Enhanced visibility cartridge with improved retainer

Abstract

A substantially translucent cartridge is provided for retaining surgical clips, such as those used in surgical ligating procedures. The cartridge includes a polymeric composition base and a separable polymeric composition clip retainer supported by the base wherein the polymeric composition of the base and retainer includes a particulate, light diffusing material for imparting a substantially translucent optical effect for rendering, surgical clips visible within the cartridge. The polymeric composition may further include a radiopaque additive for rendering the cartridge imageable during radiographing.

1 . A substantially translucent cartridge for retaining a plurality of surgical clips, each clip having a pair of legs extending from a hinge point to form a substantially symmetrical shape and adapted to be removed from the cartridge by a clip applier, the substantially translucent cartridge comprising: 
 (a) a polymeric composition base having a base longitudinal axis and comprising: 
 (i) a plurality of axially spaced-apart walls extending along the base and transversely disposed in relation to the base axis, the walls defining a plurality of axially spaced-apart clip compartments therebetween wherein each compartment comprises laterally opposing first and second openings; and  
 (ii) a plurality of clip hinge support members, each clip hinge support member disposed within a respective compartment and adapted to prevent downward motion of a surgical clip by supporting the clip adjacent its hinge point;  
   (b) a polymeric composition clip retainer supported by the base and comprising a plurality of opposing pairs of first and second resilient tabs, wherein each tab extends from a proximal end secured to the clip retainer to a free distal end which extends into a corresponding compartment through a corresponding lateral opening, and further wherein each tab terminates at the distal end with a groove having diverging sides extending outwardly therefrom; and    (c) wherein the polymeric composition of the base and retainer comprises a particulate, light diffusing material for imparting a substantially translucent optical effect for rendering surgical clips visible within the cartridge.    
   
   
       2 . The cartridge of  claim 1  wherein the polymeric composition of the base and retainer is selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, nylon, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyeutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyoxymethylene, and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS).  
   
   
       3 . The cartridge of  claim 1  wherein the particulate, light diffusing material is present in the amount of about 0.01% to 15% by weight.  
   
   
       4 . The cartridge of  claim 3  wherein the particulate, light diffusing material comprises an average maximum particle size of about 0.1 microns to about 200 microns.  
   
   
       5 . The cartridge of  claim 3  wherein the particulate, light diffusing material is selected from the group consisting of calcium sulfates, talc, silicates, kaolin, silicas, mica flakes, mica platelets, mica pearls, titanates, metal sulfates, metal carbonates, sulfides, metal oxides, borides, wollastonite, basalt, boron, ceramics, single crystal fibers, boron nitrides, naturally occurring calcium carbonates, and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       6 . The cartridge of  claim 1  wherein the polymeric composition of the base and retainer further comprises a radiopaque additive being present in the amount from about 1.0% to 5.0% by weight for rendering the cartridge imageable during radiographing.  
   
   
       7 . The cartridge of  claim 6  wherein the radiopaque additive is barium sulfate.  
   
   
       8 . The cartridge of  claim 6  wherein the radiopaque additive is present in the amount of 2.0% by weight.  
   
   
       9 . The cartridge of  claim 1  wherein the distal end of each clip retainer tab further comprises a slot positioned between the diverging sides and extending inwardly toward the tab proximal end.  
   
   
       10 . The cartridge of  claim 1  further comprising a surgical clip disposed in at least one of the compartments and supported by the corresponding clip hinge support member.  
   
   
       11 . The cartridge of  claim 10  wherein the surgical clip is a metal surgical clip.  
   
   
       12 . The cartridge of  claim 10  for use with a forceps-type clip applier having a pair of jaws for receiving the clip, wherein each jaw has a groove for receiving a clip leg and the groove abuts a distal end-dam for limiting distal movement of an end of the clip leg received in the groove.  
   
   
       13 . A cartridge for retaining a plurality of surgical clips, each clip having a pair of legs extending from a hinge point to form a substantially symmetrical shape and adapted to be removed from the cartridge by a clip applier, the cartridge comprising: 
 (a) a polymeric composition base having a base longitudinal axis and comprising: 
 (i) a plurality of axially spaced-apart walls extending along the base and transversely disposed in relation to the base axis, the walls defining a plurality of axially spaced-apart clip compartments therebetween wherein each compartment comprises laterally opposing first and second openings; and  
 (ii) a plurality of clip hinge support members, each clip hinge support member disposed within a respective compartment and adapted to prevent downward motion of a surgical clip by supporting the clip adjacent its hinge point; and  
   (b) a separable polymeric composition clip retainer supported by the base and comprising a plurality of opposing pairs of first and second resilient tabs, wherein each tab extends from a proximal end secured to the clip retainer to a free distal end which extends into a corresponding compartment through a corresponding lateral opening, and further wherein each tab terminates at the distal end with a groove having diverging sides extending outwardly therefrom and further comprising a slot positioned between the diverging sides and extending inwardly toward the tab proximal end.    
   
   
       14 . The cartridge of  claim 13  wherein the polymeric composition of the base and retainer is selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, nylon, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyoxymethylene, and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS).  
   
   
       15 . The cartridge of  claim 13  wherein the polymeric composition of the base and retainer further comprises a radiopaque additive being present in the amount from about 1.0% to 5.0% by weight for rendering the cartridge imageable during radiographing.  
   
   
       16 . The cartridge of  claim 15  wherein the radiopaque additive is barium sulfate.  
   
   
       17 . The cartridge of  claim 15  wherein the radiopaque additive is present in the amount of 2.0% by weight.  
   
   
       18 . The cartridge of  claim 15  wherein the polymeric composition of the base and retainer further comprises a particulate; light diffusing material for imparting a substantially translucent optical effect for rendering surgical clips visible within the cartridge.  
   
   
       19 . The cartridge of  claim 18  wherein the particulate, light diffusing material is present in the amount of about 0.01% to 15% by weight.  
   
   
       20 . The cartridge of  claim 18  wherein the particulate, light diffusing material comprises an average maximum particle size of about 0.1 microns to about 200 microns.  
   
   
       21 . The cartridge of  claim 18  wherein the particulate, light diffusing material is selected from the group consisting of calcium sulfates, talc, silicates, kaolin, silicas, mica flakes, mica platelets, mica pearls, titanates, metal sulfates, metal carbonates, sulfides, metal oxides, borides, wollastonite, basalt, boron, ceramics, single crystal fibers, boron nitrides, naturally occurring calcium carbonates, and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       22 . The cartridge of  claim 13  further comprising a surgical clip disposed in at least one of the compartments and supported by the corresponding clip hinge support member.  
   
   
       23 . The cartridge of  claim 22  wherein the surgical clip is a metal surgical clip.  
   
   
       24 . The cartridge of  claim 13  adapted for use with a forceps-type clip applier having a pair of jaws for receiving the clip, each jaw having a groove for receiving a clip leg, the groove abutting a distal end-dam for limiting distal movement of an end of the clip leg received in the groove.  
   
   
       25 . A method for loading a selected surgical clip into a surgical clip applier, wherein the clip comprises a first leg, a second leg, and a hinge point joining the first and second legs, and wherein the clip applier comprises a pair of opposing first and second jaws adapted to engage the first and second legs of the clip, the method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing a substantially translucent clip cartridge comprising: 
 (i) a polymeric composition base including a plurality of compartments and a plurality of clip hinge support members, each clip hinge support member disposed in a corresponding compartment and adapted to prevent downward motion of a clip by supporting the clip adjacent its hinge point;  
 (ii) a polymeric composition clip retainer supported by the base and comprising a plurality of opposing pairs of first and second resilient tabs, wherein each tab extends from a proximal end secured to the clip retainer to a distal end which extends into a corresponding compartment, and further wherein each tab terminates at the distal end with a groove having diverging sides extending outwardly therefrom;  
 (iii) wherein the polymeric composition of the base and retainer comprises a particulate, light diffusing material for imparting a substantially translucent optical effect for rendering surgical clips visible within the cartridge;  
   (b) viewing the clip cartridge to ascertain the location of the clips in the clip cartridge;    (c) inserting a clip applier into a selected one of the plurality of compartments to engage a selected clip; and    (d) removing the selected clip from the cartridge.    
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25  including providing a slot positioned between the diverging sides of the tab groove of each resilient tab and extending inwardly toward the tab proximal end.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 25  including providing a radiopaque additive to the polymeric composition of the base and retainer for rendering the cartridge imageable during radiographing.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 25  including providing metal surgical clips in the clip cartridge.