A variable-force microvascular clip

An easily adjustable, variable-force microvascular clip is described. This clip is superior to other clips currently available because it is essentially three clips in one. Its advantages are that it can reduce the amount of table area needed to store clips during surgery and it offers the surgeon greater flexibility in the selection of clips with different closing forces. This clip was developed by modifying the segments of a basic alpha-type clip, designing a computer program to analyze the force contributions made by each segment of the clip, constructing several clips with different blade lengths, and testing them in a microvascular surgery research program. The clip we have developed is easy to use, reduces clutter on the instrument table, aand offers the surgeon a wide choice of closing forces with a minimal number of clips.