USRE38445E1 - Pistols for setting surgical clamps - Google Patents

Abstract

A pistol for setting surgical clamps has a clamp magazine disposed at the distal end of a tubular endoscopic shaft, a feeding mechanism for the clamps, and forceps with an associated forceps closing mechanism for setting the clamps. The feeding mechanism and the forceps closing mechanism are operated using a hand grip of the pistol. The clamp magazine has a lower magazine part and an upper magazine part permanently disposed on the lower magazine part. The clamp magazine is insertable over guiding elements into the endoscopic shaft with the feeding mechanism and the clamps are contained in the clamp magazine. The forceps and the forceps closing mechanism are disposed below the clamp magazine with the forceps being exchangeable. The clamp magazine is open at an end facing the grip for introducing a push rod for a feeding slide with the feeding slide having a connecting piece into which the push rod is disposed and locked. An elastic latch locks the clamp magazine in the endoscopic shaft. The forceps closing mechanism has a leading incline engageable with a leading incline on the elastic latch to permit release of the elastic latch simultaneous with displacement of a filler piece on said forceps closing mechanism to permit release of the forceps.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a pistol for setting surgical clamps having a pistol grip for operating a forceps closing mechanism and a removable staple magazine.

For hygienic reasons, only disposable pistols are used at the present time for setting surgical clamps which results in high costs. From the German patent 4303544 A1, a reloading magazine is known, which is fastened to the distal end of an endoscopic shaft in order to transfer clamps from the reloading magazine into a magazine of the pistol. With the reloading magazine, the disposable pistol is kept in use during the period of the surgical intervention by the reloading of clamps. However it is a disadvantage that a complicated reloading mechanism is necessary that the reloading mechanism requires special dexterity for reloading and does not preclude mechanical malfunctions, such as jamming of the clamps during their transfer, as well as defects in the reloading magazine and in the forceps-closing device. Furthermore, the pistol is disposed of at the end of the surgical intervention because sterilization of the pistol is not practical since the pistol consists of several individual parts, which must be disinfected and cleaned individually. Additionally, special tools and knowledge are required for disassembling and assembling the pistol and there are individual parts, such as springs, which can be cleaned only with great difficulty.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a pistol for setting surgical clamps which can be disassembled and assembled without mechanical aids and consists of a few, simple individual parts, which can easily be disinfected and cleaned, as well as sterilized in the assembled state.

Pursuant to the invention, a pistol for setting surgical clamps is provided comprising a clamp magazine disposed at the distal end of a tubular endoscopic shaft, a feeding mechanism for the clamps, and forceps with an associated forceps closing mechanism for setting the clamps. The feeding mechanism and the forceps closing mechanism are operated using a hand grip of the pistol. The clamp magazine has a lower magazine part and an upper magazine part permanently disposed on the lower magazine pan. The clamp magazine is insertable over guiding elements into the endoscopic shaft with the feeding mechanism and the clamps are contained in the clamp magazine. The forceps and the forceps closing mechanism are disposed below the clamp magazine with the forceps being exchangeable. The clamp magazine is open at an end facing the grip for introducing a push rod for a feeding slide with the feeding slide having a connecting piece into which the push rod is disposed and locked. An elastic latch locks the clamp magazine in the endoscopic shaft. The forceps closing mechanism has a leading incline engageable with a leading incline on the elastic latch to permit release of the elastic latch simultaneous with displacement of a filler piece on said forceps closing mechanism to permit release of the forceps.

A particular advantage of the invention lies in that the pistol, with the exception of the exchangeable clamp magazine, can be taken apart into a few individual parts in order to disinfect and clean the individual parts. It is very easy for medical personnel to prepare and sterilize the clamp pistol for an operation and to add a new and sterile clamp magazine. The costs associated with surgery and waste are largely decreased by this repeated use.

It is a further advantage of the present invention that the forceps locking mechanism and the clamp magazine locking mechanism can be operated simultaneously.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is described in greater detail in the following by means of an embodiment shown in the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows an overall view of a pistol according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a side view of an endoscopic shaft with a clamp magazine of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the endoscopic shaft with the clamp magazine of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows a side view of the clamp magazine of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 shows a transverse section through A—A of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 shows a longitudinal section of the endoscopic shaft with the clamp magazine of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 7 shows details of a forceps closing device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, a pistol for setting surgical clamps has ahand grip11 and operatinggrip12 connected to an endoscopic shaft7, at the distal end of which aclamp magazine9 andforceps6 are disposed. When theoperating grip12 is moved in the direction A, theforceps6 are closed and a clamp3 is set. Depression of aknob10 and movement of theoperating grip12 in direction B releases a forceps locking mechanism and clamp magazine locking mechanism to open them. Theforceps6 are adjustable circularly by means of locking-twistingadjustment13 and the endoscopic shaft7 is similarly detachable from thehand grip11. Thehand grip11 is equipped with arinsing connection14 for disinfecting and cleaning.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a front part of the endoscopic shaft7 is shown with theclamp magazine9 andforceps6 installed. The clamp magazine has agrip element26 on a top surface thereof to facilitate insertion and handling of theclamp magazine9.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, theclamp magazine9 is shown as a component part and also in cross section inserted in the endoscopic shaft7. Theclamp magazine9 has aslide member27 which is an offset in the width of alower magazine part4 of theclamp magazine9. Theclamp magazine9 is guided by theslide member27 engaging twogrooves25 in the endoscopic shaft7. Theclamp magazine9 includes an upper magazine part1 connected permanently to thelower magazine part4.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, afeeding slide2 is provided for advancing clamps3 and aspring catch23 is biased against thefeeding slide2. Theforceps6 and a forceps closing device5 are inserted below theclamp magazine9. Theclamp magazine9 has anelastic latch18 extending from a bottom thereof to secure the clamp magazine in the shaft7 by engaging acatch member29 of the endoscopic shaft7. Apush rod15 is over a leaf spring, which is not shown, and is thereby biased up to a stop. When theclamp magazine9 is pushed into the endoscopic shaft7, a connecting piece17 extending from thefeeding slide2 is pushed upward over a leading incline16 of thepush rod15 until it locks in place, thepush rod15 simultaneously being depressed downward against the bias of the leaf spring. The lift of the connecting piece17 is limited in the axial direction by stops, which are not shown. Accordingly, theclamp magazine9 is thus inserted in an operative state in the endoscopic shaft7. The clamps3 are transported and fed by way of cooperative motions of thefeeding slide2 and itslatches20 and spring catches21 protruding from thelower magazine part4. Each individual clamp3 in theclamp magazine9 is prevented by thespring catches21 from moving in a direction away from the patient, that is, back into the endoscopic shaft7 and away from theforceps6. The accidental movement of the clamps3 from theclamp magazine9 in the direction of the patient is prevented by a guidinglink22 and, in addition, locking off the clamp pistol is realized by locking aslide catch24 in the guidinglink22 when theclamp magazine9 is empty.

To load theforceps6 with a clamp3, thefeeding slide2 is moved in a direction away from the patient by a distance a little less than twice the clamp spacing in theclamp magazine9. Thefeeding slide2 is lifted by the leading inclines at thelatches20 against thespring catches23 and locks once again remote from the patient behind all clamps3. Finally, the slide catch24 locks behind the clamp3 closest to the patient. The distance between two clamps3 closest the patient is enlarged by a movement of the feeding slide in the direction of the patient. The foremost clamp3 is pushed into theforceps6. All other clamps3 are transported in the direction of the patient by one spacing in theclamp magazine9.

FIG. 7 illustrates the simple construction of theforceps6 and the forceps closing mechanism5. Theforceps6 are locked in place by a forceps locking mechanism including acatch30 engaging astop8, extending from the inner bottom of the endoscopic shaft7 as shown in FIG. 6, with thecatch30 being held in an engagement position with thestop8 by afiller piece19 on the forceps closing mechanism5. When the forceps closing mechanism5 is moved from the basic position in the direction C, theforceps6 are closed. Moving the forceps closing mechanism from the basic position in the direction D opens the forceps locking mechanism by movement of thefiller piece19. At the same time, with the movement of the forceps closing mechanism5 in the direction D, theelastic latch18 is raised by sliding engagement of leading inclines on the forceps closing mechanism5 and on theelastic latch18, with respect to the relative motion of the forceps closing mechanism5 and theelastic latch18, and theclamp magazine9 is unlocked accordingly.

Claims (17)

What is claimed is:

1. A clamping apparatus for applying surgical clamps, comprising:

a pistol grip actuator having an operating grip movable from an intermediate position in a first direction for setting one of said surgical clamps and in a second direction for disassembly of said clamping apparatus;

a hollow shaft having a first end removably connected to said pistol grip actuator;

a removable magazine for holding said surgical clamps;

slide means for slidably receiving said removable magazine in said hollow shaft through an open second end of said hollow shaft;

said removable magazine having a channel containing said surgical clamps;

a forceps closing member slidably disposed in said hollow shaft beneath said removable magazine and responsive to movement of said operating grip;

said removable magazine having an elastic catch biased downward for engaging a catch member of said hollow shaft extending through said forceps closing member;

forceps means, slidably disposed in said forceps closing member, for receiving and compressing one of said surgical clamps by a cam action movement of said forceps closing member in response to actuation of said operating grip in said first direction;

said forceps means having a catch hook engageable with a stop member extending from said hollow shaft and through said forceps closing means to maintain said forceps means fixed relative to said hollow shaft permitting said cam action movement of said forceps closing means to compress said one of said surgical clamps;

said forceps closing means having a filler member disposed to maintain engagement of said catch hook with said stop member during said cam action movement of said forceps closing means;

said magazine having a feeding slide for advancing said surgical clamps toward said second end of said hollow shaft;

a push rod means extending from said pistol grip actuator into said hollow shaft responsive to movement of said operating grip in said first direction;

means for disengagably connecting said feeding slide with said push rod means to permit advancement of said surgical clamps in response to movement of said operating grip; and

said forceps closing means being responsive to movement of said operating grip in said second direction to effect displacement of said filler member from said catch hook to permit removal of said forceps means and displacement of said elastic latch from said catch member to allow removal of said magazine.

2. A clamping apparatus for applying surgical clamps, comprising:

a pistol grip actuator having an operating grip moveable from an intermediate position in a first direction for setting a surgical clamp;

a hollow shaft with a first end connected to said pistol grip actuator and having guiding elements and a catch member;

a magazine having a channel for containing surgical clamps and slidably received within said hollow shaft by said guiding elements through an open second end of said hollow shaft, said magazine having a feeding slide for advancing said surgical clamps toward said second end of said hollow shaft;

an elastic latch extending from said magazine and engaging said catch member for securing said magazine within said hollow shaft;

a forceps closing member slidably disposed within said hollow shaft and responsive to movement of said operating grip;

a push rod extending from said pistol grip actuator and received by said hollow shaft, said rod responsive to movement of said operating grip in said first direction and in operative connection with said feeding slide and said forceps closing member, and

a forceps means, slidably disposed in said forceps closing member for receiving and compressing one of said surgical clamps exterior of said hollow shaft by a cam action movement of said forceps closing member within said hollow shaft in response to actuation of said operating grip in said first direction.

3. The clamping apparatus ofclaim 2 wherein said pistol grip actuator is movable from an intermediate position in a second direction for disassembly of said clamping apparatus.

4. The clamping apparatus ofclaim 2 wherein said forceps means further comprises forceps, said forceps being removable.

5. The clamping apparatus ofclaim 2 wherein said hollow shaft is removable.

6. The clamping apparatus ofclaim 2 wherein said magazine is removable.

7. The clamping apparatus ofclaim 4 wherein said forceps further comprise a catch hook engageable with a stop member extending from said hollow shaft, said forceps means further comprising a filler member disposed to maintain engagement of said catch hook with said stop member, said stop member maintaining said forceps means fixed relative to said hollow shaft during cam action movement of said forceps closing member.

8. The clamping apparatus ofclaim 7 wherein said forceps closing means is responsive to movement of said operating grip from an intermediate position in a second direction to effect displacement of said filler member relative to said catch hook to permit removal of said forceps and displacement of said elastic latch from said catch member to allow removal of said magazine.

9. The clamping apparatus ofclaim 8 further comprising a knob member attached to said pistol grip whereby depression of said knob allows movement of said operating grip in a second direction.

10. The clamping apparatus ofclaim 4 whereby said forceps are rotatably adjustable by a twisting member of said first end of said hollow shaft.

11. The clamping apparatus ofclaim 2 wherein said pistol grip is equipped with a rinsing connection for disinfection and cleaning.

12. The clamping apparatus ofclaim 6 whereby said magazine is equipped with a grip element at its surface to facilitate handling and replacement of said magazine.

13. The clamping apparatus ofclaim 2 wherein said magazine further comprises spring catches to prevent clamp movement in a direction toward said first end.

14. The clamping apparatus ofclaim 2 wherein said magazine further comprises a guiding link to avoid undesired clamp movement in a direction toward said second end.

15. A clamping apparatus for applying surgical clamps, comprising:

a pistol grip actuator having an operating grip movable from an intermediate position in a first direction for setting one of said surgical clamps and in a second direction for disassembly of said clamping apparatus;

a hollow shaft having a first end removably connected to said pistol grip actuator;

a removable magazine having a channel for containing said surgical clamps;

a forceps closing member slidably disposed in said hollow shaft beneath said removable magazine and responsive to movement of said operating grip;

said magazine operatively engaging said hollow shaft;

forceps means, slidably disposed in said forceps closing member, for receiving and compressing one of said surgical clamps by a cam action movement of said forceps closing member in response to actuation of said operating grip in said first direction;

said forceps means having a catch hook engageable with a stop member extending from said hollow shaft and through said forceps closing means to maintain said forceps means fixed relative to said hollow shaft permitting said cam action movement of said forceps closing means to compress said one of said surgical clamps;

said forceps closing means having a filler member disposed to maintain engagement of said catch hook with said stop member during said cam action movement of said forceps closing means;

said magazine having a feeding slide for advancing said surgical clamps toward said second end of said hollow shaft;

a push rod means extending from said pistol grip actuator into said hollow shaft responsive to movement of said operating grip in said first direction;

means for disengagably connecting said feeding slide with said push rod means to permit advancement of said surgical clamps in response to movement of said operating grip; and

said forceps closing means being responsive to movement of said operating grip in said second direction to effect displacement of said filler member from said catch hook to permit removal of said forceps means and to effect disengagement of said magazine from said hollow shaft.

16. The clamping apparatus according toclaim 15, wherein said hollow shaft includes a catch member and wherein said magazine includes an elastic latch biased downward for engaging said catch member of said hollow shaft.

17. The clamping apparatus according toclaim 16, wherein said forceps closing means is responsive to a movement of said operating grip in said second direction to effect a displacement of said elastic latch from said catch member to allow for removal of said magazine from said hollow shaft.

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