Abstract: An improved surgical clip and clip applicator for placing a surgical clip over a target structure. The surgical clip generally has a pair of opposing clamp arms, each having an associated clamping surface, and a connecting portion joining the clamp arms and biasing them to a normally closed position. The surgical clip may be opened and locked into the open position prior to being loaded into a clip applicator or the surgical clip may be opened by a clip applicator itself. The surgical clip and clip applicators require reduced actuation forces and simplified applicator mechanisms.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 8, 1999
Date of Patent:
February 27, 2001
Assignee:
CardioThoracic System
Inventors:
John J. Frantzen, Charles S. Taylor, Michael V. Morejohn, Dwight P. Morejohn, Ronald Devore