Surgical clip applier

Abstract

The present application relates to surgical clip appliers having a plurality of clips for applying the clips to body tissues and vessels during surgical procedures and their methods of use and specifically to a reusable counter mechanism for use with a surgical clip applier. The surgical clip applier includes a housing, at least one handle pivotably connected to the housing, a channel assembly extending distally from the housing, a plurality of clips loaded in the channel assembly, a drive channel translatably supported in the housing and the channel assembly and being translatable upon actuation of the at least one handle, and a reusable counter mechanism removably insertable into a counter slot extending into the housing and engagable with the drive channel. The counter mechanism is configured display indicia corresponding to a quantity of clips and to update the indicia upon translation of the drive channel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A surgical clip applier, comprising:
 a housing;   at least one handle pivotably connected to the housing;   a channel assembly extending distally from the housing;   a plurality of clips loaded in the channel assembly;   a drive channel translatably supported in the housing and the channel assembly, the drive channel being translatable upon actuation of the at least one handle; and   a reusable counter mechanism removably insertable into a counter slot extending into the housing and engagable with the drive channel, the counter mechanism configured to display indicia corresponding to a quantity of clips and to change the indicia upon translation of the drive channel.   
     
     
         2 . The surgical clip applier according to  claim 1 , wherein the counter mechanism is a digital counter. 
     
     
         3 . The surgical clip applier according to  claim 2 , wherein the drive channel includes a nub and the counter mechanism includes a contact, the nub being configured to engage the contact during translation of the drive channel to cause the contact to complete a circuit with the counter mechanism. 
     
     
         4 . The surgical clip applier according to  claim 2 , wherein the counter mechanism includes a battery. 
     
     
         5 . The surgical clip applier according to  claim 4 , wherein the battery is rechargeable. 
     
     
         6 . The surgical clip applier according to  claim 1 , wherein the counter mechanism is an analog counter. 
     
     
         7 . The surgical clip applier according to  claim 6 , wherein the counter mechanism includes:
 a counter dial rotatably supported in the housing, wherein the counter dial includes the indicia thereon; and   a counter clutch operatively connected to the counter dial such that rotation of the counter clutch in a first direction results in rotation of the counter dial in a first direction, and rotation of the counter clutch in a second direction results in no rotation of the counter dial.   
     
     
         8 . The surgical clip applier according to  claim 7 , wherein the drive channel defines an angled slot therein, and wherein the counter clutch includes a clutch pin extending from a surface thereof and slidably engagable with the angled slot of the drive channel when the counter mechanism is inserted into the counter slot of the housing, wherein translation of the drive channel causes the clutch pin to be cammed by the angled slot to rotate the counter clutch in the first and second directions respectively. 
     
     
         9 . The surgical clip applier according to  claim 1 , wherein the counter mechanism is securable in the counter slot by a snap-fit mechanism. 
     
     
         10 . A method of preparing a surgical clip applier for a surgical procedure, the method comprising the steps of:
 determining when a reusable counter mechanism is necessary for the surgical procedure;   inserting the counter mechanism into a counter slot of the clip applier to engage a drive bar of the clip applier when the counter mechanism is determined to be necessary;   performing the surgical procedure; and   removing the counter mechanism from the counter slot of clip applier after the surgical procedure is complete.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , the method further including the step of removing a plug from the counter slot of the clip applier prior to the step of inserting the counter mechanism. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 10 , further including the step of resetting the counter mechanism to an initial state prior to the step of inserting the counter mechanism. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the step of determining when a counter mechanism is necessary includes choosing between one of a digital counter, an analog counter, and no counter. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the step of inserting the counter mechanism includes inserting the counter mechanism into the counter slot until the counter mechanism is secured in the counter slot by a snap-fit mechanism and the step of removing the counter mechanism includes releasing the snap-fit mechanism. 
     
     
         15 . A method of preparing a surgical clip applier for a surgical procedure, the method comprising the steps of:
 making a determination, by a surgeon, in the operating room, when a reusable counter mechanism is necessary for the surgical procedure;   inserting the counter mechanism into a counter slot of the clip applier to engage a drive bar of the clip applier when the surgeon determines that the counter mechanism is necessary;   performing the surgical procedure; and   removing the counter mechanism from the counter slot of clip applier after the surgical procedure is complete.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , the method further including the step of removing a plug from the counter slot of the clip applier prior to the step of inserting the counter mechanism. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 15 , further including, the step of resetting the counter mechanism to an initial state prior to the step of inserting the counter mechanism. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the step of resetting the counter occurs in the operating room. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the step of making a determination by a surgeon includes the surgeon choosing between one of a digital counter, an analog counter, and no counter. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the step of inserting the counter mechanism includes inserting the counter mechanism into the counter slot until the counter mechanism is secured in the counter slot by a snap-fit mechanism and the step of removing the counter mechanism includes releasing the snap-fit mechanism.