US3126005A - haemostatic clamp - Google Patents

Description

March 24, 1964 A. J. SMIALOWSKI 3,126,005

HAEMOSTATIC CLAMP Original Filed Jan. 10, 1962 INVENTOR du xfmwm PATENT AGENT United States Patent Ofiice 3,126,005 Patented Mar. 24, 1964 3,126,005 HAEMOSTATIC CLAMP Antoni J. Smialowski, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, assignor to National Research Council, Ottawa, Ontario, Cauada, a corporation of Canada Continuation of application Ser. No. 165,436, Jan. 10, 1962. This application Apr. 25, 1963, Ser. No. 276,135 4 Claims. (Cl. 128-325) This invention relates to haemostatic clamps.

This application is a continuation of application Serial No. 165,436, filed January 10, 1962.

The conventional type of haemostatic clamp is a simple device comprising a pair of arms having flat opposed substantially parallel surfaces which engage the blood vessel to press together in engaging relation two opposed portions of its wall. The resultant flattened portion of the blood vessel therefore has a width appreciably greater than the diameter of the undistorted vessel.

Such clamping of the vessel necessarily produces two sharp folds in the vessel.

Moreover, in the use of devices for suturing the severed ends of vessels, such as is disclosed in copending application entitled Suturing Instrument, filed concurrently herewith, and wherein it is necessary to pass the severed ends of the vessel through tubular bushings for application of suturing clips, it is quite desirable that the blood vessel ends be aligned as accurately as possible in axial relation to the bushings to facilitate the insertion procedure.

It is an object of this invention to provide a haemostatic clamp of simple structure which may be employed to apply effective clamping pressure to the blood vessel and which acts to compress the vessel radially inwardly from more than two directions whereby the external surface of the compressed vessel lies substantially within the external circumference of the uncompressed vessel.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a haemostatic clamp in accordance with the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the clamp,

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation of the clamp,

FIGURE 4 is a partial plan view of the clamp as applied to a blood vessel,

FIGURE 5 is a partial plan view of the clamp in clamping position,

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of a modified form of clamp, and

FIGURE 7 is a side elevation of the clamp shown in FIGURE 6.

Referring to FIGURES 1 to 5, the clamp illustrated comprises a pair of arms 1 of fiat strip form and of suitable material such as stainless steel. As shown, each arm has a free or outer end carrying a jaw 2, an intermediate body portion 3, and an inner end provided with a flange 4 extending substantially right angularly to the body portion.

Each arm is carried by a flat metal spring 5 having one end fixed to flange 4 and its other end fixed to a bracket 6. The two springs 5 extend from the bracket in laterally aligned spaced relation. Each spring is inwardly bowed at 7 towards the other spring and then flares outwardly into engagement with flange 4. It will be observed that each flange 4 is inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the respective body portion 3 whereby the arms 1 may be directed across each other in scissors-like form. The arms 1 are disposed with a flat side surface of one arm in engagement with a flat side surface of the other arm.

Each jaw 2 comprises an inclined end edge surface 8 and an inwardly offset end section 9 having an edge surface 10 extending substantially at right angles to edge surface 8. I

It will be apparent that the springs 5 will urge jaws 2 together and in the at rest position of the instrument, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, the offset sections 9 will be in overlying engagement and extend across each other with each edge surface 8 of one jaw in engagement with an edge surface 10 of the other jaw, thus assuring a squeezing action rather than a shearing action.

Means for varying the pressure applied by the springs 5 comprise a fulcrum member 11 having a projection such as an annular flange 12 freely seated in slots 13 in the springs. The member 11 is disposed between the springs and between the bracket 6 and the bowed sections 7 of the springs and is retained in such position by pressure of the springs thereon. It will be apparent, however, that movement of the member 11 towards or away from the bracket will vary the pressure of the springs which is directed in a jaw-closing direction.

In operation the jaws 2 are sprung apart, as shown in FIGURE 4 by pressure applied to the flanges 4. It will be apparent that this is accomplished by a simple thumb and finger squeezing action. In this position, the clamp is applied to the blood vessel 14 which is readily receivable between the jaws. Release of pressure on the flanges 4 will permit the springs to close the jaws into a position approaching that shown in FIGURE 5. In this position, a generally square opening is formed between the jaws and the vessel extends through such opening with the four edge surfaces 8 and 10 of the opening engaging and applying pressure on the vessel from four directions in a simultaneous and substantially uniform degree. Thus, the exterior cross-sectional contour of the compressed section of the vessel will lie within the external circumference of the uncompressed vessel. Thus, the compressed end portion of the vessel may be readily inserted through a tubular bushing.

A clamp may, if desired, be releasably mounted on each side of the suturing instrument described in the said copending application, as by means of projections 15a and 15, whereby each clamp is positioned in proper relative position to the instrument and the bushings carried thereby.

FIGURES 6 and 7 illustrate a modified form of clamp wherein a pair of arms 16 each having a jaw 17, similar to jaw 2, are pivoted together at 18. A flat spring 19 fixed by bracket 20 to each arm urges the jaws together. Projections 21 and 22 correspond to projections 15a and 15.

I claim:

1. A haemostatic clamp comprising a pair of arms having engaging surfaces, means securing adjacent ends of said arms together for swinging movement of said arms relative to each other, each said arm having a free end and a jaw on said free end, each said jaw having a pair of contiguous straight surfaces inclined with respect to each other, each said jaw surface being disposed in substantially parallel and in directly opposed relation to one of said jaw surfaces of the other of said jaws, one of said surfaces of each jaw being laterally offset with respect to the other of said surfaces.

2. A haemostatic clamp comprising a pair of arms having engaging surfaces, means securing adjacent ends of said arms together for swinging movement of said arms relative to each other, each said arm having a free end and a jaw on said free end, each said jaw having a pair of contiguous straight surfaces inclined with respect to each other, each said jaw surface being disposed in substantially parallel and in directly opposed relation to one of said jaw surfaces of the other of said jaws, and spring means fixed to saidarms and urging said ja ws into closed position, one of said surfaces of each jaw being laterally offset with respect to the other of said surfaces.

3. A haemostatic clamp comprising a pair of arms having ;fiat engaging surfaces, asupporting bracket, ,a flat spring connecting eachsaidarm ,to said bracket, each said arm having a free end and a jaw on said free end, each said jaw having a pair of straight surfaces laterally oifset and inclined with respect to each other, each of said jaw surfaces of one jaw being disposed ,in substantially ,parailel and directly opposed relation to one of said jaw 4 surfaces of the other of said jaws, said springs urging said jaws together.

4. A haemostatic clamp as defined in claim 4, including a fulcrum member disposed between said springs and having an external cylindrical surface engaging said springs, said fulcrum member being adjustably movable towards and away from said bracket said springs being swingable about said cylindrical surface of said fulcrum member.

No references cited.

Claims (1)

1. A HAEMOSTATIC CLAMP COMPRISING A PAIR OF ARMS HAVING ENGAGING SURFACES, MEANS SECURING ADJACENT ENDS OF SAID ARMS TOGETHER FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT OF SAID ARMS RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER, EACH SAID ARM HAVING A FREE END AND A JAW ON SAID FREE END, EACH SAID JAW HAVING A PAIR OF CONTIGUOUS STRAIGHT SURFACES INCLINED WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER, EACH SAID JAW SURFACE BEING DISPOSED IN SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL AND IN DIRECTLY OPPOSED RELATION TO ONE OF SAID JAW SURFACES OF THE OTHER OF SAID JAWS, ONE OF SAID SURFACES OF EACH JAW BEING LATERALLY OFFSET WITH RESPECT TO THE OTHER OF SAID SURFACES.

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