Tendon approximator

• US 5,059,202 A
• Filed: 06/21/1990
• Issued: 10/22/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Montefiore Hospital Association Of Western Pennsylvania
• Original Assignee: Montefiore Hospital Association Of Western Pennsylvania
• Inventors: Ross, Eugene D., Narayanan, Krishna, Liang, Marc D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pellegrino, Stephen C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jackson, Gary
• Application Number:
  US07/541,505
• Time in Patent Office: 488 Days
• Field of Search: 606/150, 606/157, 606/158, 606/221
• US Class Current: 606/150
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/02 for holding wounds open; Tractors specula A61B1/32 ; drainage appliances for wounds A61M27/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/11 for performing anastomosis; Buttons for anastomosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1227 Spring clips

Abstract

A tendon approximator employs two connected, normally closed clamps, which are each formed from two extruded elements. The two extruded elements are connected together in their mid-region by means of non-circular cam on a base element and a corresponding non-circular cam surface on a clamping element. In the normally closed position of the individual clamps, the cam and cam surface urge the device into a jaw-closed position with the handles being spaced apart. In a preferred embodiment two of the clamps are connected by means of rods extending through corresponding handle portions of the two clamps.

Claims

1. A tendon approximator including two normally closed clamps, each clamp comprising two connected elements including:

a base element having a base jaw member, a base handle member and a central, non-circular arcuate cam member;

a clamping element having a clamping jaw member, a clamping handle member and a non-circular arcuate cam-engaging member;

said base element being secured to said clamping element by engagement of at least a portion of said cam-engaging member with said cam member;

said base jaw member and said clamping jaw member having confronting surfaces which are in proximity when said cam-engaging member conforms to the surface of said cam member;

each said clamp having two transverse bores;

a pair of rods fitting in corresponding ones of said bores to support the said two clamps in generally parallel relation;

at least one of said clamps being slideable along the said rods with respect to the other of said clamps.

2. A tendon approximator as defined in claim 1 wherein the said jaw members of one clamp have corresponding transverse channels to receive a tendon.

3. The tendon approximator of claim 2 wherein a sharp spike is positioned in one of the said channels to penetrate and retain a tendon within the said one of said channels.