Surgical clamp

A guide for a surgical device, the guide comprising:

• an elongate, flexible guide body including a first end portion and a second end portion;
• a first guide connector disposed on the first end portion;
• and
• a second guide connector disposed on the second end portion;
• wherein the first guide connector is selectively releasably connectable to the second guide connector and at least one of a first tip of a first jaw of a surgical device and a second tip of a second jaw of the surgical device;
• wherein the second guide connector is selectively releasably connectable to the first guide connector and at least one of the first tip and the second tip;
• and
• wherein, when the first guide connector is connected to the second guide connector, the guide forms a continuous, closed loop;
• wherein the first guide connector comprises a first permanent magnet;
• wherein the second guide connector comprises a second permanent magnet;
• and
• wherein the first permanent magnet and the second permanent magnet are oriented so that opposite magnetic poles face away from the guide body, thereby allowing the first guide connector and the second guide connector to magnetically couple to one another to form the guide into the continuous, closed loop.

A method of using a surgical device, the method comprising:

• positioning an elongate, flexible guide using opposing end couplings to form a continuous, closed loop around right pulmonary veins and left pulmonary veins of a heart;
• disengaging the opposing end couplings from one another to discontinue the continuous, closed loop while still extending around at least one of the right pulmonary veins and the left pulmonary veins;
• coupling a first of the opposing end couplings to a tip of a first jaw of a clamp;
• coupling a second of the opposing end couplings a tip of a second jaw of the clamp;
• positioning the first jaw and the second jaw proximate a left atrium of the heart by pulling the guide;
• and
• clamping a portion of the left atrium between the first jaw and the second jaw.