CA1163889A - Surgical device - Google Patents

Abstract

Surgical Device ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A surgical clip applicator includes a forceps and a detachable cartridge containing a string of clips which are fed seriatim between the anvils of the forceps jaws.

Description

1 1 ~3~89 Surgical Devlce sAcKGRoUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention This invention relates to surgical devices in general.
More particularly, the invention relates to a magazine-loaded suturing device of the type using suturing clips, and to a magazine for use with such a device.
Still more specifically, this invention relates to a suturing device and a magazine of the type under dis-cussion, wherein the suturing clips are automatically ad-vanced to their position of use.
The Prior Art Certain types of suturing are still, and probably always will be, performed by hand. Other types of suturing, however, such as skin sutures and hemostatic suture~, are performed with the aid of staple-llke metal clips whlch are drlven into the skln or, in the case of hemostatic clips, tighly squeezed about a blood vessel to stop the 10w of blood through the same.
The invention will hereafter be described for purposes of explanation with reference to hemostatic appli-cations. It 3hould be understood, however, that it has more general applicability in the field of surgical suturlng. It should also be understood that the term "suturing" as used herein i9 intended to carry the broadest meaning, i.e. to embrace hemostatic, skin, as well as other types of suturing in which suturing clips are employed.
In the prior art it is known to employ e.g., 1 ~6388~

hemostatic forceps which are individually loaded with clips. In practice this means that at least two forceps may be used during the suturing operation: while the surgeon applies a hemostatic clip to a bloodvessel with one forceps, an assistant (nurse) standing behind him inserts a single clip between the jaws of the second forceps, ready for use. The ~urgeon hands the used forceps back over his shoulder to be reloaded and the assistant hands him the newly loaded forceps in exchange. This exchange continues until suturing is completed. It is self-evident that this procedure is not very efficient, it ties up the assistant who could be performing some other function, and (parti-cularly important in an emergency) it slows the surgeon down.
A proposal has been made to provide a magazine-loaded hemostatic forceps with semi-automatic clip feed.
This has not found acceptance because the surgeon is required to perform a "cocking" operation after each clip is set~ it is this operation which advances the next clip to operative position. Aside from the obvious disadvantage inherent in the lack of a fully automatic feed, the cocking motion i~ cumbersome and puts a strain on the surgeon's hands, which is definitely undeslrable in terms o~ his steadiness and ac¢uracy.
Solutions proposed in the stapler art, for devices used in closing boxes and the like, have been found not to be workable in the medical field. Suturing equipment is precision surgical equipment which must be small (there is the problem of access to certain wound areas), light ~80 as not to tire the surgeon and to permit ready manlp-ulation) and sterilizable. The known staple solutions cannot be successfully integrated in equlpment having to meet these requirements. A drastic departure from the prior art solutions is therefore required to arrive at the desired goal.

1 1638~

SUM~ARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it i9 an ob~ect of the present in-vention to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.
More particularly, it is an object of the in-vention to provide an improved ~uturing device which isnot pos-~essed of the prior art disadvantagesO
Still more specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide a cartridge-loaded suturing device, and a cartridge or magazine for use with such a device, which improve upon the prior art and avoid the drawbacks thereof.
A concomitant object is to provide such a device and a cartridge or magazine for use therewith, which use surgical clips for suturing.
Yet a further object i8 to provide a device and cartridge of the type mentioned above, which are relatively small and of light weight.
Still another object is to provide such a device and cartridge which are inexpensive to produce.
Yet another object i9 to provide such a devlce and cartridge which can be produced simply and inexpensively enough for "one-way" use, i.e. to be discarded jointly or ~everally when the surgical clips in the cartridge are used up.
In keeplng with those objects, and with still others wh~ch wlll become apparent hereafter, one aspect of the invention resides in a ~urgical device, particularly a hemostatic device. Briefly stated, such a device may comprise a forceps having a pair of cooperating jaws movable between an open and closed position. The forceps may be made a~ metal stampings to reduce their manufacturing cost ~ince primarily only the jaws will require precision tolerances. However, it is also conceivable to make them of synthetic plastic materials, or to make them in part of metal (e.g. the jaws) and in part of synthetic plastic material.
The device further comprises means for feeding ~ 16388g surgical suturing clips (such as blood-vessel occluding clips) to the jaws of the forceps. Such means may comprise a cartridge or magazine adapted to accommodate a string of the clips (the term "string" embraces the possibility of having the clips unconnected to each other and arranged in a row in the cartridge, but may also embrace a row of connected clips). Means are provided for advancing the string of clips in the magazine towards the jaws of the forceps, so that the respectively leading clips are inserted seriatim between the jaws while the same are in their open position, so as to become squeezed between the jaws when the same move to their closed position. In addition, means are provided for retracting all but the respectively leading clip of the string in direction away from the jaws prior to movement of the jaws towards their closed position.
According to the present invention there is provided a surgical device, particularly a hemostat, com-prising an applicator having a pair of cooperating jaws provided with anvils and being movable between an open and a closed position; and supply means for feeding surgical clips to said jaws, said supply means comprising a cart-ridge including a housing adapted to accommodate a string of clips, means for advancing the string relative to the housing and towards the jaws for seriatim insertion of the respectively leading clip of the string between said anvils while the jaws are in said open position so as to become cinched between said anvils when the jaws move to said closed position, and means for retracting all except the respectively leading clip in direction away from said anvils relative to the housing and prior tornovernentof said anvils from said open towards said closed position.
According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a cartridge for use in such a surgical device, comprising a housing having a track provided with an outlet; means for advancing a string of surgical clips in direction towards said outlet so that the respectively ;~

`- 1 163889 -4a-leading clips of the string are sequentially discharged from the outlet to become cinched by jaws of the surgical device; and means for retracting the clips located up-stream of the respective leading clip counter to said direction and away from said outlet prior to cinching of the discharged leading clip, so as to avoid interference by the upstream clips with such cinching.
The jaws of the forceps are curved to one side of the general plane of the forceps so as to provide "pre-sentation", i.e. to enable the surgeon to more readilyobserve his suturing operation. The cartridge is elongated and located in a plane parallel, or substantially parallel, to the general plane of the forceps and in which each of the clips is located in its entirety.
The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the ap-pended claims. Both the construction and method ofoperaticn of the invention as well as additional objects and ad-vantages thereof, will however be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments in connection with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
Fig. 1 is a plan view showing one side of a forceps;
Fig. 2 is a side view, showing only the jaw area of the forceps in Fig. l;
Fig. 3 is a fragmentary close-up view of the jaws in Fig. 2, partly sectioned;

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FigO 4 is a plan view of a surgical clip to be used with the forceps o~ Figs. }-3;
Fig. 5 is a somewhat diagrammatic side view of a cartridge according to the invention, shown ln assembled condition;
Fig. 6 is a plan view of the underside, showing the cartridge elements in disassembled condition;
Fig. 7 is a section on line VII-VII of Fig. 8;
Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the 1~ assembled cartridge;
Fig. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view w~th parts omitted for clarity;
Fig. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view, show-ing a detail of the front end of the oartridge; and Figs. llA - llC a~e simpliied action diagrams ~howing the operation of the cartridge.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERED EMBODIMENTS
An applicator for applying the cartridge-supplied Clipg i5 illustrated in Figs. 1-3 in form of a hemostat forceps, by way of explanation. Reference numeral 1 identifles the Qrceps in toto. In the usual manner the for¢eps 1 has two arm~ 2, 4 which are pivotally connected by means o a pivot 26 on one and a tran~verse slot 8 in the other arm, The arm 4 is also provided wlth a pair of transversely spaced cartridge retainlng and stabilizing stops 9 and with a hole 26 which receives a pivot (to be dlscussed infra) o the cartridge.
Arms 2, 4 have respective handle~ 10, 12 which, in thls particular embodiment, are separate elements pivoted to the arms 2, 4 at pivots 14, 14. In addition, each handle 10, 12 is connected to the associated arm via a slot-and-pin connection 16 ~one shown in detail in Fig. l;
the other is located at the other side of the forcep~).
The connections 6, 8 and 16 provide or a lost-motion move-ment when the arms 2, 4 are pivoted relative to one anotherin a sense causing the end section 30 of their curved ~see Fig. 2) ~aws 28 to approach one another. The significance ~, 1 1638~9 of this lost-motion movement will become apparent as the description proceeds.
Handles 10, 12 are connected by a link 18 having its two bars pivoted to each other at 20 and to opposite sides of arms 10, 12 at 22, 22. A torsion spring 24 has two legs 25 connected to the pivots 22, 22 and thus per-manently tends to urge the arms 2, 4 apart to the position illustrated in Fig. 1. Arms 10 and 12 are also urged to the open position.
Fig. 2 shows that the jaws 28 and their end sections 30 are curved to one side of the general plane of the forceps 1, in order to provide "presentation", i.e.
to a~sure that the view of the wound area being worked upon by the surgeon is not obscured by any other part of the forceps. In Fig. 3 the end sections 30 will be seen to be provided in their facing surfaces with longitudinal grooves 32 for the surgical clip9. These grooves are closed at their front ends, to provide end stops (abutments) 34 for the ciips to be supplied by the magazine.
A single clip 36 is illustrated in Fig. 4 and will be ~een to be of generally U-shaped outline in plan view, having two arms 38 which are connected by a bight 40 and have free ends 42 adapted to abut against the end stop 34.
It should be understood that the iilustration ln Fig. 4 i~ by way of example only, and that a clip suitable for use in the cartridge of the invention may depart in var~oue ways from the shape ~hown in Fig. 4 and still be suitable.
- Details of an exemplary cartridge, for use with the applicatior of Figs. 1-3, will now be described with reference to Figs. 4-11.
Fig. 5 i8 a somewhat diagrammatic side view, showing the cartridge 44 in assembled condition and illus-trating its curved front end portion 46 (the curved i8 com-plementary to that of the forceps jaw 28) and a portion 48 of a clip retractor which extends out from the back end "
r 1 16~8~9 of the cartridge. A pivot 54 is to be inserted into the hole 26 of the forceps 1~
The individual elements of the cartridge 44 are shown in Fig. 6, which illustrates the cartridge in a plan view and in disassembled form. The main cartridge body is identified with reference numeral 50, and in the assembled condition, will be covered by the illustrated backing plate 52 on which the previously mentioned pivot 54 is provided (of one piece with it or suitably secured to it). The clip retractor is identified with reference numeral 56; it is a length of e.g. spring steel whose purpose will become clear in due course. The front portion 57 of the retractor 56 is of reduced w$dth and carries at its free end a head 58 of e.g. generally triangular shape.
The rear portion 48 ~see Fig. 5) is provided with means 59 (e.g. a hole, a projection or the like) for connecting it to the center pivot 20 of link 18.
The cartridge body 50 will accomodate a string of clips 36 in unconnected form; i.e. they will be ~equen-tially but indivldually located in a clip track of thebody 50, to be fed forwardly ~to the front end 46) by spring action. For this purpose a clip follower 60 i9 provided, in form of a etrip shaped element which i8 pro-vided in its front end with a notch shaped to accomodate the bight of the last clip 36 in the string. The rear (trailing) end of follower 60 ha3 a tail piece 62 projecting to one major side of the follower (compare Fig. 7) and provided with a slot 64 in which a hook-shaped end portion 66 of the clip-biasing spring 68 is engageable. At least the center portion of follower 60 is provided with trans-versely extending ridges and groove~ 61, 80 as to make the follower more flexible and enable it to follow the curvature of the front end 46 of the cartridge.
The spring 68 is a constant-orce coil spring ~commercially available under the tradename "Neg-A-Tor") which exerts constant forward spring force upon the follower 60 ~and via the same upon the string o clips 36) regard-G' `'~

less of the degree of extension of the springO In other words: the tension exerted upon the clips 36 when a full string is present in the cartridge and the spring is extended to its maximum, is the same as the tension exerted 5 upon the last remaining clip in the cartridge after all other clips in the string have already been depressed and used.
That side of body 50 which will face towards the forceps 1 when the cartridge 44 is installed on the same, is formed with a recessed track 70 in which the clip retractor 56 slides; in the assembled condition of the cartridge this track 70 is covered by plate 52r Toward the front end of the cartridge the trac~ 70 merges into a slot 80 slightly wider than the portion 57 o the retractor;
this slot 80 extends through the cartridge body 50 and opens into a clip track 72 (Fig. 7) which is formed in the other ~ide o~ body 50, i.e. the side which faces away from the forceps 1.
A cavity 76 is formed in that side of body 50 whlch has the retractor track 70 and has an open end flush with the bottom surface of track 70 (Fig. 9); i.e. the cavlty 76 is recessed below the level of track 70. Also formed ln the body 50, offset to one side (Fig. 7) are a track and an openlng 78 in which the extended portlon of spring 68 and the tall 62 of the follower 60 mov~. The follower it~elf moves in the clip track 72 behind the string of clips and its tail extend~ into the track 78 which is open to the clip track 72.
Near its front end the body 50 is provided, at the front of slot 80 and in the bottom surface of the clip track 72, with a recess 82 dimen~ioned to accomodate the head 58 of retractor 56, 80 that the head, when located in the recess 82, will be flush with (or recessed below) the aforementioned bottom surface and not interere with the forward movement of the clips 36 whlch move right over and past it. Inclined ramps or camming surfaces 81 (Fig. llB) are located at either side of slot 80 and rise ~ 16~889 g out of the recess to the level of the bottom surface of the clip track 72.
The porti~n 46 of the cartridge 44, or rather of the body 50 in particular, is curved a~ illustrated in Fig. 5. This curvature f~llows that of the forceps jaws 28 and its purpose is to allow the portion 46 to snugly fit against the jaws 28. Correspondingly, the retractor track 70 and the clip track 72 are al~o curved. The front portion 57 of the retractor 56, however, is curved more strongly than the front portion of the tracks 70, 72. The portion 57 of retractor 56 extends through the slot 80 from the track 70 into the track 72 (i.e. from one side of the body S0 to the other as shown in Fig . 10 ) . The spring-baek tendeney of the portion 57 ~the retractor i8 of spring ~teel or the like) i9 counter to this deflection from traek 70 into traek 72. Consequently, the head 58 is always biased into contact with the bottom suraee of traek 72. Thexefore the head 58 snaps into the recess 82 when the retractor i8 far enough forward to permit this, l.e. when head 58 is in registry wlth the reeess. In this po~itlon the head i8 loeated beneath the path of the ellp~
advanelng ln tra¢k 72, 80 as not to interfere with them.
Whon the retra¢tor i8 moved baekwards, however, the head 58 slldes up on the ramp~ 81 and enters lnto traek 727 l.e. it beeomqs loeatod in the path o~ the elip~ 36. More speelfleally, the head then enters into the spaee between the legs 38 of the up~tream elip 36a whieh is loeated lmm-dlately behlnd the leading elip (Fig llA), and UpQn further retraetion of retraetor 56 the head 58 engage~ the in~id- of the bight 40 of this up~tream elip 36a and retraets the same (and thereby all other cllps behlnd it) away from the front end of the eartridge. The purpose 1~
to movo ellp 36a out from between the closlng ~aw3 28, 30 (Flg. llB) 80 that these ean elneh the leading ellp 36 between them (e.g. about a blood ve~el to oeclude the same) a~ shown in Flg. llC. When the ~aw~ re-open the re-traetor 56 slides forwardly, head 58 snap~ back into reee~s '~

1 1~388g 82 and the next clip (i.e. 36a) can now enter between the portions~anvils) 30 of jaws 28.
The operation of the device will be understood from what has been discussed thus far:
The cartridge 44 is mounted to the fQrceps 1 by placing its portion 47 into the notches 31 of anvils 30, inserting pivot 54 into hole 26 and connecting means 59 to the center pivot 20 of link 18. When the handles 10, 12 are now squeezed towards one another the two parts of link 18 pivot about the center pivot 20 and the end pivots 22; since center pivot 20 is located rearwardly of a line connecting the end pivots 22, the approach of the end pivot~ 22 towards one another has the effect of shifting the center pivot 20 still farther rearwards of this line.
The retractor 56 is connected to the center pivot and such rearward shiftLng therefore cau~es it to slide backwardly, 50 that head 58 moves from the poeition of Fig. llA to that of Fig. llC. Since the cartridge ha~ ~ust been newly in~talled, no clip will at thi~ time be located between anvil8 30 ~o that only a retraction of the string of clip~
takes place in the cartridge.
A~ ~oon a~ the pres~ure on the handles 10, 12 is reloa~ed, they are forced apart ~to the Fig. 1 position) by tho ~pring 24. In 80 doing the pivot 20 move~ forwardly and allow~ the ~pring 68 to a~oi~t in slidlng retractor 56 to forward po~ition (by exerting pre~ure on head 58 via the ~tring of clip~ bearing upon it). When head 58 reaches rece~ 82 it ~naps into the same, thereby releasing the leading clip 36 which it has previously held, for advancement into the groove~ 32 of anvils 30, untll the free ends 42 of it~ leg~ 38 come to re~t again~t the end ~top~ 34.
During thi~ movement the next-following clip (e.g. clip 36a) has advanced with part~ of its own legs between the anvils 30 and would prevent proper operation of the device, if allowed to remain in place. In order, however, to affix the leading clip 36 (e.g. about a blood ve~el), the user must again ~queeze handles 10, 12 together 80 as to cru~h 1 163~g --ll--(crimp) the clip between the anvils 30. In doing so he automatically effects a retracting of all clips ~36a, etc.) located behind leading clip 36 ~Fig. llB), so that the device can operat~ as intended (Fig. llC). Each successlve 5 squeezing of the handles 10, 12 will apply another clip to the weund with the next-following clip moving into readiness between the anvils 30 as pressure on the handles is relaxed between squeezes. This continues until cartriage 44 is empty.
If, after the last clip is used, the now empty anvils 30 were allowed to press directly upon e.g. a blood vessel, they would do severe damage to the same. The invention avoids the possibility by making the follower 60 80 long that its front end portion 60a enters into the 15 grooves 32 of anvil 30 after the last clip is used. In other words: as the spring 68 return~ to its rest position after the last clip is applied, it urges the front end portion 60a into the grooves 32. This prevents the anvils 30 from being closed directly ~i.e. without interposition 20 0~ a cllp) about the bloodvessel and, at the same time, tells the surgeon (who can no longer squeeze the handles together) that the cartridge is empty.
The cartridge 44 i5 held to the forceps 1 at undercuts 31 and at the pivot 20. It therefore can shift 25 relative to the forcepi to a llmited extent, in a plane parallel to the general plane of the forceps. The degree of such movement is limited by the abutments 9 between which the cartridge i~ located. The front end 47 can self-adjust relative to the anvils 30 during use of the forceps, 30 as a comparison of Figs. llA-llC indicates.
The purpose of the lost motion afforded by the manner in which handles 10, 12 are mounted on arms 2, 4 i8 to cause (during initial squeezing of the handles 10, 12) the retraction of the retractor 56 and thus of the clips 36, 35 before the ~aws 28 and their anvils 30 begin to move toward one another. This allows clip 36a to move out of the way of anvils 30.

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1 ~3889 It will be appreciated that in the region of the spring cavity 76 the clip track 72 will be separated rom the cavity 76 by a thin wall which avoid~ interference between the clips and the spring.
It will also be appreciated that the disclosed embodiment is susaeptible to various modifications without departing from the concept of the invention. For example, the handles 10, 12 could be made of one pie~e with (or at least rigidly connected to) the arms 2, 40 The lost motion would then be provided by usin~ te.g. at the location of hole 26) a transverse slot-and-pin connection for the arms 2, 4. The pin itself could be hollow and its hollow interior serve as a replacement for the hole 26. A retainer could be provided for preventing the clip located in the grooves of the anvils from sliding back into the cartridge when the upstream clips are retracted and in the event the surgeon then holds the forceps with the jaws in elevated po~ition.
The spring 24 and links 18 could be replaced by a one-piece unit, e.g. a generally chevron-shaped spring having its end~ rigidly connected to the arms 10, 12 and yieldlng elastically in essentially the same sense as the llnks 18, ~o that its conter (corre~ponding to pivot 20) would recede from and approach the ~aws 28 in es~entially the same manner as the pivot does. The cartridge may also be provided wlth a releasable retainer for holdlng the firflt ~lead) clip against being expelled ~rom the cartrldge under the pres~ure of spring 68 until the cartrldge is installed in the forceps.
The cartridge and/or forceps may be made wholly or in part of synthetic plastic material. Sultable pla~tlc material~, e~pecially for the cartridge, are polysulfone which i~ a high-strength autoclavable plastic approved by the Food and Drug Administration for medical use7 poly-carbonates ~e.g. "Lexan"/TM) or acetal (e.g. "Delrin"/TM) which have le~ser qualities but are also considerably le~s costly than the preceding materials. Such pla~tic~ may, ~.~

1 1~3889 of course, be reinforced by e.g. carbon fibers or the like.
The cartridge will be dispo~able, and the forceps may be permanent. The parts of the latter may be stamped from sheet metal ~e.g. brass, stainless steel) to reduce manufacturing costs. However, the forceps could itself be disposable together with the cartridge, if it can be made inexpensively enough. For example, the main parts of the forceps except for the arms 2, 4 might be made of synthetic plastic, or even the arms themselves might be made thereof and perhaps only the anvils made of metal. This i8 pri-marily a guestion of using a plastic having sufficient strength to withstand the forces acting upon it during the application ~crimping or cinching) of the clips. Arm 2 and 4 may be made of synthetic plastic material and have metal reinforcements.
As mentioned before, the invention -- i.e. the cartridge and/or the forceps -- is o~ particular advantage for use in ligating blood vessels. However, the invention i8 al~o suitable for use in general suturing and surgical ~tapling. The shape ~outline) of the clips may be varied as required and the free ends of the clips may be pointed for ~pecial non-ligating applications. The connection of the retractor 48 to the pivot 20 may be by way of a hole in the retractor ~or the link and a pin on the link of the retractor). However, it goes without saying that other connections may be used, such as a snap-type coupling, a wedging coupling, or the like.
While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a hemostat forceps, it is not in-tended to be limited to the details shown, since modi-ficat~ons and structural changes may be made without depart-ing from the ~pirit of the invention.
What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

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Claims (21)

1. A surgical device, particularly a hemostat, com-prising an applicator having a pair of cooperating jaws pro-vided with anvils and being movable between an open and a closed position; and supply means for feeding surgical clips to said jaws, said supply means comprising a cartridge includ-ing a housing adapted to accommodate a string of clips, means for advancing the string relative to the housing and towards the jaws for seriatim insertion of the respectively leading clip of the string between said anvils while the jaws are in said open position so as to become cinched between said anvils when the jaws move to said closed position, and means for retracting all except the respectively leading clip in direc-tion away from said anvils relative to the housing and prior to movement of said anvils from said open towards said closed position.

2. A device as defined in claim 1, said housing com-prising a body having a leading end section and a trailing end section and two substantially parallel tracks both extending between said end sections, said advancing means comprising biasing means for biasing a string of clips in one of said tracks lengthwise of the same towards said leading end sections and said retracting means including a retracting member in the other of said tracks and having a leading portion extending into and moveable in said one track between one position in which said leading portion is disengaged from said clips and permits the respectively leading clip to issue from said leading end section and another position in which said leading portion engages the clip immediately upstream of the leading clip and retracts it, and thereby said string of clips, in direction towards said trailing end section.

3. A device as defined in claim 2, wherein said tracks are located in superposed relationship to one another.

4. A device as defined in claim 2, wherein said biasing means comprises a constant-force spring

5. A device as defined in claim 2, wherein said biasing means comprises a follower slidable in said one track, and a constant-force coil spring engaging said follower and urging it in direction toward said leading end into contact with a trailing clip of said string.

6. A device as defined in claim 2, said retracting member being an elongated strip-member extending through said body slidable in said other track and having a trailing end portion located adjacent said trailing end, at least said leading portion being of spring material and having a permanent bias tending to deflect it from said one track towards said other track.

7. A device as defined in claim 2, at least said body of said supply means being of synthetic plastic material.

8. A device as defined in claim 2, said body being elongated and having two substantially parallel major surfaces each having one of said tracks recessed therein.

9. A device as defined in claim 2, said body being elongated and having two substantially parallel major sur-faces each having one of said tracks recessed therein, and said cartridge further comprising a pair of cover plates each overlying one of the recessed tracks.

10. A device as defined in claim 2, said applicator having a general plane and said jaws being curved out of said general plane to one side thereof; and wherein said leading end section of said body is curved in substantial correspondence with said jaws.

11. A device as defined in claim 10, and further com-prising means detachably mounting said cartridge on said applicator for pivotal movement about a pivot axis extending substantially normal to said general plane.

12. A device as defined in claim 11, said mounting means comprising a pivot pin on said body and a socket on said applicator and dimensioned to receive said pivot pin.

13. A device as defined in claim 2, said body having a first and a substantially parallel second major surface which respectively have said one and said other track recessed therein, a slot extending lengthwise of said tracks in said leading end section and extending from one to the other of said tracks, and a depression in said one track at a forward end of said slot recessed below the level of said one track and connected therewith by a camming surface which is inclined upwardly towards said level and rearwardly toward the trailing end section: said retracting member being strip-shaped and having at least a front portion which is of springy material and bent to extend through the slot from said other track into said one track, said front portion having a head which enters into said depression and becomes located below the level of said one track when said retracting member slides towards said leading end section and which rides up on said camming surface to enter said one track when said retracting member slides towards said trailing end section.

14. A device as defined in claim 13, said applicator having a pair of handle portions which approach one another when said jaws move toward said closed position and recede from one another when said jaws move towards said open position: and further comprising means detachably linking said retracting member to said handle portions for sliding movement towards said leading end section as a function of the handle portions approaching one another, and vice versa.

15. A device as defined in claim 14, said linking means comprising a link including two arms having first ends pivoted to one another, and second ends each pivoted to one of said handle portions.

16. A device as defined in claim 1, and further com-prising means for blocking said jaws against movement to said closed position when no clips remain in the cartridge.

17. A cartridge for use with a surgical device as in claim 1, comprising a housing having a track provided with an outlet;
means for advancing a string of surgical clips in direction towards said outlet so that the respectively leading clips of the string are sequentially discharged from the outlet to become cinched by jaws of the surgical device; and means for retracting the clips located upstream of the respective leading clip counter to said direction and away from said outlet prior to cinching of the discharged leading clip, so as to avoid interference by the upstream clips with such cinching.

18. A cartridge as defined in claim 17, said body having a first and a substantially parallel second major surface which respectively have said one and a second track recessed therein, a slot extending lengthwise of said tracks in said leading end section and extending from one to the other of said tracks, and a depression in said one track at a forward end of said slot recessed below the level of said one track and connected thereby with a camming surface which is inclined upwardly toward's said level and rearwardly toward the trailing end section; said retracting member being strip-shaped and having at least a front portion which is of springy material and bent to extend through the slot from said other track into said one track, said front portion having a head which enters into said depression and becomes located below the level of said one track when said retracting member slides towards said leading end section and which rides up on said camming surface to enter said one track when said retracting member slides towards said trailing end section.

19. A cartridge as defined in claim 18, said applicator having a pair of handle portions which approach one another when said jaws move toward said closed position and recede from one another when said jaws move towards said open position; and further comprising means detach-ably linking said retracting member to said handle por-tions for sliding movement towards said trailing end section as a function of the handle portions approaching one another, and vice versa.

20. A cartridge as defined in claim 17, said housing comprising a body having a leading end section and a trailing end section and two substantially parallel tracks both extending between said end sections, said advancing means comprising biasing means for biasing a string of clips in one of said tracks lengthwise of the same towards said leading end section; and said retract-ing means including a retracting member in the other of said tracks and having a leading portion extending into and moveable in said one track between one position in which said leading portion is disengaged from said clips and permits the respectively leading clip to issue from said leading end section and another position in which said leading portion engages the clip immediately up-stream of the leading clip and retracts it, and thereby said string of clips, in direction towards said trailing end section.

21. A cartridge as defined in claim 20, wherein said biasing means comprises a follower slidable in said one track, and a constant-force coil spring engaging said follower and urging it in direction toward said leading end into contact with a trailing clip of said string.