Surgical instrument for severing and clamping an umbilical cord

• US 5,127,915 A
• Filed: 07/20/1988
• Issued: 07/07/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Philip D. Mattson
• Original Assignee: Philip D. Mattson
• Inventors: Mattson, Philip D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thaler, Michael H.
• Application Number:
  US07/222,281
• Time in Patent Office: 1,448 Days
• Field of Search: 128/305, 128/346, 128/326, 128/325, 128/318, 128/321, 604/22, 606/120, 606/157, 606/158
• US Class Current: 606/120
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/122 Clamps or clips , e.g. for the umbilical cord for the vas deferens A61F6/206
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/128 for applying or removing clamps or clips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32 Surgical cutting instruments A61B18/042 takes precedence; suture cutters A61B17/0467; instruments for ligaturing or cutting A61B17/128; instruments for rupturing the amniotic membrane A61B17/4208; specially adapted knives for eye surgery A61F9/0133
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/42 Gynaecological or obstetrical instruments or methods ligaturing clamps or clips for the umbilical cord A61B17/122; curettage A61B17/320708; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1225 for clipping and cutting in a single operation

Abstract

A surgical instrument for severing an umbilical cord while smultaneously applying a single umbilical cord clamp and compressing the placental (maternal) end of the cord is discussed. The instument allows release of the hemostat on the maternal end of the umbilical cord immediately after severence of the cord for enabling collection of a blood specimen for a fetal thyroid screen test to avoid discomforting the infant by obtaining the specimen directly from the infant. The instrument includes upper and lower clamping jaws having arranged thereon means for detachably holding an umbilical cord clamp, a blade assembly, and upper and lower hemostat surfaces adapted to compress the umbilical cord when the upper and lower clamping jaws are closed.

Further in accordance with the present invention, a generally V-shaped umbilical cord clamp having a pair of arms joined together at an integral hinge and head portions including locking means at the free ends thereof is provided with a channel or opening extending generally diagonally through at least one of the head portions, such channel communicating with the locking means in the head portion to release such locking means when the arms are locked together in clamping position.

Claims

1. An umbilical cord clamp applicable by compressive force, said clamp being formed of a flexible material and comprising:

a first arm;

a second arm connected at one end to the first arm with the free ends of said arms being normally spaced apart from movable toward each other by the compressive force; and

means on said free ends for releasably locking said ends together in clamping position, said locking means including, on one arm, flexible tongue means extending along an axis and means on the other of said arms for releasably engaging said tongue means when said tongue means is received within a recess of said other arm,

at least one of said arms having an opening extending from the outer surface thereof to said recess and said flexible tongue means when said clamp is closed,

at least a portion of the walls of said opening being inclined with respect to said axis when said clamp is closed to adapt said opening for receiving and guiding a probe to push said tongue means to flex out of engagement with said engaging means and unlock said arms.

2. An umbilical cord clamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein said engaging means comprises flanges.

3. An umbilical cord clamp as claimed in claim 2, wherein said opening opens at said outersurface behind said tongue means to direct the probe to push said tongue means forwardly out of engagement with said flanges.

4. An umbilical cord clamp as claimed in claim 2, wherein said engaging means further comprises projections extending vertically within said recess.

5. An umbilical cord clamp as claimed in claim 4, wherein said opening opens at said outersurface behind said tongue means to direct the probe to push said tongue means forwardly out of engagement with said projections.

6. An umbilical cord clamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein said arms are rounded.

7. An umbilical cord clamp applicable by compressive force exerted by the jaws of a scissor-like surgical instrument, said clamp being formed of a flexible material and comprising:

a first arm;

a second arm connected at one end to the first arm with the free ends of said arms being normally spaced apart, said free ends each having a head portion thereon which is remote from the connection between the arms;

means on opposite sides of said head portion of at least one of said arms for releasably coupling said clamp to the surgical instrument, said coupling means including a first ridge inparallel, spaced apart relation with a second ridge thereon to define a groove therebetween; and

means on said arms for locking said free ends together in clamping position whereby the compressive force moves said free ends toward each other whereupon said locking means locks said free ends together, said locking means including, on one arm, flexible tongue means extending along an axis and means on the other of said arms for releasably engaging said tongue means when said tongue means is received within a recess of said other arm, one of said arms having an opening extending from the outer surface thereof to said flexible tongue means, at least a portion of the walls of said opening being inclined with respect to said axis when said clamp is closed to adapt said opening for receiving and guiding a probe to push said tongue means to flex out of engagement with said engaging means and unlock said arms.

8. An umbilical cord clamp as claimed in claim 7, wherein said arms are rounded.

9. An umbilical cord clamp applicable by compressive force exerted by the jaws of a scissor-like surgical instrument, said clamp being formed of a flexible material and comprising:

a first arm;

a second arm connected at one end to the first arm with the free ends of said arms being normally spaced apart;

means on at least one of said arms for releasably coupling said clamp to the surgical instrument said coupling means on said at least one arm having a primary groove with substantially the same dimensions as a tongue portion on at least one of the jaws of the surgical instrument and a secondary groove with dimensions larger than the tongue portion, said primary groove receiving the tongue portion to nondisengageably connect said clamp and the surgical instrument, the compressive force forcing the tongue portion into said secondary groove to disengageably connect said clamp and the instrument; and

means on said arm for locking said free ends together in clamping position.

10. An umbilical cord clamp as claimed in claim 21, wherein said locking means includes, on one arm, flexible tongue means extending along an axis and means on the other of said arms for releasably engaging said tongue means when said tongue means is received within a recess of said other arm, one of said arms having an opening extending from the outer surface thereof to said flexible tongue means, at least a portion of the walls of said opening being inclined with respect to said axis when said clamp is closed whereby said opening is adapted for guiding a probe to push said tongue means, said tongue means flexing out of engagement with said engaging means in said recess when a probe guided by said wall portion is pushed thereagainst.

11. An umbilical cord clamp assembly applicable by compressive force exerted by the jaws of a scissor-like surgical instrument, said assembly comprising a cord clamp formed of a flexible material and a blade means, said clamp comprising:

a first arm,

a second arm connected at one end to the first arm with the free ends of said arms being normally spaced apart,

first means on an arm of said clamp of releasably coupling said clamp to said blade means, said first means comprising at least one bead member extending outwardly from a side of said arm,

second means on an arm of said clamp for releasably coupling said clamp to the surgical instrument, and

means on said arms of said clamp for locking said free ends thereof together in clamping position under compressive forces, said locking means on said arms of said clamp including, on one arm, flexible tongue means extending along an axis and means on the other of said arms for releasably engaging said tongue means when said tongue means is received in a recess of said other arm, one of said arms having an opening extending from the outer surface thereof to said recess and said flexible tongue means when said clamp is closed, at least a portion of the walls of said opening being inclined with respect to said axis when said clamp is closed to adapt said opening for guiding a probe to push said tongue means to flex out of engagement with said engaging means and unlock said arms; and

said blade means comprising

a first arm having a receptacle for receiving said bead member to couple said clamp and said blade means in side-by-side relation,

a second arm connected to one end of said first blade means arm,

a blade positioned on said second blade means arm to move between said first blade means arm and said side of said clamp arm having said bead member to disconnect said clamp from said blade means upon closure of said arms of said clamp.