METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SURGICAL CLAMPING

• US 20090125073A1
• Filed: 10/30/2008
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Max Hauser Suddeutsche
• Original Assignee: Max Hauser Suddeutsche
• Inventors: REHM, WALTER
• Granted Patent: US 8,348,984 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/324
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/823 for the sternum
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/44034 Dissociable gripping members
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/44624 Integral locking-means

Abstract

The invention concerns a clamp, especially a surgical clamp, with a left clamp half to receive a left half of a breastbone during a surgical procedure, a right clamp half to receive a right half of the breastbone, as well as a first toothed rod and a detent mechanism engaging in the first toothed rod to secure the left clamp half at a distance from the right clamp half, wherein the detent mechanism engaging in the first toothed rod has a detent region extending at least from the left clamp half to the right clamp half.

Claims

1-24. -24. (canceled)

25. A clamp, especially a surgical clamp, comprising:

a left clamp half, a right clamp half, a first toothed rod and a detent mechanism engageable with the first toothed rod to secure the left clamp half at a distance from the right clamp half; and

characterized in that the detent mechanism engagable with the first toothed rod has a detent region extending at least from the left clamp half to the right clamp half.

26. A clamp, according to claim 25, wherein:

the detent mechanism engaging in the first toothed rod is a second toothed rod.

27. A clamp, according to claim 26, wherein:

the first toothed rod and the second toothed rod are of substantially equal lengths.

28. A clamp, according to claim 26, wherein:

the first toothed rod and the second toothed rod are of different lengths.

29. A clamp, according to claim 26, wherein:

the right clamp half and the first of the toothed rods as well as the left clamp half and the second of the toothed rods are each of a two-piece design.

31. A clamp, according to claim 26, wherein:

the left clamp half and the right clamp half are each provided with a respective housing;

the housings each having a continuous opening bounding a through passage into which at least one of the toothed rods can be introduced during a use thereof.

32. A clamp, according to claim 31, wherein:

the width of the openings of each of the housings being adapted to the width of the respective toothed rods.

33. A clamp, according to claim 32, wherein:

at least one plate having lugs is provided on at least one of the toothed rods or on the clamp halves, whereby the at least one plate enables affixing the clamp to an external bone member during the use.

34. A clamp, according to claim 33, wherein:

a toothing of each respective toothed rod is respectively configured such that a plurality of flanks belonging to respective teeth of each said toothing run in the same direction relative to said toothing from the perspective of a base of the tooth to a tip of the tooth.

35. A clamp, according to claim 32, wherein:

at least one of the toothed rods has a curvature along its lengthwise dimension, wherein the toothing is directed at least one of toward a midpoint of the curvature and away from the midpoint of the curvature.

36. A clamp, according to claim 35, wherein:

both the toothed rods have a curvature along their lengthwise dimension, wherein the toothing is directed at least one of toward a midpoint of the curvature and away from the midpoint of the curvature and the curvatures are opposite to each other.

37. A clamp, according to claim 36 wherein:

the curvature of the first toothed rod and the curvature of the second toothed rod are each concave relative to a use position.

38. A clamp, according to claim 36, wherein:

the curvature of the first toothed rod and the curvature of the second toothed rod are each convex relative to a use position.

39. A clamp, according to claim 32, wherein:

at least a portion of the surface of at least one of the left clamp half and the right clamp half positioned for contacting the external bone further comprise a friction enhancing structurization.

40. A clamp, according to claim 34, wherein:

the teeth of each respective toothed rods are covered when the clamp is in said use.

41. A clamp, according to claim 32, wherein:

at least one of the toothed rods has a semicircular profile.

42. A clamp, according to claim 32, wherein:

each of the toothed rods includes a respective cross-section there through perpendicular to a length direction; and

each said cross-section is of a different size, with one cross-section being larger than the other and thereby defining a larger and a smaller cross-section.

43. A clamp, according to claim 42, wherein:

at least a portion of the surface of at least one of the left clamp half and the right clamp half positioned for contacting the external bone further comprise a friction enhancing structurization;

the larger cross-section in a use condition of said clamp being spaced from the friction enhancing structurization more than a distance of the smaller cross-section.

44. A clamp, according to claim 32, wherein:

at least one of the toothed rods further comprises a slot in a rear segment thereof; and

said slot facing away from the toothing of the at least one toothed rod.

45. A clamp, according to claim 44, wherein:

the slot is V-shaped.

30. A method for surgical clamping comprising the steps of:

(a) utilizing a surgical clamp to support a breastbone, wherein said clamp further comprises;

(i) a left clamp half to receive a left half of a breastbone;

(ii) a right clamp half to receive a right half of a breastbone;

(iii) a first toothed rod and a detent mechanism engaging said first toothed rod to secure said left clamp half at a distance from said right clamp half; and

(iv) wherein said detent mechanism engaging said first toothed rod has a detent region extending at least from said left clamp half to said right clamp half,

(b) engaging said breastbone with said surgical clamp.