Surgical hemostatic clips

Claim 1

A metallic surgical hemostatic clip comprising first and second legs each exhibiting a major longitudinal dimension and a lateral width, and each having a tissue contacting surface and an applier contacting surface, said legs being joined at their proximate ends at a hinge region of the clip, said legs each exhibiting an intermediate bend intermediate their distal and proximate ends which bring the tissue contacting distal ends of said legs toward each other, and including means for relieving compressive forces distributed continuously across said lateral width of said legs in the applier contacting surface of each leg, which forces develop upon closure of said clip, by providing a region into which metal under compression across said lateral width on either side of said region can expand, said relieving means comprising a notch or groove, located in the applier contacting surface of each intermediate leg bend, each notch or groove extending continuously across the width of each leg, wherein said notches or grooves promote a tendency of said legs to straighten to a substantially gapless condition upon closure.