Importance

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Abstract

A surgical clip applier includes a pair of pivotal housing sections on which are provided a pair of clip actuating jaws. An elongated clip sleeve which receives a plurality of surgical clips arranged front to back in a row is mounted for longitudinal reciprocating movement between the housing sections. The clip sleeve includes a pair of clip retaining jaws adjacent to its open front to receive and hold a surgical clip advanced from the clip sleeve between the clip actuating jaws on the housing sections. A pusher is mounted on the clip sleeve for engaging the rearmost clip in the row. The surgical clip applier includes a ratchet mechanism which is operable each time the clip sleeve is reciprocated to advance the pusher and the row of clips by one step corresponding to the length of one surgical clip in the row. The ratchet mechanism includes a first ratchet on the clip sleeve and a second ratchet on one of the housing sections which are engaged by pawls on opposite sides of the pusher. The surgical clip applier operates by a double pump action in which the housing sections are twice pivoted together and released. In the first pump action, the clip sleeve is reciprocated to load the frontmost surgical clip between the clip retaining jaws and to advance the surgical clip to a load position between the clip actuating jaws. In the second pump action, the clip actuating jaws are pivoted into engagement with the clip retaining jaws to actuate the surgical clip held by the clip retaining jaws.

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First Claim