Patent ID: 7468041

Claim:
A surgical instrument having a proximal end and a distal end, the surgical instrument comprising: a handle at the proximal end, the handle including a grip portion; a hollow elongate support member extending distally from the handle and having a distal end at the distal end of the surgical instrument; a slide member having a proximal end, a distal end, a drive surface and a through-slot at the drive surface between the two ends, the through-slot extending in a proximal-distal direction and being spaced from distal end of the hollow elongate support member; a lever connected to the handle at a pivotal connection, the lever including a lever grip portion on one side of the pivotal connection and an integral drive portion on the other side of the pivotal connection, at least part of the drive portion comprising an integral cam received in the through-slot in the slide member adjacent to the drive surface; a surgical implement having a proximal end connected to the distal end of the slide member, an elongate portion extending through the hollow elongate support, and a distal end; a spring to urge the slide member toward the proximal end of the surgical instrument; wherein the slide member and elongate portion of the surgical implement are capable of being moved in a linear distal direction by pivoting the lever so that the integral cam of the lever pushes against the drive surface of the slide member; wherein the surgical instrument is free of any mechanical connection between the lever and the slide member; the surgical instrument further comprising a housing around at least a portion of the slide member, wherein the elongate support member and surgical implement extend outward from the housing, and wherein the housing, slide member, elongate support member and surgical implement comprise a cartridge removable from the handle and lever.