US3043308A

US3043308A - Surgical clamp

Info

Publication number: US3043308A
Application number: US24092A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward I Seltzer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1960-04-22
Filing date: 1960-04-22
Publication date: 1962-07-10
Anticipated expiration: 1979-07-10

Description

July 10, 1962 E. l. sELTzER 3,043,308

SURGICAL CLAMP Filed April 22, 1960 32 Flea 44 INVENTOR.

EDWARD l. SELTZER ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,043,393 SURGICAL CLAMP Edward I. Seltzer, 507 Cole Ave., Providence, RJ. Filed Apr. 22, i960, Ser. No. 24,092 2 Claims. (Cl. 12S-346) The present invention relates generally to a novel and improved clamp, and more particularly to a clamp adapted for use during surgical operative procedure.

-A primary object of the instant invention is the provision of a clamp adapted to be used in the manner hereinafter to be described so that blood may continue to flow uninterrupted through a punctured or otherwise damaged blood vessel in the human body while a graft is being sewn lor otherwise applied to the damaged vessel.

Another important object of my invention is the provision of Ia clamp operable to quickly and effectively clamp a blood vesselor the like to a cylindrical tubing.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a surgical clamp having means for readily varying the clamping pressure which is eiected.

Still another object of my invention is the provision of a clamp of the character described wherein once the desired clamping pressure yis effected, the clamp may be released without any lessening or variation of the clamping pressure, thereby freeing the hands of personnel who normally have to hold surgical clamps of the type known in the prior A further object is the provision of a surgical clamp which is simple to manufacture, .easy to use, and highly effective in the accomplishment of its intended functions.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will lbecome apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently contemplated by me yfor carrying out my invention:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view showing a pair of clamps constructed in accordance with the instant invention in use;

FIG. 2 is a sectional View, on an enlarged scale, of one of my clamps per se;

FIG. 3 is an end'view, on an enlarged scale, looking in from the left in FIG. 2; and

FIG, 4 is an end view, on an enlarged scale, looking in from the right in FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. l, a pair of clamps constructed in accordance with the instant invention are generally indicated at 10. The clamps 10, as illustrated in FIG. 1, are shown in use during surgical operative procedure. More specifically, a graft 12 is being connected to a pair of blood vessel sections 14 and 16, it being understood that the blood vessel Wall intermediate sections 14 and 16 has been punctured or otherwise damaged, thereby necessitating the introduction of graft 12. While the graft 12-is being applied, it is desirable that blood be permitted to continue its ow through the vessel between sections 14 and 16. In order to accomplish this, a llexible, non-toxic plastic tube 18, such as of polyvinyl, is positioned between vessel sections 14 and 16 and is clamped thereto. Thus, blood may continue its ilow uninterrupted by virtue of the fact that it passes through the tube 1S while the graft 12 is being applied. Once the graft 12 has been completely applied, a slit is made in vthe vessel wall and Vthe flexible tubing 18 is extracted therethrough, after which the slit is sewed up, leaving lthe repaired vessel ready for normal use.

In accomplishing the above operative procedure, it is important that a secure, leak-proof seal be eiected when the vessel sections are clamped to the interconnecting plastic tubing. The surgical clamps presently in use for "ice this purpose have proven to be generally unsatisfactory in this respect, since the clamping action is normally eifected by means of the resilience of the clamp itself, whereby a tight, leak-proof seal is virtually impossible to attain. Also, where spring clamps of this type are used, continued usage usually results in a diminishing of the resilient action of the clamp, whereby it becomes less eifective. Other clamps of this type in use sometimes require that the clamp be continually grasped and manipulated by certain personnel, thereby providing a cumbersome and awkward situation. By using a clamp constructed in accordance with the instant invention, all of the foregoing disadvantages inherent -in prior art devices of this type are overcome.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 through 4, it will be seen that the clamp 10 comprises an elongated tube 20, externally threaded adjacent one end 1as at 22, and having a pair of spaced openings 24 separated by an integral bar 26 which extends thereacross. A cap member indicated generally at 2S comprises a cylindrical lside wall 30 internally threaded as at 32. Cap 28 additionally comprises an end wall 34 having a pair of spaced openings 36 therein, said end wall being rotatable with respect to cylindrical side wall 30. This may be accomplished by any desirable means, although I prefer to peen over the edge of wall 30 as at 37 in order to rotatably maintain end wall 34 in its assembled position. The outer surface of cap 28 is knurled as at 38 in order that a better grip may be imparted thereto when the cap is Ibeing turned, all in Ia manner hereinafter to be described. Tube 20 and cap 28 may be constructed of any suitable rigid material, although I prefer to utilize stainless steel.

ln operation and use, it will be understood that oap 2Sl is adapted to threadedly engage tube 20, as clearly shown in FIG. 2. An elongated flexible cord 40, such as umbilical tape or the like, is threaded through the device 10, and, as will be seen from FIG. 2, the cord 40 extends through the openings 24 Iand 36 at opposite ends of the device and is knotted exteriorly of wall 34, as at 42, whereby one large loop is formed. The portion of the loop which extends exteriorly of bar 26, as shown at 44 in FIG. 2, functions as the clamping loop, it being apparent that as the cap member 2S is unthreaded yWith respect to tube 20, the loop 44 will be tightened. Thus, once the Iart-icle to be clamped has been inserted through loop 44, it is simply necessary to unthread cap 28 until the desired clamping pressure is obtained.

When using the clamp 10 in the manner above described, the knot 42 will normally not be tied until the approximate size of loop 44 has been determined, this, of course, being determined by the diameter of the article to be clamped.V Once the approximate size of loop 44 has -been obtained, knot 42 is tied, and then a relatively small degree of unthreading movement yof cap 2S will revsult in the application of clamping pressure. Thus, it will be `seen that my clamp 10 is quickly and easily adjustable to clamp a wide variety of different diameter articles, and at the same time, the clamping pressure may be easily lessened `or increased until the desired degree of pressure is obtained. Once the desired degree of pressure is obtained, the device 10 may be completely released whereupon it will simply hang in position while at the same time continuing to perform its clamping function. The flexibility of cord 40, plus the fact that it almost completely encircles the circumference of the article being clamped, cooperate to insure that a complete and elective seal is obtained completely around the diameter of the clamped article. This, `of course, is of extreme impor-tance in connection with surgical yoperative procedure of the type hereinbefore described.

The rotatability of end wall 34 is important since, without this feature, the cord 40 would become tangled and however, turning movement of cap 28 will result only inY turning ofthe cylindrical side wall 3G, it being apparent that end Wall 34 will not move appreciably, whereby openings 36 therein [and the openings 24 at the opposite end of the clamp 10 will remain in `substantial alignment, and hence there will be no tendency for the cord to twist or While there is 4shown and described herein certainspecific Ystructure embodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made Without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein shown and described except insofar as rindicated by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A surgical clamp comprising an elongated, openended, rigid tube, one end of said tube lbeing externally threaded, the other end of said tube having means dividing said end. into two distinct openings, a cap member having a cylindrical, internally threaded side wall and an end Wall having a pair of spaced openings therein, said end wall being rotatable with respect to said side wall, said cap making threaded engagement with said tube, whereby the overall length of the assembly may be appreci-ably varied by threadedly manipulating said cap and tube.

2. The surgical clamp of claim 1 further characterized -in that a ilexible cord dening a loop is `associated therewith, 'said cord having its free ends connected exteriorly of said rotatable end Wall, each of said cord ends extendling through dileren-t of the spaced openings in said rotatable end wall and continuing completely through said rigid tube and around said dividing means, whereby the loop portion which extends exteriorly from said dividing means maybe tightened by unthreading said cap with respect -to said tube. Y Y

Y References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS