Clamp for approximating tissue sections

A surgical apparatus for laser welding first and second body tissue sections comprising:

• a first pair of opposed arms for clamping said first tissue section;
• a second pair of opposed arms for clamping said second tissue section, at least one of said arms of each said pair being pivotally connected to said opposing arm;
• an axle and a cap mounted to an end of said axle, said arms being mounted substantially perpendicular to said axle, wherein rotation of said cap slides one of said pairs of arms longitudinally along said axle towards said other pair of arms to bring said first and second tissue sections into abutting relationship to form a seam;
• a retainer swivably mounted to one of said arms of each said pair of arms, said retainer having an undercut portion adapted to overlie said opposing arm in said closed position, and further comprising a fastener for tightening said retainer against said arm to secure said opposing arms in said closed position;
• and
• means for transmitting laser energy to the seam to weld together the first and second tissue sections.

A surgical apparatus for laser welding first and second body tissue sections comprising:

• a first pair of opposed arms for clamping said first tissue section;
• a second pair of opposed arms for clamping said second tissue section, at least one of said arms of each said pair being pivotably connected to said opposing arm;
• an axle and a cap mounted to an end of said axle, said arms being mounted substantially perpendicular to said axle, wherein rotation of said cap slides one of said pairs of arms longitudinally along said axle towards said other pair of arms to bring the first and second tissue sections into abutting relationship to form a seam, wherein said axle is aligned substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of said clamped section to be welded,
• wherein each of said opposing arms has an inwardly directed portion, each said portion of each said arm having a recess formed therein to cooperate with said inwardly directed portion of said opposing arm when said arms are in the closed position to thereby form a channel to receive the respective tissue section;
• and
• means for transmitting laser energy to the seam to weld together the first and second tissue sections.

A surgical apparatus for laser welding first and second body tissue sections comprising;

• a first pair of opposed arms for clamping said first tissue section;
• a second pair of opposed arms for clamping said second tissue section, at least one of said arms of each said pair being pivotably connected to said opposing arm;
• means for moving one of said pairs of opposed arms toward the other pair of opposed arms to bring the first and second tissue sections into abutting relationship to form a seam;
• and
• means for transmitting laser energy to the seam to weld together the first and second tissue sections, wherein said laser energy transmitting means comprises a housing adapted to be placed over said first and second pairs of opposed arms, said housing having a plurality of light transmission elements disposed therein, a distal end of said light transmission elements terminating near said seam and a proximal end of said light transmissive elements adapted to be connected to an external laser source.

A surgical clamp for holding two sections of body tissue together, said clamp comprising;

• a base having first and second pairs of arms joined thereto, said first pair of arms pivotably connected to one another for clamping a first tissue section therebetween;
• said second pair of arms pivotably connected to one another for clamping a second tissue section therebetween;
• means for moving one of said pair of arms towards the other pair of arms to bring the first and second tissue sections into abutting relationship,
• wherein each pair of arms comprises first and second arms, and said first arm of each pair of arms being pivotable from an open position spaced from said second arm to a closed position overlying said second arm;
• means for receiving laser energy transmission means;
• and
• a retainer pivotally mounted to one of said arms of each pair of arms, said retainer being pivotable to a position overlying said pivotable arm to hold said arms in said closed position.

A surgical clamp for holding two section of body tissue together, said clamp comprising:

• a base having first and second pairs of arms joined thereto, said first pair of arms pivotably connected to one another for clamping a first tissue section therebetween;
• said second pair of arms pivotably connected to one another for clamping a second tissue section therebetween;
• means for moving one of said pair of arms towards the other pair of arms to bring the first and second tissue sections into abutting relationship;
• means for receiving laser energy transmission means;
• wherein each pair of arms comprises first and second arms, and said first arm of each pair of arms being pivotable from an open position spaced from said second arm to a closed position overlying said second arm;
• anchor means cooperating with said arms for holding said arms of each pair of arms in said closed position;
• wherein one arm of said first pair of arms is fixedly secured to said base and both arms of said second pair of arms are pivotably mounted to said base;
• wherein both arms of each said pair of arms have inwardly extending portions with a recess formed therein which cooperate with the opposing recess when said arms are in said closed position to form a channel to receive one of said tissue sections.

A method for surgically welding two tissue sections comprising:

• clamping a first tissue section in a first clamping portion;
• clamping a second tissue section in a second clamping portion;
• moving one of the clamped tissue sections into abutting relationship with the other tissue section;
• positioning laser energy transmission means adjacent said first and second clamping portions;
• applying laser energy through said transmission means to the seam formed at the abutting portion of the tissue sections to weld them together, wherein said step of applying laser energy comprises the steps of:
• placing a first housing on one side of the clamp;
• placing a second housing on the opposing side of the clamp to engage the first housing;
• wherein each of said housings has a laser transmissive conduit disposed therein terminating near the seam formed between the two sections;
• and
• removing the clamp after the tissue sections are laser welded together.

A method for surgically welding two tissue sections comprising:

• clamping a first tissue section in a first clamping portion;
• clamping a second tissue section in a second clamping portion;
• moving one of the clamped tissue sections into abutting relationship with the other tissue section;
• positioning laser energy transmission means adjacent said first and second clamping portions;
• applying laser energy through said transmission means to the seam formed at the abutting portion of the tissue sections to weld them together;
• removing the clamp after the tissue sections are welded together;
• and wherein the clamp includes first and second pairs of opposing arms and said step of clamping the first tissue section comprising the steps of:
• placing a first arm of a first pair of arms on one side of the first tissue section;
• pivoting the second arm of said first pair of arms to overlie the first arm;
• and
• tightening the first and second arms together to secure the first tissue section.

A method for surgically welding two tissue sections comprising:

• clamping a first tissue section in a first clamping portion;
• clamping a second tissue section in a second clamping portion;
• moving one of the clamped tissue sections into abutting relationship with the other tissue section;
• positioning laser energy transmission means adjacent said first and second clamping portions;
• applying laser energy through said transmission means to the seam formed at the abutting portion of the tissue sections to weld them together, wherein the step of applying laser energy comprises:
• placing a first housing on one side of the clamp;
• placing a second housing on the opposing side of the clamp to cooperate with the first housing;
• wherein each of said housings has a laser transmission conduit disposed therein terminating adjacent the seam formed at the abutment of the two tissue sections;
• and
• removing the clamp after the tissue sections are laser welded.

A surgical apparatus for joining first and second tissue body sections comprising:

• a) a first pair of opposed arms for clamping the first tissue section;
• b) an axle mounted substantially perpendicular to said first pair of opposed arms on one end of said first pair of opposed arms;
• c) a second pair of opposed arms for clamping the second tissue section;
• d) an axle housing mounted on an end of said second pair of opposed arms for slidable engagement with said axle;
• e) wherein at least one of said arms of each said pair being pivotably connected to said opposing arm for movement from an open position spaced from said opposing arm through an arc of at most approximately 270.degree. to a closed position overlying said opposing arm;
• and
• f) means for moving one of said pair of opposed arms toward said other pair of opposed arms to bring said first and second tissue sections into abutting relationship to form a seam;
• g) one or more detent holes located on an interior surface of said axle housing;
• and
• h) a protrusion on said axle engagable with said detent holes for precise spacing of said first and second opposed pairs of arms.

A surgical apparatus for welding or otherwise joining two tissue body sections comprising:

• a first and a second detachable body section,
• a) said first body section including
• i) an axle housing and a pair of opposed arms substantially perpendicular to said axle housing,
• ii) said axle housing having a first detect recess corresponding to a stenting position, a second detent recess corresponding to an alignment position and a third detent recess corresponding to a weld and suture position,
• iii) said pair of opposed arms including a lower jaw support terminating in an L-shaped inwardly facing lower jaw and an upper jaw support mounted on said lower jaw support, terminating in an pivotable L-shaped inwardly facing upper jaw,
• iv) said inwardly facing upper and lower jaws having recesses extending through said jaws parallel to said axle housing,
• v) said first body section further including an anchor member consisting of a slidable anchor barrel overlying said upper jaw support and slidable over said support from a first position leaving said upper jaw uncovered to a second position coveting a portion of said upper jaw,
• vi) said axle housing further including a mounting groove substantially parallel to said pair of arms;
• b) said second body section including:
• i) an axle slidable within said axle housing and having a detent projection for engagement with said detent recesses,
• ii) a second pair of opposed arms mounted substantially perpendicular to said axle,
• iii) said pair of opposed arms including a lower jaw support terminating in an L-shaped inwardly facing lower jaw and an upper jaw support mounted on said lower jaw support, terminating in a pivotable L-shaped inwardly facing upper jaw,
• iv) said inwardly facing upper and lower jaws having recesses extending through said jaws parallel to said axle housing,
• v) said second body section further including an anchor member consisting of a slidable anchor barrel overlying said upper jaw support and slidable over said support from a first position leaving said upper jaw uncovered to a second position covering a portion of said upper jaw, said first body section being slidably engagable with said second body section to bring the first and second tissue sections into abutting relationship to form a seam.