Ethicon, Gmbh

Robert W Mericle

Robert J Cerwin

William J Zwaskis

John R Menges

Madhusudan Joshi

Robert K Jarvik

James A Transue

Darrell R Thompson

Howard Beroff

William C Travis, Jr

A sterile, surgical, unitary fastener having a generally circular shape and with its free ends disposed laterally with respect to each other. Methods and instruments for forming and placing such fasteners to join tissue together.

Split ring type tissue fastener

Sterile, non-metallic bio-compatible hemostatic clips of absorbable and non-absorbable materials comprising two leg members joined with a resilient hinge. The distal ends of said leg members include latch means to lock the clip in a closed position. Each leg member has a vessel clamping inner face and the latch means includes means for preventing relative lateral movement between the vessel clamping inner faces when the clip is in a closed position.

Non-metallic, bio-compatible hemostatic clips with interlocking latch

A sterile hemostatic clip made from polymeric materials having a pair of leg members connected by a resilient hinge. The distal ends of the leg members terminate in latch means. The outer surface of each leg member carries a suitable boss to allow the clip to be held and placed about a vessel to close the vessel utilizing a suitable instrument.

Non-metallic, bio-compatible hemostatic clips

Sterile, non-metallic, bio-compatible hemostatic clips of absorbable and non-absorbable materials comprising two leg members joined with a resilient hinge. The distal ends of said leg members include latch means to lock the clip in a closed position. Each leg member has a vessel clamping inner face and the latch means includes means for preventing relative lateral movement between the vessel clamping inner faces when the clip is in a closed position.

A process for molding surgical clips having improved in vivo performance characteristics from polymers of p-dioxanone. The polymers are heated to a temperature above their melt temperature and the molten polymer injected into a mold maintained at a temperature of 35.degree. C. or less.

Molding process for polydioxanone polymers

A ligating clip is provided with first and second legs joined at their proximal ends by a hinge and terminating at their distal ends by a latch means for holding the clip latched closed when the legs are squeezed together. One of the legs is provided with a base defining guide means for engaging portions of an instrument that may be used to apply the clip. An instrument is provided to apply the clip and includes first and second handles mounted together for pivotal movement. Each handle extends beyond the pivot axis to form a clip closing jaw. The first handle includes a guideway for receiving a plurality of the open clips. A pusher member is provided within the first handle to push the clips to the jaw region. A spool is mounted for rotation in the first handle jaw and includes a forward flange and a rearward flange between which the front clip of the row of clips may be positioned. An L-shaped rod extends from the spool and is pivoted in one direction by one of the handles when the handles are closed to rotate the spool to permit passage of the closed clip from the jaws after the jaws are subsequently partially opened. The rod is also pivoted in a second, opposite direction after the handles are partially opened to orient the spool to block feeding of the next clip beyond the jaw region.

Ligating clip and applier instrument therefor with clip engaging

A ligating clip is provided with first and second legs joined at their proximal ends by a resilient hinge to define the rear end of the clip and spaced at their distal ends at the front of the clip with the legs having latch means at the distal ends for holding the clip closed in clamping engagement about tissue when the legs are squeezed together. The clip has a base extending along a portion of the first leg and the base terminates short of the distal end in a front face. Flanges are provided on a portion of the base and extend rearwardly from the front face and terminate short of the first leg proximal end. The flanges extend laterally outwardly beyond the sides of the first leg. The portion of the base that extends rearwardly from the flanges to the proximal end of the clip first leg has a width not greater than the width of the first leg.

Ligating clip with flanged base having a recessed engaging face

Plastic ligating clips of absorbable or nonabsorbable materials are formed by two legs joined with a resilient hinge. One leg terminates in a hook member which secures the other leg when the clip is closed. Each leg of the clip is provided with a raised cylindrical boss extending across its width near the distal end which secures the clip in the applier and allows the clip to rotate about its hinge during closure. The clip applier is a forceps-type instrument having channeled jaws especially adapted to receive and close the plastic clip.

Instrument for applying ligating clips

A one-piece, self-locking, molded plastic staple useful as a tissue fixation device in surgical procedures. The staple has opposed, pointed, L-shaped legs hinged to a horizontal bridging member having expanding cam surfaces on each end. Each leg has an extending cam follower which traverses the cam surface and engages the end of the bridging member when the staple is closed by rotating the legs 90 degrees. The staples may be extruded or molded of absorbable or nonabsorbable polymeric materials.

Plastic surgical staple

Cartridge containing a plurality of non-metallic, bio-compatible hemostatic clips.

Cartridge for hemostatic clips

A three-piece anastomotic coupling device for end-to-end anastomosis of tubular members consisting of two open bore cylindrical adaptors and an open bore cylindrical connector. Each end of a tubular member is passed through the axial bore of an adaptor and everted over the end thereof. The adaptors are then inserted into opposite ends of the connector until the everted ends of the vessel abut under light compression. Integral locking means are provided to secure the adaptors and tubular members of the connector piece.

Growing community of inventors

Lebanon, NJ, United States of America

Robert W Mericle