Surgical ligation and cutting device with safety means

An instrument for ligating and cutting body tissue having a proximal end and a distal end which comprises:

• a jaw means at the distal end of the instrument for receiving said body tissue;
• a first train of plastic clips extending from the jaw means towards the proximal end of the instrument;
• a second train of plastic clips spaced from said first train extending from the jaw means towards the proximal end of said instrument;
• a pusher means for advancing the distal most clip in each clip train into the jaw means to ligate said body tissue at spaced apart locations;
• a cutting means for dividing said body tissue between said spaced apart locations after it has been ligated, wherein said cutting means operates over a predetermined path in the instrument;
• a means located at the proximal end of the instrument for actuating said pusher means and said cutting means;
• and
• a safety means responsive to said pusher means for preventing operation of said cutting means, wherein said safety means has a means for blocking said path when said safety means responds to said pusher means.

A surgical instrument for ligating and cutting body tissue, having proximal and distal ends, comprising:

• actuating means at the proximal end of the instrument;
• restraining means at the distal end of the instrument;
• a cartridge connecting said actuating means and said restraining means;
• said actuating means including a handle and a trigger;
• said restraining means comprising two pairs of spaced apart jaws fixed to said cartridge and means for enclosing the space formed by each pair of jaws;
• said cartridge having two channels, each channel extending from the proximal end of the instrument to the distal end of the instrument and containing a train of plastic clips, each clip connected to the clips preceding and following it in the clip train;
• said cartridge also having a knife operating along a predetermind path between said clip trains;
• sequencing means connecting said actuating means with said restraining means and said cartridge for first moving said jaws towards said means for enclosing, then advancing the first clip in each clip train to said jaws so as to close each clip about tissue placed in the jaws and then cutting said tissue between said closed clips with said knife;
• and
• safety means responsive to said sequencing means for preventing the knife from cutting said tissue, wherein said safety means has a means for blocking said path when said safety means responds to said sequencing means.