Vascular clamp and method for using the same

• US 6,146,394 A
• Filed: 12/27/1999
• Issued: 11/14/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Maquet Cardiovascular LLC (Getinge AB)
• Original Assignee: Cardiothoracic Systems, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Morejohn, Dwight P., Glines, Robert C., Septeka, Ivan
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Gary
• Application Number:
  US09/472,651
• Time in Patent Office: 323 Days
• Field of Search: 606/139, 606/157, 606/151, 606/158, 606/201
• US Class Current: 606/158
• 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 17/30 Surgical pincettes without pivotal connectionsfor holding suture needles or materials A61B17/0483; wound clamps A61B17/08 ; hand-held gripping tools without pivotal connections in general B25B9/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00539 hydraulically
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00557 inflatable A61B2017/22051 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2922 toggle linkages

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vascular clamp assembly. The vascular clamp assembly includes at least one bendable elongated shaft with a proximal part and distal part. A pair of clamping members are located at the distal part of the shaft. The clamp includes means for moving the clamping members between an open position and a clamping position.

Claims

1. A surgical clamp suitable for temporarily occluding a vessel during surgery, comprising:

at least one bendable elongated shaft, said at least one bendable elongated shaft comprising a pair of elongated, bendable shafts and having a proximal part and a distal part, said pair of elongated, bendable shafts being slidable lengthwise relative to each other;

a pair of clamping members located at the distal part of the shaft; and

means for moving the clamping members apart from each other to an open position for surrounding a portion of the blood vessel and towards each other to a clamping position for compressing the blood vessel with pressure sufficient to occlude blood flow through the blood vessel,

whereby said elongated shaft is capable of being bent away from the surgical area of interest, reducing the obstructing effect of the surgical clamp on the surgery.

2. The surgical clamp of claim 1, further including a spring that imparts a closing force on the clamping members.

3. A surgical clamp suitable for temporarily occluding a vessel during surgery, comprising:

at least one bendable elongated shaft, said at least one bendable elongated shaft having a proximal part, a distal part, and at least one lumen;

a pair of clamping members located at the distal part, of the shaft, said pair of clamping members each comprising at least one inflatable balloon, said at least one inflatable balloon being in fluid communication with said at least on lumen of said at least one bendable elongated shaft; and

means for moving the clamping members apart from each other to an open position for surrounding a portion of the blood vessel and towards each other to a clamping position for compressing the blood vessel with pressure sufficient to occlude blood flow through the blood vessel,

whereby said elongated shaft is capable of being bent away from the surgical area of interest, reducing the obstructing effect of the surgical clamp on the surgery.

4. The surgical clamp of claim 3, wherein said shafts are rotatable relative to each other.

5. The surgical clamp of claim 3, wherein each shaft includes a bladder fixed at the proximal part and a balloon at the distal part, a lumen is carried by the elongated shaft and communicates the bladder with the balloon, a first shaft has a generally arcuate cross section and an elongated inner surface, a second shaft has a cross section having a configuration for mating engagement with the first shaft and an outer surface, and the second shaft is slidably received within said other shaft and its outer surface is slidably engaged with the inner surface of the first shaft.

6. The surgical clamp of claim 3 wherein the cross-section of the first shaft is C-shaped and the cross-section of the second shaft is generally circular.

7. The surgical clamp of claim 3, further including a spring that imparts a closing force on the clamping members.

8. The surgical clamp of claim 3, further including at least one compressible bladder that is in fluid communication with said at least one lumen for imparting positive fluid pressure to said balloons for expanding the balloons.

9. The surgical clamp of claim 8, further including a one-way valve that is carried by one of the shafts adjacent to the proximal part of the shafts, and the one way valve adapted to immediately reduce the fluid pressure in said balloons.

10. The surgical clamp of claim 8, wherein said at least one shaft includes a single, elongated shaft, a handle located at the proximal part of the shaft, and an actuator is located at the proximal part of the shaft for imparting opening movement to the clamping members.

11. The surgical clamp of claim 8, wherein said clamping members include a four bar linkage that is operatively associated with a pair of clamping portions, the spring includes a compression spring that imparts a constant closing force on said clamping portions, said actuator includes a plunger and a coaxial cable that is coupled at a proximal part to the plunger and at a distal part to the clamping members, and whereby pushing said plunger with sufficient pressure imparts opening movement to said clamping members.

12. The surgical clamp of claim 8, wherein said clamping members include respective elongated clamping portions, the spring includes a tension spring that imparts a constant closing force on said clamping portions, said actuator includes a plunger and a coaxial cable coupled at a proximal part to the plunger and at a distal part to the clamping members, and whereby pushing said plunger with sufficient pressure imparts opening movement on said clamping members.

13. A method of temporarily occluding a blood vessel during surgery, comprising the steps of:

providing a vascular clamp comprising at least one bendable elongated shaft with a proximal part and distal part, a pair of clamping members located at the distal part of the shaft, and means for moving the clamping members apart from each other to an open position and towards each other to a clamping position;

clamping the blood vessel by compressing the blood vessel with the clamping members with pressure sufficient to occlude blood flow through the section;

bending the elongated shaft away from the surgical area of interest, reducing the obstructing effect of the vascular clamp on the surgery;

providing first and second elongated shafts, said first and second elongated shafts being slidable lengthwise relative to each other and rotatable relative to each other, said first and second elongated shafts each having a balloon located at a distal part of said shaft and a bladder located at a proximal part of said shaft, said balloon and said bladder being in fluid communication with each other through a lumen; and

applying the clamp to the blood vessel by manipulating one of the shafts by sliding and rotating it relative to the other shaft and by manipulating the other shaft by sliding and rotating it relative to the first shaft.

14. A method of temporarily occluding a blood vessel during surgery, comprising the steps of:

providing a vascular clamp comprising at least one bendable elongated shaft with a proximal part and distal part, a pair of clamping members located at the distal part of the shaft, and means for moving the clamping members apart from each other to an open position and towards each other to a clamping position;

clamping the blood vessel by comprising the blood vessel with the clamping members with pressure sufficient to occlude blood flow through the section;

bending the elongated shaft away from the surgical area of interest, reducing the obstructing effect of the vascular clamp on the surgery;

providing a spring, said spring being carried by said at least one shaft and imparting a closing force on the clamping members, an actuator being carried by the proximal part of the shaft for imparting opening movement to said clamping members;

opening said clamping members by acting upon said actuator with sufficient pressure; and

relieving pressure on said actuator so that said spring imparts closing movement to the clamping members compressing the blood vessel.