Apparatus for applying surgical clips

摘要

Surgical clip applying apparatus for advancing and closing clips one at a time around body tissue. The apparatus includes a cartridge with a carrier member for an array of clips. When the cartridge is moved distally relative to the apparatus, two pivotally mounted cam followers on the carrier member move toward each other and traverse a pair of jaws on the apparatus. The pivoting of the cam followers causes the distal-most clip to be closed around body tissue. The cam followers and the cartridge then return to their original positions to ready the apparatus for another cycle of operation.