Articulating clip applier

摘要

ARTICULATING CLIP APPLIER A surgical shaft assembly (300) configured for selective connection to a drive assembly (220) of a surgical apparatus, the shaft assembly (300) comprising: a first tubular member (302) defining a longitudinal axis; a second tubular member (500) defining a longitudinal axis, the second tubular member (500) being located distally of the first tubular member (302), the second tubular member (500) supporting a plurality of surgical clips (580) and configured to distally advance each single clip of the plurality of surgical clips (580), individually, to form the single clip of the plurality of surgical clips (580) upon each single firing of the surgical apparatus, the first tubular member (302) and the second tubular member (500) being pivotally connected through a common pivot axis, the pivot axis being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; wherein the second tubular member (500) includes ajaw assembly (620) having a pair of juxtaposed jaws (626), the jaw assembly (620) having a spaced apart condition for entirely receiving a single unformed clip between the pair of jaws (626), and an approximated condition wherein the pair of jaws (626) form the single clip disposed therebetween, wherein the pair of jaws (626) are approximated in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the second tubular member (500); and an articulation mechanism (320) operatively connected between the first tubular member (302) and the second tubular member (500), the articulation mechanism (320) including: a gear rack (360) having a plurality of teeth longitudinally placed thereon, the gear rack (360) located within the first tubular member (302); and at least one gear operatively connected with the gear rack (360) located within the first tubular member (302); and a gear segment (516) extending proximally from the second tubular member (500), the gear segment (516) being fixed with respect to the second tubular member (500), the gear segment (516) being operatively connected with the at least one gear to pivot the second tubular member (500) about the pivot axis relative to the first tubular member (302).