Deployable surgical clamp with delivery/retrieval device and actuator

• US 6,723,109 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2001
• Issued: 04/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karl Storz Endoscopy-America Incorporated (Karl Storz Se & Co. Kg)
• Original Assignee: Karl Storz Endoscopy-America Incorporated (Karl Storz Se & Co. Kg)
• Inventors: Solingen, Simon
• Primary Examiner(s): Woo, Julian W.
• Application Number:
  US09/968,101
• Publication Number:
  US 20020107533A1
• Time in Patent Office: 932 Days
• Field of Search: 606/151, 606/139, 606/142, 606/143, 606/120, 606/157, 606/158, 813/27, 815/18, 600/213
• US Class Current: 606/151
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/076 for removing surgical staples or wound clamps
• 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 17/1285 for minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00473 Distal part, e.g. tip or head A61B2017/00464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2944 Translation of jaw members

Abstract

A surgical clamp system including a clamp, a delivery/retrieval device, and an actuator is provided. The clamp includes a pair of jaws actuatable relative to each other from a fully open to a fully closed position. The delivery/retrieval device is detachably connected to the clamp, and is operable by a surgeon to deploy the clamp, retrieve the clamp, or both. The actuator cooperates with the delivery/retrieval device and engages the clamp, and is operable by the surgeon to open and close the jaws of the clamp. The delivery/retrieval device and the actuator are operable to securely lock the jaws of the clamp in any position between the fully open and the fully closed positions, both during and after being detached from the delivery/retrieval device.

Claims

1. A surgical clamp system comprising:

a clamp having a pair of jaws actuatable relative to each other from a fully open to a fully closed position;

a delivery/retrieval device defining a longitudinal opening there-through, a distal portion of the opening configured to engage with said clamp, said delivery/retrieval device being operable by a surgeon to perform a function selected from the group comprising deploying said clamp, retrieving said clamp, or both;

an actuator cooperating with said delivery/retrieval device, said actuator being at least partially insertable through the longitudinal opening of said delivery/retrieval device for engaging said clamp, said actuator being operable by the surgeon to open and close the jaws of said clamp; and

wherein said delivery/retrieval device and said actuator are operable to securely lock the jaws of said clamp in any position between the fully open and the fully closed positions, said secured locking of the jaws of said clamp being maintained both before and after said clamp is detached from said delivery/retrieval device.

2. The surgical clamp system of claim 1 wherein both of the pair of jaws of said clamp are movable.

3. The surgical clamp system of claim 1 wherein one of the pair of jaws of said clamp is movable and the other of the pair of jaws of said clamp is stationary.

4. The surgical clamp system of claim 1 wherein the pair of jaws of said clamp is substantially parallel to each other in any position between the fully open and the fully closed positions.

5. The surgical clamp system of claim 1 wherein said clamp comprises:

a push-pull rod connected at one end to at least one of the pair of jaws of said clamp;

a threaded screw connected to an end of said push-pull rod opposite to the end connected to at least one of the pair of jaws of said clamp;

a threaded nut engaging said screw, said nut being rotatable with respect to said screw in order to cause axial displacement of said screw and actuation of the jaw or pair of jaws; and

wherein said nut is externally engageable by said actuator.

6. The surgical clamp system of claim 5 wherein the jaws of said clamp are securely locked in any position between the fully open and the fully closed positions, both during and after being detached from said delivery/retrieval device by cooperation of said screw and said nut.

7. The surgical clamp system of claim 5 wherein said actuator comprises elongated shaft having a distal end which rotatably engages said clamp in order to cause actuation of the jaw or pair of jaws of said clamp, and a proximal end having an externally accessible termination for permitting rotation of the shaft.

8. The surgical clamp system of claim 7 wherein the distal end of the shaft rotatably engages the nut of said clamp.

9. The surgical clamp system of claim 1 wherein said clamp comprises:

a push-pull rod connected at one end to at least one of the pair of jaws of said clamp;

a threaded nut connected to an end of said push-pull rod opposite to the end connected to at least one of the pair of jaws of said clamp;

a threaded screw engaging said nut, said screw being rotatable with respect to said nut in order to cause axial displacement of said nut and actuation of the jaw or pair of jaws; and

wherein said screw is externally engageable by said actuator.

10. The surgical clamp system of claim 9 wherein the jaws of said clamp are securely locked in any position between the fully open and the fully closed positions, y both during and after being detached from said delivery/retrieval device by cooperation of said screw and said nut.

11. The surgical clamp system of claim 1 wherein said clamp comprises:

a push-pull rod connected at one end to at least one of the pair of jaws of said clamp;

a rack gear connected to an end of said push-pull rod opposite to the end connected to at least one of the pair of jaws of said clamp;

a worm gear engaging said rack gear, said worm gear being rotatable with respect to said rack gear in order to cause axial displacement of said rack gear and actuation of the jaw or pair of jaws; and

wherein said worm gear is externally engageable by said actuator.

12. The surgical clamp system of claim 11 wherein the jaws of said clamp are securely locked in any position between the fully open and the fully closed positions, both during and after being detached from said delivery/retrieval device by cooperation of said rack gear and said worm gear.

13. The surgical clamp system of claim 1 wherein said delivery/retrieval device comprises an elongated hollow shaft, a distal end of which is detachably connectable to said clamp, and a proximal end of which is adapted to receive said actuator.

14. The surgical clamp system of claim 13 wherein said delivery/retrieval device is detachably connectable to said clamp by a bayonet connection.

15. The surgical clamp system of claim 1 wherein said actuator comprises an elongated shaft having a distal end which rotatably engages said clamp in order to cause actuation of the jaw or pair of jaws of said clamp, and a proximal end having an externally accessible termination for permitting rotation of the shaft.

16. The surgical clamp system of claim 1 wherein the pair of jaws of said clamp are only parallel to each other when fully closed, defining an angle when in any position other than fully closed.

17. The surgical clamp system of claim 1 wherein said clamp comprises:

a push-pull rod connected at one end to at least one of the pair of jaws of said clamp, said push-pull rod provided with at least one ratchet tooth along its axis;

a pawl being fixed with respect to the immobile/indifferent structure of said clamp, said pawl engaging said at least one ratchet tooth, and being capable of locking the push-pull rod in any position within its axial travel range;

wherein said push-pull rod is externally engageable by said actuator.

18. The surgical clamp system of claim 17 wherein the jaws of said clamp are securely locked in any position between the fully open and the fully closed positions by engagement of said at least one ratchet tooth and said pawl, both during and after being detached from said delivery/retrieval device.

19. The surgical clamp system of claim 17 wherein said actuator comprises an elongated shaft having a distal end which axially engages said clamp in order to cause actuation of the jaw or pair of jaws of said clamp, and a proximal end having an externally accessible termination for permitting axial displacement of the shaft.

20. The surgical clamp system of claim 17 wherein both of the pair of jaws of said clamp is movable relative to each other.

21. The surgical clamp system of claim 17 wherein one of the pair of jaws of said clamp is movable and the other of the pair of jaws of said clamp is stationary.

22. The surgical clamp system of claim 1 wherein said clamp comprises:

a worm gear which engages the proximal ends of the jaws, said proximal ends of the jaws configured as gear sectors containing at least one tooth each, said worm gear being rotatable and causing the actuation of said jaws; and

wherein said worm gear is externally engageable by said actuator.

23. The surgical clamp system of claim 22 wherein both of the pair of jaws of said clamp is movable relative to each other.

24. The surgical clamp system of claim 22 wherein one of the pair of jaws of said clamp is movable and the other of the pair of jaws of said clamp is stationary.

25. A surgical clamp system comprising:

a clamp having a pair of jaws actuatable relative to each other from a fully open to a fully closed position, said clamp further comprising a push-pull rod connected at one end to at least one of the pair of jaws, a threaded screw connected to an end of the push-pull rod opposite to the end connected to at least one of the pair of jaws, and a threaded nut engaging the screw, the nut being rotatable with respect to the screw in order to cause axial displacement of the screw and actuation of the pair of jaws;

a delivery/retrieval device, said delivery/retrieval device comprising an elongated hollow shaft, a distal end of which is detachably connectable to said clamp, said delivery/retrieval device being operable by a surgeon to perform a function selected from the group comprising deploying said clamp, retrieving said clamp, or both;

an actuator received through a proximal end of said delivery/retrieval device, said actuator comprising an elongated shaft having a distal end which rotatably engages the nut of said clamp and a proximal end having an externally accessible termination operable by the surgeon to open and close the jaws of said clamp; and

wherein said delivery/retrieval device and said actuator are operable to securely lock the jaws of said clamp in any position between the fully open and the fully closed positions, said secured locking of the jaws of said clamp being maintained both before and after said clamp is detached from said delivery/retrieval device by cooperation of the screw and the nut of said clamp.

26. The surgical clamp system of claim 25 wherein both of the pair of jaws of said clamp are movable relative to each other.

27. The surgical clamp system of claim 25 wherein one of the pair of jaws of said clamp is movable and the other of the pair of jaws of said clamp is stationary.

28. The surgical clamp system of claim 25 wherein the pair of jaws of said clamp are substantially parallel to each other in any position between the fully open and the fully closed positions.

29. The surgical clamp system of claim 25 wherein said delivery/retrieval device is detachably connectable to said clamp by a bayonet connection.