Angled Jaw Clip Applicator for Surgical Visibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing clip applying apparatus for surgical procedures often obstruct the surgeon's view of the surgical site, especially during endoscopic procedures, due to the jaw structure and distal end of the body portion obstructing visibility.
Innovation Solution
A clip applying apparatus with a jaw mechanism featuring a stationary jaw and a movable jaw, where the stationary jaw is angled relative to the body portion, allowing improved visibility by approximating the legs of the surgical clip before crimping, thus retaining tissue between the clip legs and preventing obstruction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional jaw structure is used in clip applying apparatus, then the clip can be applied effectively, but the surgeon's view of the surgical site is obstructed
Solution Approach 1:
The stationary jaw is angled at approximately 45 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the body portion, changing the spatial orientation from a traditional parallel alignment. This angular configuration allows the jaw mechanism to clear the surgical site while maintaining clip application functionality, resolving the visibility obstruction problem.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the stationary jaw is angled relative to the body portion, then visibility at the surgical site is improved, but the clip crimping mechanism becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The stationary jaw is configured with an asymmetric angular orientation (approximately 45 degrees) relative to the body portion's longitudinal axis, rather than a symmetric parallel alignment. This asymmetric design improves visibility while the crimping surface on the movable jaw is angled to complement this configuration, maintaining functional effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable jaw is designed with a crimping surface that defines an acute angle in relation to the longitudinal axis of the body portion, matching the stationary jaw's angle. This dynamic angular configuration allows the jaws to approximate clip legs effectively while maintaining the improved visibility provided by the angled stationary jaw.
3Reliability
If the legs of the surgical clip are approximated before the proximal ends, then tissue is retained between the clip legs, but the jaw mechanism requires specific angular configuration
Solution Approach 1:
The angular configuration of both the stationary jaw and movable jaw crimping surface is designed to cause the distal ends of the clip legs to approximate before the proximal ends. This preliminary approximation of the distal ends ensures that tissue is trapped and retained between the legs during the crimping process, improving reliability of tissue confinement.
Data Source
AI summary
A clip applying apparatus is provided which includes a jaw mechanism having a stationary jaw and a movable jaw. The movable jaw is supported on or formed integrally with the distal end of a crimping member which is movably supported within a body portion of the apparatus. The stationary jaw defines a longitudinal axis which forms an angle θ of between about 15 degrees and about 15 degrees and about 75 degrees in relation to a longitudinal axis of the body portion. In another embodiment, the stationary jaw includes a clip receiving channel which is configured to at least partially receive a surgical clip. In one embodiment, the distal end of the stationary jaw includes a stop member which is positioned to engage the distal end of the stationary jaw includes a stop member which is positioned to engage the distal end of a leg of a surgical clip to prevent the surgical clip from being pushed from the stationary jaw during operation of the apparatus and the movable jaw includes a distally located crimping surface and a head portion defining a recessed channel configured to receive a portion of a surgical clip supported on the stationary jaw. In yet another embodiment, the crimping surface defines an acute angle β in relation to the longitudinal axis of the body portion, and in one embodiment, angle β is substantially the same as angle θ.