Clip Applier with Clip Follower
AssigneeEthicon, Inc.
InventorThomas W. Huitema
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A surgical clip applier and methods for applying surgical clips to a vessel, duct, shunt, etc., during a surgical procedure are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a surgical clip applier is provided having a housing with a trigger movably coupled thereto and a shaft extending therefrom with opposed jaws formed on a distal end thereof. The trigger is adapted to advance a clip to position the clip between the jaws, and to move the jaws from an open position to a closed position to crimp the clip positioned therebetween. The surgical clip applier can include a variety of features to facilitate use of the device, including features to align a clip with the jaws, features to prevent unintentional migration of a clip, and features to prevent clip fallout during formation.
Claims20
A surgical clip applier, comprising:
- a shaft;
- first and second jaws at a distal end of the shaft and adapted to receive tissue therebetween;
- a clip carrier extending through the shaft having a plurality of clips seated therein;
- a clip follower shoe disposed within the clip carrier for urging the plurality of clips in a distal direction, the clip follower shoe including a first tab extending projecting from a first surface of the clip follower shoe and a second tab projecting from a second surface of the clip follower shoe opposite to the first surface;
- a clip advancer member extending through the shaft, wherein the clip advancer member engages with the first tab of the clip follower shoe as the clip advancer member is moved distally such that the clip follower shoe is moved distally to advance the plurality of clips, and wherein the second tab of the clip follower shoe engages a feature as the clip advancer member is moved proximally such that the feeder show is prevented from moving proximally.
A surgical clip applier, comprising:
- a housing having an elongate shaft extending distally therefrom with a pair of jaws at a distal end thereof, the elongate shaft including a clip advancement assembly having
- a clip carrier for seating a plurality of clips and for slidably seating a clip follower positioned proximal of the plurality of clips, and
- an advancer member configured to move proximally and distally, wherein distal movement of the advancer member is effective to engage a first tang on the clip follower to cause the clip follower to move distally with the advancer member to thereby distally advance the plurality of clips in the clip carrier, and wherein a second tang on the clip follower engages the clip carrier during proximal movement of the advancer to prevent the clip follower from moving proximally with the advancer member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.