Tissue clamp

• US 7,901,420 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2006
• Issued: 03/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University Of Massachusetts
• Original Assignee: University Of Massachusetts
• Inventors: Dunn, Raymond M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho; (Jackie) Tan-Uyen T
• Assistant Examiner(s): DANG, PHONG SON H
• Application Number:
  US11/592,019
• Publication Number:
  US 20070106314A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,587 Days
• Field of Search: 606151-153, 606157-158, 606/142, 606/106, 606/114, 606/131, 606205-211, 132/73.5, 294/16
• US Class Current: 606/157
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1128 of nerves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1227 Spring clips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/2812 with a single pivotal connection A61B17/29 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/2833 Locking means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1103 Approximator
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1107 for blood vessels

Abstract

The present invention relates to a tissue clamp, a tool for grasping the clamp and a method of using the clamp for surgical procedures. The clamp has a fixture or fixtures positioned on the proximal end of the arms of the clamp so that a tool can be used by the surgeon to securely grasp the clamp during placement thereof on the vasculature or other tissue of the patient. The fixture can have a plurality of channels so that the user can select the angular orientation of the tool relative to the damp.

Claims

1. A method of clamping tissue comprising:

grasping a clamp fixture on a clamp with a tool at a selected orientation of a plurality of selectable orientations of the clamp relative to the tool such that the clamp can be moved between an open position and a clamped position at the selected orientation, the clamp having a first arm and a second arm connected at a spring loaded hub, the clamp fixture having a sidewall extending from a proximal end of the first arm, the tool including an opening that receives a top of the clamp fixture to engage the sidewall;

positioning the clamp at a tissue clamping site;

attaching the clamp to tissue at the site; and

releasing the clamp from the tool such that the clamp remains attached to the tissue.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising occluding a vascular lumen with the clamp.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising grasping nerve tissue with the clamp.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising aligning a pair of body lumens with a plurality of clamps connected with a connector.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising using forceps as the tool to grasp the clamp.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising using the clamp fixture having a plurality of features that can mate with the tool.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising using a plurality of clamps to grasp tissue at a surgical site.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising using a first clamp having a first fixture that is connected to a second clamp having a second fixture, a first portion of tissue being clamped with the first clamp and a second portion of tissue being clamped with the second clamp.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising locking the clamp in the open position while positioning the clamp at the surgical site.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising grasping the clamp with the tool at an angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the clamp, the tool being positioned at an off-axis orientation relative to the longitudinal axis.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising grasping the clamp with the tool at an oblique angle between the tool and a longitudinal axis of the clamp.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising using the clamp by grasping the second arm with a second clamp fixture.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising using the clamp fixture such that the tool can be rotated relative to the fixture to different orientations.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising using the tool wherein the top extends through an eyelet on the tool.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising rotating the tool relative to the sidewall of the clamp fixture from a first angle to a second angle.

16. The method of claim 6 further comprising using the clamp having a second clamp fixture on a proximal end of the second arm.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising using a first tool arm to engage the clamp fixture and using a second tool arm to engage the second clamp fixture.