Surgical instrument

Claim 2

A surgical instrument for driving surgical fasteners into body tissue which comprises: a) a body having a distal end and a proximal end and defining an endoscopic portion at said distal end; b) a pair of jaws positioned at said distal end of said body, a first jaw fixed with respect to said body and a second jaw pivotally mounted at the proximal end thereof for movement between an open position whereby at least the distal end of said second jaw is spaced from said first jaw and a closed position whereby said second jaw is in close cooperative alignment with said first jaw; c) means for controlling the open and closed positions of said second jaw with respect to said first jaw from the proximal end of said body; d) means positioned about at least a portion of said body and slidable between a proximal position whereby said second jaw may be pivoted to said open position with respect to said first jaw, and a distal position in close cooperative alignment at least with said second jaw whereby tissue positioned therebetween may be gripped by said jaws; and e) means associated with said body for applying surgical fastener means to body tissue gripped between said jaws.

Claim 3

A surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein said second jaw is formed by a first arm of an angle lever pivotally mounted by a second arm at the junction between said fixed jaw and the distal end of said body.

Claim 4

A surgical instrument according to claim 2, wherein said means for controlling said second jaw comprises a rigid rod connected to said second jaw adjacent the junction between said first and second arms, said rod being slidably received within said body.

Claim 5

A surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein a proximal part of said second jaw is comprised at least in part of a member having an inverted substantially "U" shaped configuration having two arms positioned over a proximal part of said fixed jaw, said arms having respective lateral bores each housing a pivot pin connected to said fixed jaw.

Claim 6

A surgical instrument according to claim 4, wherein said two pivot pins comprise screws having heads and being slidably received in the corresponding bores of the arms of said inverted substantially "U" shaped member.

Claim 7

A surgical instrument according to claim 4, wherein said elongated body and said fixed jaw are made of two parts assembled in side-by-side relationship.

Claim 8

A surgical instrument according to claim 6 wherein said inverted U-shaped member of said second jaw is configured and dimensioned to assist retaining said two parts of said fixed jaw when said second jaw is pivoted to the closed position.

Claim 9

The surgical instrument according to claim 7 wherein said means to predetermine the position of said second jaw relative to said first jaw comprises abutment means attached to said second jaw and adapted to engage said first jaw when said second jaw is closed.

Claim 10

The surgical instrument according to claim 8 wherein said abutment means is a member attached to the distal end of said second jaw and extending transversely thereof, the thickness of said abutment means determining the space between said first and second jaws when said second jaw is closed.

Claim 11

The surgical instrument according to claim 9 wherein said thickness of said abutment member is adjustable to facilitate selective positioning of said second jaw with respect to said first jaw.

Claim 12

The surgical instrument according to claim 10 wherein said thickness of said abutment member is fixed to thereby predetermine the position of said second jaw with respect to said first jaw when in the closed position.

Claim 13

A surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein said slidable means comprises a clamping tube slidably mounted about said body, said tube having a distal end having an internal at least partly frusto-conical surface portion adapted to bear against corresponding frusto-conical portions provided at the proximal end of said first jaw and said second jaw respectively.

Claim 14

A surgical instrument according to claim 12, wherein said clamping tube includes internal threads adapted to threadably engage with external threaded sectors of said body.

Claim 15

A surgical instrument according to claim 12, wherein said instrument body and said first and second jaws have a part-circular periphery and include at least two longitudinal flats.

Claim 16

A surgical instrument according to claim 14, wherein said circular regions of said body include external diametral dimensions less than the dimensions of said circular regions of said jaws when said jaws are brought together, to allow said clamping tube to pass between said body and a trocar guide tube.

Claim 17

The surgical instrument according to claim 12 wherein said frusto-conical surface portions on said clamping tube and said frusto-conical surface positions on said jaws are configured to cause said jaws to be self-locking when engaged by said clamping tube.

Claim 18

The surgical instrument according to claim 16 wherein said clamping tube includes internal threads adapted to be threadably engaged with corresponding mating threads on said body to facilitate advancing said clamping tube distally to cause the position of said second jaw to be self-locked in a closed position with respect to said first jaw.

Claim 19

A surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein said fixed jaw is made of the same material as said body.

Claim 20

A surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein said body and said first jaw are comprised of two parts positioned in side-by-side relationship.

Claim 21

A surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein said two parts forming said body and said fixed jaw are held fixedly attached with said parts engaging in said inverted substantially "U" shaped section of said second jaw.

Claim 22

A surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein said body and said fixed jaw have a first longitudinal orifice of substantially rectangular cross-section, in which a tool is slidably received, said tool having a first end which protrudes from said proximal end of said body and a second end carrying a cam for feeding surgical fastener means.

Claim 23

A surgical instrument according to claim 21, wherein said orifice further includes a chamber in said fixed jaw for receiving a rechargeable magazine of surgical fastener means.

Claim 24

A surgical instrument according to claim 22, wherein said chamber extends into a surgical fastener application region facing a plate on said second jaw for closing said surgical fastener means.

Claim 25

The surgical instrument according to claim 1 wherein said body is elongated.

Claim 26

A surgical instrument according to claim 24, wherein said body and said fixed jaw comprise at least one longitudinal guide groove on at least one lateral surface thereof for holding a knife.

Claim 27

The surgical instrument according to claim 25 wherein said slidable means is a clamping tube adapted to engage the proximal portion of each said first and second jaws in a manner to retain said jaws in the closed position to facilitate gripping tissue therebetween.

Claim 28

The surgical instrument according to claim 26 wherein said clamping tube comprises control means extending to the proximal end of said body to facilitate user access therefor.

Claim 29

The surgical instrument according to claim 27 wherein a knife for cutting body tissue is supported by said lateral groove.

Claim 30

The surgical instrument according to claim 28 wherein said knife comprises control means extending to the proximal end of said body to facilitate user access therefor.

Claim 31

A surgical instrument according to claim 24, wherein one of said jaws, comprises at least two lugs for receiving therebetween tissues of an organ or body tissue (G) to be cut.

Claim 32

A surgical instrument according to claim 24, further comprising an abutment on said second jaw defining a gap between said two jaws for pinching body tissue therebetween.

Claim 33

A surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein said proximal end of said elongated body comprises two removable knurled sectors for holding said body said knurled sectors being movable to allow removal of said clamping tube by sliding same along said body.

Claim 34

A surgical instrument according to claim 1 wherein said proximal end of each said first and second jaws has a frusto-conical shape and at least a portion of said slidable member has a corresponding frusto-conical shape adapted to engage said proximal frusto-conical shaped portions of said first and second jaws.

Claim 35

The surgical instrument according to claim 1 wherein means is provided on said second jaw to predetermine the position of said second jaw with respect to said first jaw when said second jaw is in the closed position.

Claim 36

The surgical instrument according to claim 1 wherein said slidable means is a clamping tube adapted to engage said proximal portion of each said first and second jaws in a manner to retain said jaws in the closed position to facilitate gripping tissue therebetween.

Claim 37

The surgical instrument according to claim 35 wherein said clamping tube extends to the proximal end of said body to facilitate fixing the position of said first jaw with respect to said second jaw from the proximal end of said body.

Claim 38

A surgical instrument for driving surgical fasteners into body tissue which comprises: a) a body having a distal end and a proximal end and defining an endoscopic portion at said distal end; b) a pair of pincer forming jaws connected to said distal end of said body, a first jaw fixed with respect to said body and a second jaw pivotally mounted at the proximal end of said second jaw for movement between an open position whereby at least the distal end of said second jaw is spaced from said first jaw and a closed position whereby said second jaw is in close cooperative alignment with said first jaw; c) means for controlling the open and closed positions of said second jaw with respect to said first jaw from the proximal end of said body; d) camming means positioned about at least a portion of said body and having a camming surface at the distal end thereof, said camming means being slidable between a proximal position whereby said second jaw may be pivoted to said open position with respect to said first fixed jaw, and a distal position whereby said camming surface engages the proximal end of at least said second jaw to cause said jaws to be positioned relative to each other whereby tissue positioned therebetween may be firmly gripped by said jaws; and e) means associated with said body for applying surgical clip means to body tissue gripped between said jaws.

Claim 39

A surgical instrument for driving surgical fasteners into body tissue which comprises: a) a body having a distal end and a proximal end and defining an endoscopic portion at said distal end; b) a pair of pincer forming jaws connected to said distal end of said body, a first jaw fixed with respect to said body and a second jaw pivotally mounted at the proximal end of said second jaw for movement between an open position whereby at least the distal end of said second jaw is spaced from said first jaw and a closed position whereby said second jaw is in close cooperative alignment with said first jaw; c) means for controlling the open and closed positions of said second jaw with respect to said first jaw from the proximal end of said body; d) camming means positioned about at least a portion of said body and having a camming surface at the distal end thereof, said camming means being slidable between a proximal position whereby said second jaw may be pivoted to said open position with respect to said first fixed jaw, and a distal position whereby said camming surface engages the proximal end of at least said second jaw to cause said jaws to be positioned relative to each other whereby tissue positioned therebetween may be firmly gripped by said jaws; and e) means associated with said body for applying surgical clip means to body tissue gripped between said jaws.

Claim 40

A surgical instrument according to claim 37 wherein said camming surface on said camming means is frusto-conical.

Claim 41

The surgical instrument according to claim 38 wherein said first and second jaws define frusto-conical surfaces at their proximal ends to be engaged by said camming surface of said camming means.

Claim 42

The surgical instrument according to claim 39 wherein said frusto-conical surfaces are such as to cause said jaws to be self-locking due to the engagement at least with said first jaw by said camming means.

Claim 43

The surgical instrument according to claim 40 wherein said clamping tube includes internal threads adapted to be threadably engaged with corresponding mating threads on said body to facilitate advancing said clamping tube distally to cause the position of said first jaw to be self-locked in a closed position with respect to said first jaw.

Claim 44

A surgical instrument for driving surgical fasteners into body tissue which comprises: a) an elongated body having a distal end and a proximal end and defining an endoscopic portion at said distal end; b) a pair of pincer forming jaw connected to said distal end of said endoscopic portion, a first jaw having a frusto-conical surface portion at the proximal end and fixed with respect to said endoscopic portion and a second jaw having a frusto-conical surface portion at the proximal end and being mounted at the proximal end thereof for movement between an open position whereby at least the distal end of said second jaw is spaced from said first jaw and a closed position whereby said second jaw is in close cooperative alignment with said first jaw; c) means for controlling the open and closed positions of said second jaw with respect to said first jaw from the proximal end of said body; d) camming means positioned about at least a portion of said body and having a camming surface at the distal end thereof, said camming means being slidable between a proximal position whereby said second jaw may be moved to said open position with respect to said first jaw, and a distal position whereby said camming surface engages the proximal ends of said first and second jaws to cause said jaws to firmly pinch body tissue therebetween whereby tissue positioned therebetween may be firmly gripped by said jaws; e) a knife movable between proximal and distal positions for cutting body tissue gripped between said jaws, said knife having means to control the position thereof from the proximal end of said elongated body; and f) means positioned within said body for applying surgical fastener means to body tissue gripped between said jaws.

Claim 45

A surgical instrument for driving surgical fasteners into body tissue which comprises: a) an elongated body having a distal end and a proximal end and defining an endoscopic portion at said distal end; b) a pair of pincer forming jaw connected to said distal end of said endoscopic portion, a first jaw having a frusto-conical surface portion at the proximal end and fixed with respect to said endoscopic portion and a second jaw having a frusto-conical surface portion at the proximal end and being mounted at the proximal end thereof for movement between an open position whereby at least the distal end of said second jaw is spaced from said first jaw and a closed position whereby said second jaw is in close cooperative alignment with said first jaw; c) means for controlling the open and closed positions of said second jaw with respect to said first jaw from the proximal end of said body; d) camming means positioned about at least a portion of said body and having a camming surface at the distal end thereof, said camming means being slidable between a proximal position whereby said second jaw may be moved to said open position with respect to said first jaw, and a distal position whereby said camming surface engages the proximal ends of said first and second jaws to cause said jaws to firmly pinch body tissue therebetween whereby tissue positioned therebetween may be firmly gripped by said jaws; e) a knife movable between proximal and distal positions for cutting body tissue gripped between said jaws, said knife having means to control the position thereof from the proximal end of said elongated body; and f) means positioned within said body for applying surgical fastener means to body tissue gripped between said jaws.

Claim 46

The surgical instrument according to claim 42 wherein said frusto-conical surfaces are such as to cause said jaws to be self-locking due to the engagement at least with said first jaw by said camming means, said instrument further comprising a trocar guide tube for reception of said endoscopic portion when said trocar guide tube is positioned within a body portion.

Claim 47

The surgical instrument according to claim 43 wherein said clamping tube includes internal threads adapted to be threadably engaged with corresponding mating threads on said body to facilitate advancing said clamping tube distally to cause the position of said second jaw to be self-locked in a closed position with respect to said first jaw.