Plastic ligating clips

DETAILED DESCRIPTION What is claimed is: 1.
A ligating clip applying instrument comprising a pair of handles pivoted about a hinge point and extending beyond the hinge point to form a pair of clip closing jaws having opposing inner faces, each of said jaws having a recessed clip-receiving channel in the inner face thereof extending from the forward tip of said jaw rearward toward said hinge point, said channel having a length at least equal to the length of the clip to be applied by said instrument, each channel having an abutment across the base thereof spaced from the tip of said jaw, said abutment being a raised area extending across the width of the jaw and having a generally convex semi-cylindrical shape with the axis of the cylinder extending across said jaw, the depth of the channel forward of said abutment being greater than to the rear of said abutment.
2.
The instrument of claim 1 wherein the abutments in each channel are in opposed alignment relative to the inner faces of said jaws when said jaws are in a closed position.
3.
The instrument of claim 1 wherein said abutments in each channel are equidistantly spaced from the tips of said jaws.




Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to hemostatic clips and clip appliers, and, more particularly, to hemostatic clips fabricated from absorbable or nonabsorbable polymeric materials and to instruments for applying such clips to blood vessels and the like.
Hemostatic clips are utilized in surgical procedures to close severed blood vessels and other small fluid ducts.
In the past, hemostatic clips have been narrow U-shaped or V-shaped strips formed of tantalum or stainless steel which are capable of being deformed and possess sufficient strength to retain the deformation when clamped about a blood vessel.
The clips are generally applied using a forceps-type device having jaws channeled or otherwise adapted to hold the open clip.
Representative hemostatic clips and appliers of the prior art are best illustrated in U