Patent attributes
A surgical clip applier for use in closing wounds under the microscope in small blood vessels modifies a well-known clip applier system to make more steady and reliable the application of very small clips during surgery on a scale of vessel size of 2 mm in external diameter and smaller. The known device is modified internally so as to be capable of receiving a flexible remote actuation device which can be a cable release such as used for a camera shutter, or which can be a flexible hydraulic or pneumatic line as a force-transmitting device. Thus, the surgeon can hold the clip applier very steadily at the site desired without contracting any intrinsic muscles while the cable release is depressed by another person, or with the surgeon's other hand, or with a foot pedal.
