that the suture clip is ejected from the working tip and the flexible beam and the channel of the clip are biased toward one another to close on and retain the suture.