Plastic ligating clips

Claim 1

A sterile, hemostatic clip for application using a clip applying instrument, said instrument including means for gripping and manipulating said clip, said clip comprising: first and second leg members joined at their proximal ends by resilient hinge means and terminating at their distal ends in latch means, each leg member having an outer surface and a vessel clamping inner face in opposition to the vessel clamping inner face of the other leg member; said first leg member terminating at the distal end thereof in latch means comprising a deflectable hook member extending from the inner face of said leg member, said hook member having an inner face spaced from and substantially parallel to the inner face of said leg member, said leg member including a substantially semi-cylindrical indentation extending across the width of the leg member on the outer surface thereof and spaced from the proximal end thereof; whereby said first leg member is allowed to move with respect to said instrument means for gripping and manipulating said clip as the clip is being closed; said second leg member terminating at the distal end thereof in latch means comprising a surface adapted to deflect said hook member and enter said space between the inner face of said hook member and the inner face of said first leg member, said second leg member including a substantially semi-cylindrical indentation extending across the width of the leg member on the outer surface thereof and spaced from the distal and proximal ends thereof, whereby said second leg member is allowed to move with respect to said instrument means for gripping and manipulating said clip as the clip is being closed; said indentation on said second leg member being spaced from the distal end of said leg member by a distance corresponding to the length of the inner face of the hook member; the indentations of said first and second leg members being spaced equidistantly from said hinge means; whereby said clip may be applied using a clip applying instrument which instrument grips the clip using the indentations in said leg members and applies the clip to the vessel to be closed by pivoting said first and second leg member about said hinge means to close said clip causing the distal end of said second leg member to deflect and engage the hook member of the first leg member to lock the clip in a closed position.