Tissue fixing surgical instrument, tissue-fixing device, and method of fixing tissues

A surgical clip and applicator therefore for fastening together first and second opposing portions of body tissue, said surgical clip comprising:

• first support means, having first and second ends and body tissue support means, for supporting the first opposing portion of the body tissue;
• second support means, having first and second ends and body tissue support means opposing said first support means, for supporting the second opposing portion of the body tissue;
• coupling means, provided at the first ends of said first and second support means, for coupling said first and second support means together such that both of said first and second support means are movable relative to each other;
• and
• displacement-preventing means, provided at the second end of each of said first and second support means, and arranged on said at least one of said first and second support means, for preventing said first and second support means from being displaced relative to each other, said displacement-preventing means each being made of a thermoplastic resin which softens so as to be deformable and fusible with another of said displacement-preventing means when said displacement-preventing means is heated, displacement-prevention of said displacement-preventing means being started when said softened displacement-preventing means are contacted with each other wherein said applicator includes a heating means for heating said displacement preventing means.

A method of applying a clip to connect together opposing portions of body tissue by means of an applicator, comprising the steps of:

• preparing a clip comprising:
• first support means, having first and second ends and body tissue support means, for supporting a first opposing portion of the body tissue;
• second support means, having first and second ends and body tissue support means and opposing said first support means, for supporting a second opposing portion of the body tissue;
• coupling means coupling said first ends of said first and second support means together such that both of said first and second support means are movable relative to each other;
• and
• displacement-preventing means at said second end of each of said first and second support means for preventing said first and second support means from being displaced relative to each other, said displacement-preventing means each being made of thermoplastic resin which softens so as to be deformable and fusible with another of said displacement-preventing means when said displacement-preventing means is heated;
• loading the clip in said applicator;
• placing the opposing body tissue portions between the first and second support means of said clip while said clip is in said applicator;
• heating and softening said displacement-preventing means;
• and
• closing said first and second support means of said clip by bringing said first and second support means toward each other, to thereby fix said first and second support means relative to each other, by said displacement-preventing means being in a softened state, and to clamp the opposing body tissue portions between said first and second support means of said clip when said displacement-prevention means cools and hardens after being in contact with each other in said softened state.