Hemostatic clip applicator

Claim 1

A surgical instrument adapted to engage, retain and apply a U-shaped hemostatic clip of the type having substantially parallel, normally separated arm portions interconnected at one end thereof and being adapted to strangulate fluid ducts in the body, said instrument comprising: a first elongated member formed with a handle portion and a jaw portion; a second elongated member formed with a handle portion and a jaw portion; said first elongated member being adapted to cooperate with said second elongated member so that said jaw portions may operate upon said hemostatic clip; and means for pivotally connecting said first and second elongated members together intermediate their respective handle and jaw portions so that said handle portions may be cooperatively manipulated to open and close said jaw portions; said jaw portions having confronting faces, said faces being substantially parallel when said jaws are closed, each said face being formed with a longitudinal groove adapted to receive said arm portions in said normally separated condition, a transverse notch across said face rearward of said groove and extending into said face a distance greater than the depth of said groove, and a transverse wall at the forward end of said groove substantially perpendicular to the plane of said face, thereby providing an abutment for the end of one arm of said hemostatic clip when said arm is seated within said groove, said groove being shorter than said hemostatic clip so that upon clOsure of said hemostatic clip by positive displacement of said jaw portions toward each other to deform said hemostatic clip, the outer extremities of said arms are displaced to a position closer together than the outer extremities of said interconnecting end of said hemostatic clip, said interconnecting end remaining rounded and extending substantially normally to the plane of said face into said notch.