Vascular clamp

• US 20040254596A1
• Filed: 06/16/2003
• Published: 12/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synovis Life Technologies Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Synovis Life Technologies Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Kuester, William Frank III
• Granted Patent: US 7,144,402 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/158
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1227 Spring clips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/92 coded with colour

Abstract

A vascular clamp and a method for temporarily occluding a vessel. The vascular clamp comprises two jaws, two handles, and a pivoting point. A biasing mechanism is positioned between the handles for biasing the handles apart so that a closing force is imparted along the length of the jaws. The pivoting points pivotally connect the jaws together and are also configured to allow one jaw to be lifted relative to the other jaw. The method of temporarily occluding a blood vessel comprises the steps of providing a vascular clamp as described above and positioning the clamp about a blood vessel.

Claims

1. A vascular clamp for temporarily occluding a vessel, the vascular clamp comprising:

two jaws;

two handles having a biasing mechanism positioned therebetween for biasing the handles apart so that a closing force is imparted along the length of the jaws; and

a pivoting point for pivotally connecting the jaws together and adapted for allowing one jaw to be lifted relative to the other jaw when positioned on a blood vessel so that the closing force is distributed uniformly along the length of the jaws.

2. The vascular clamp of claim 1 wherein the pivoting point comprises a hinge.

3. The vascular clamp of claim 1 wherein the pivoting point comprises parallel plates adapted to be slidably engaged within each other.

4. The vascular clamp of claim 1 wherein the biasing mechanism comprises a spring.

5. The vascular clamp of claim 1 wherein the biasing mechanism comprises a resilient member.

6. The vascular clamp of claim 1 wherein the handles each have a non-slip surface.

7. The vascular clamp of claim 1 wherein the jaws have a straight configuration.

8. The vascular clamp of claim 1 wherein the jaws have a curved configuration.

9. The vascular clamp of claim 1 wherein the jaws each have a non-slip surface.

10. The vascular clamp of claim 1 wherein the jaws each have one or more inserts mounted on a contact surface thereof.

11. A vascular clamp for temporarily occluding a vessel, the vascular clamp comprising:

two clamp members each having a handle and a jaw;

a biasing mechanism positioned between the handles of each clamp member for biasing the handles apart so that a closing force is imparted along the length of the jaws; and

a pivoting point for pivotally connecting each clamp member together and adapted for allowing one jaw to be lifted relative to the other jaw when positioned on a blood vessel, so that the closing force is distributed uniformly along the length of the jaws, the pivoting point comprising a pair of parallel plates located on each clamp member and extending away from, the pair of plates being adapted to be slidably engaged within each other so that one jaw can be slidably lifted from the other jaw.

12. The vascular clamp of claim 11 wherein the biasing mechanism comprises a spring.

13. The vascular clamp of claim 11 wherein the biasing mechanism comprises a resilient member.

14. The vascular clamp of claim 11 wherein the handles each have a non-slip surface.

15. The vascular clamp of claim 11 wherein the jaws have a straight configuration.

16. The vascular clamp of claim 11 wherein the jaws have a curved configuration.

17. The vascular clamp of claim 11 wherein the jaws each have a non-slip surface.

18. The vascular clamp of claim 11 wherein the jaws each have one or more inserts mounted on a contact surface thereof.

19. A vascular clamp apparatus, comprising an elongate bar having a pair of clamps spaced apart along the bar and a guide bracket on each of the pair of clamps to retain the clamps on the bar and in transverse relation thereto and in a substantially coplanar relationship to one another, each pair of clamps comprising two jaws, two handles operatively biased against one another so that a closing force is imparted along the length of the jaws, and a pivoting point for pivotally connecting the jaws together and adapted for allowing one jaw to be lifted relative to the other jaw when positioned on a blood vessel so that the closing force is distributed uniformly along the length of the jaws.

20. The vascular clamp of claim 19 wherein the pivoting point comprises a hinge.

21. The vascular clamp of claim 19 wherein the pivoting point comprises parallel plates adapted to be slidably engaged within each other.

22. The vascular clamp of claim 19 wherein the handles each have a non-slip surface.

23. The vascular clamp of claim 19 wherein the jaws have a straight configuration.

24. The vascular clamp of claim 19 wherein the jaws have a curved configuration.

25. The vascular clamp of claim 19 wherein the jaws each have a non-slip surface.

26. The vascular clamp of claim 19 wherein the jaws each have one or more inserts mounted on a contact surface thereof.

27. A method for temporarily occluding a vessel, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a vascular clamp comprising two jaws, two handles operatively biased against one another so that a closing force is imparted along the length of the jaws, and a pivoting point for pivotally connecting the jaws together and adapted for allowing one jaw to be lifted relative to the other jaw when positioned on a blood vessel so that the closing force is distributed uniformly along the length of the jaws; and

placing the jaws of the clamp about a blood vessel.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the step of placing the jaws of the clamp about a blood vessel is accomplished by the steps of:

applying a pinching force to the handles, causing the jaws to open;

positioning the opened jaws about a blood vessel; and

releasing the pinching force on the handles, causing the jaws to close on the blood vessel.