Off-set clamp mechanism and associated method for minimally invasive surgery
First Claim
1. A method for clamping tissue, comprising:
- providing a self-locking surgical fastener and a clamping device for applying said fastener to organic tissues, said clamping device a pair of jaws, said fastener being located between said jaws in an offset closed configuration of said jaws;
passing said jaws and said fastener through a cannula into a patient;
thereafter moving at least one of said jaws so that said jaws assume an open configuration;
shifting the opened jaws so that said jaws and portions of said fastener are disposed on opposite sides of a selected portion of internal organic tissues of the patient; and
after the shifting of the opened jaws, moving at least said one of said jaws so that said jaws assume an aligned closed configuration, whereby said fastener is applied to the selected portion of the internal organic tissues of the patient.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A surgical clamping device comprises a first jaw and a second jaw, with a self-locking surgical fastener mountable thereon. The jaws have at least a first closing configuration and a second closing configuration, the first closing configuration designed to reduce a lateral dimension of a clamping device with mounted fastener, without thereby engaging locking devices on the selflocking surgical fastener, the second closing configuration designed to cause an engagement of the self-locking devices, thereby allowing a demounting of the fastener and a permanent disposition thereof in tissue. In a first closing configuration an approximation of the jaws in a transverse plane thereof is accompanied by an out-of-plane movement, comprising translation, or rotation about an axis in the plane, the rotation in turn comprising twisting—rotation about an axis essentially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the jaws, or skewing—rotation about an axis essentially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the jaws. An alternative engagement of the first closing configuration and the second closing configuration is effected by a ratcheting device in conjunction with a camming device, or any means of actuation known in the mechanical arts.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method for clamping tissue, comprising:
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providing a self-locking surgical fastener and a clamping device for applying said fastener to organic tissues, said clamping device a pair of jaws, said fastener being located between said jaws in an offset closed configuration of said jaws;
passing said jaws and said fastener through a cannula into a patient;
thereafter moving at least one of said jaws so that said jaws assume an open configuration;
shifting the opened jaws so that said jaws and portions of said fastener are disposed on opposite sides of a selected portion of internal organic tissues of the patient; and
after the shifting of the opened jaws, moving at least said one of said jaws so that said jaws assume an aligned closed configuration, whereby said fastener is applied to the selected portion of the internal organic tissues of the patient. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for clamping tissue, comprising:
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providing a self-locking surgical fastener;
providing a clamping device for setting said fastener, having a first jaw, a second jaw and a transverse plane, said jaws being initially in an open configuration mounted with said fastener;
shifting said jaws into a first closed configuration by a primary movement in said transverse plane, and a secondary movement out of said transverse plane;
passing said jaws and said fastener through a cannula into an internal cavity of a patient;
following said passing, returning said jaws to an open configuration; and
shifting said jaws into a second closed configuration by a movement in said transverse plane, in order to clamp an intervening moiety of tissue and activate a locking feature of said self-locking surgical fastener. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A surgical fastening device, comprising:
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a first jaw;
a second jaw;
a hinge, operatively connected to said first jaw and said second jaw, having a primary axis;
a drive mechanism, for closing said jaws; and
a camming mechanism, operatively connected to said drive mechanism, for alternatively closing said jaws with a first net rotation and a second net rotation, said first net rotation comprising a major component about said primary axis and a minor component about a secondary axis perpendicular to said primary axis, said second net rotation being essentially about said primary axis. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A surgical fastening device, comprising:
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a shaft;
a first jaw coupled to a distal end of said shaft;
a second jaw movably coupled to said distal end of said shaft;
a drive operatively connected to at least said second jaw for closing said jaws; and
a displacement mechanism, operatively connected to said second jaw, for shifting said second jaw out of alignment with said first jaw in alternate closures of said second jaw, so that said jaws are alternately closed in an aligned configuration and an offset configuration.
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Specification