APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR APPLYING SURGICAL CLIPS IN LAPAROSCOPIC OR ENDOSCOPIC PROCEDURES

摘要

An apparatus is disclosed for individuallyapplying surgical clips endoscopically to body tissue whichincludes a frame, an elongated endoscopic section havingclip closing jaws positioned at a distal end thereof andsurgical clips slidably positioned therein, rotatablyconnected to a distal end of the frame such that theendoscopic section extends distally therefrom. Theapparatus includes a system for individually advancing thesurgical clips into the clip closing jaws and a system forclosing the clip closing jaws. An interference mechanism isassociated with the a release mechanism, and is configured,dimensioned and adapted to prevent actuation of the jawclosing system until a surgical clip is positioned betweenthe clip closing jaws.