Apparatus and method for surgical ligation

An instrument for ligation of tissue comprising:

• an outer shaft having a distal portion and a proximal portion;
• an inner shaft slideably disposed in the outer shaft;
• a tissue receiving recess at the distal end of the inner shaft;
• a grasper slideably disposed in the inner shaft and adapted to extend from the instrument to grasp and retract tissue into the tissue receiving recess;
• a ring retainer for receiving at least one elastic ring, the ring retainer comprising a first distal segment of the inner shaft, the ring retainer having reduced diameter relative to an adjacent second more distal second segment of the inner shaft;
• the outer shaft being adapted to expand to receive the second segment of the inner shaft;
• and
• a displacement member disposed on the distal end of the outer shaft for pushing a ring off the ring retainer and around tissue extending from the tissue receiving recess.

An instrument for ligation of tissue comprising:

• an outer shaft having a distal portion and a proximal portion;
• an intermediate shaft slideably disposed in the outer shaft;
• a tissue receiving recess at the distal end of the intermediate shaft;
• a grasper slideably disposed in the inner shaft adapted to extend from the instrument to grasp and retract tissue into the tissue receiving recess;
• a ring retainer for receiving at least one elastic ring, the ring retainer comprising a distal segment of the intermediate shaft having reduced diameter relative to an adjacent distal segment of the intermediate shaft, the ring retainer being radially expandable;
• an inner shaft slideably disposed in the intermediate shaft for expandably engaging the ring retainer;
• and
• a displacement member disposed on the distal end of the outer shaft for pushing a ring off the ring retainer and around tissue extending from the tissue receiving recess.

An instrument for ligation of tissue comprising:

• an outer shaft having a distal portion and a proximal portion;
• an inner shaft slideably disposed in the outer shaft;
• a tissue receiving recess at the distal end of the outer shaft;
• a grasper slideably disposed on the end of the inner shaft and adapted to extend from the instrument to grasp and retract tissue into the tissue receiving recess;
• a ring retainer for receiving at least one elastic ring, the ring retainer comprising a first distal segment of the inner shaft, the ring retainer disposed adjacent a second more distal second segment of the inner shaft, the second segment comprising the grasper;
• and
• a displacement member disposed on the distal end of the outer shaft for pushing a ring off the ring retainer and around tissue extending from the tissue receiving recess.