Surgical Clip Unlatching Jaws for Curved Clip Extraction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current devices for unlatching and extracting surgical clips face inefficiencies, particularly with clips having curved leg members and larger radii of curvature, and often require additional instruments, struggling to remove clips from implant sites without relatching.

Innovation Solution

A device with a jaw mechanism featuring first and second jaw members, where the first jaw is shorter than the second, includes channels and grooves to align, secure, and extract surgical clips, deflection mechanisms to open hooks, and engagement members for secure extraction without additional tools.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If current unlatching devices are used on clips with curved leg members and larger radii of curvature, then the device cannot properly engage and unlatch the clip, but modifying the device to accommodate these variations increases device complexity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompatibility with different clip designsVSAvoiddevice structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The jaw mechanism is designed with channels and grooves that can accommodate multiple clip configurations including curved leg members and larger radii of curvature. The first jaw member includes a channel configured to receive and stabilize the curved first leg member, while the second jaw member includes a groove configured to receive and deflect the hook member, allowing a single device to handle various clip designs universally

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If additional instruments are used to remove or extract the surgical clip, then complete extraction is possible, but the procedure requires multiple instruments and increases operational complexity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveextraction completenessVSAvoidnumber of instruments
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The device combines multiple functions into a single integrated system: the jaw mechanism not only unlatches the clip by deflecting the hook member from the tip member but also engages and extracts the entire clip from the implant site through the channels and grooves. This merging of unlatching and extraction functions eliminates the need for additional instruments

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP4333737B1Device for unlatching a surgical clip
Publication Date: 2026.04.01 TELEFLEX MEDICAL LLC
  • EP4333737B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4333737B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4333737B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The present disclosure is directed a method and device for unlatching a clip. The dip may have first and second leg members, the first leg member having a hook member and the second leg member having a tip member restrained by the hook member in the latched configuration. The method may include receiving the clip between first and second jaw members of a device and engaging the hook member of the first leg member with a. wall of the second jaw member. The method may further include pressing on an outer surface of the first leg member with the first jaw member to open the hook member and release the clip from the latched configuration and receiving! the tip member in a channel of the second jaw member after being unrestrained by the hook member where the tip member is spaced apart from the hook member.