Claims
- 1. A surgical clamp, comprising:
a pair of elongate jaws mounted for movement toward each other, at least one of said pair of jaws having
an engaging surface and a backing surface, said surfaces being generally opposed to one another, an elongate channel extending longitudinally within said jaw and opening to both surfaces, and a breech portion in communication with said channel and opening to said engaging and backing surfaces.
- 2. The surgical clamp of claim 1, wherein said jaws are curvilinear.
- 3. The surgical clamp of claim 1, wherein said channel has a generally rectangular cross-section.
- 4. The surgical clamp of claim 1, further comprising
a surgical clamp pad secured to said jaw, said pad having
an elongate body extending over said engaging surface of said jaw, and a flexible elongate attachment member, said attachment member having
a securing portion extending through the channel and over said backing surface of said jaw, and a stabilizing portion disposed within said elongate body to internally reinforce said body.
- 5. The surgical clamp of claim 4, wherein said attachment member is under tension thereby compressing said pad body against said engaging surface of the jaw to inhibit lateral movement of the pad body relative to the jaw.
- 6. The surgical clamp of claim 4 wherein said jaws are curvilinear.
- 7. The surgical clamp of claim 4, wherein said elongate body further comprises an elastomeric material having a surface adapted to engage tissue.
- 8. A surgical clamp pad configured for attachment to a jaw of a surgical clamp having a channel extending longitudinally within the jaw, comprising:
an elongate body configured to extend over an outer surface of the jaw; and a flexible elongate attachment member, said attachment member having
a securing portion configured to extend through the jaw channel, and a stabilizing portion disposed within said elongate body to internally reinforce said body.
- 9. The surgical clamp pad of claim 8, wherein
said elongate body is flexible and capable of conforming to a curvilinear jaw.
- 10. The surgical clamp pad of claim 8, further comprising:
a detachable tab extending from one end of said pad.
- 11. The surgical clamp pad of claim 8, wherein said elongate body further comprises an elastomeric material having a surface adapted to engage tissue.
- 12. The surgical clamp pad of claim 11 wherein said stabilizing portion further comprises one or more stabilizing elements extending into said pad body.
- 13. The surgical clamp pad of claim 12 wherein at least one of said one or more stabilizing elements extends generally perpendicular to the tissue engaging surface of the pad body.
- 14. The surgical clamp pad of claim 12 wherein at least one of said one or more stabilizing elements extends generally parallel to the tissue engaging surface of the pad body.
- 15. The surgical clamp pad of claim 12 wherein a first one or more stabilizing elements extends generally perpendicular to the tissue engaging surface of the pad body and a second one or more stabilizing elements extends generally parallel to the tissue engaging surface of the pad body.
- 16. A method of installing a replaceable clamp pad onto a surgical clamp, comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a surgical clamp having at least one elongate jaw, said jaw having
an engaging surface and a backing surface, said surfaces generally opposed to one another, an elongate channel extending longitudinally within said jaw and opening to both surfaces, and a breech portion in communication with said channel; (b) providing a surgical clamp pad having
an elongate body configured to extend over an outer surface of the jaw, and a flexible elongate attachment member, said attachment member having a securing portion extending through the channel and a stabilizing portion disposed within said elongate body to internally reinforce said body; (c) inserting said pad into said breech; (d) drawing the attachment member into the channel, such that the elongate body extends over the engaging surface of the jaw and the securing portion of the attachment member extends through the channel and tracks over the backing surface of the jaw, the attachment member thereby securing the elongate body in place on the jaw.
- 17. The method of claim 16 wherein the surgical clamp pad further includes a detachable tab extending from one end of the pad and wherein in said drawing step further comprises applying force to the tab to draw the attachment member into the channel.
- 18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of:
detaching the detachable tab from the pad after the pad is secured in place on the jaw.
- 19. A method of making a surgical clamp pad for attachment to a jaw of a surgical clamp, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a flexible elongate attachment member, said attachment member having a securing portion and a stabilizing portion; and forming a pad body around said attachment member such that pad body includes a surface adapted to engage tissue and said stabilizing portion is disposed within said pad body to internally reinforce said pad body.
- 20. The method of claim 19, wherein said attachment member includes a detachable tab extending therefrom to provide an extension for pulling the formed pad into place onto a surgical clamp jaw configured to receive the clamp pad.
- 21. The method of claim 19, wherein said step of forming the clamp pad further comprises the steps of:
providing a mold having an inner surface defining a pad body space and an attachment member space; placing said attachment member within said attachment member space; injecting a curable elastomeric material into said pad body space; allowing said elastomeric material to cure to form said pad body; and removing said pad from said mold upon hardening.
- 22. The method of claim 19, wherein:
said stabilizing portion further includes one or more stabilizing elements.
- 23. The method of claim 22 wherein at least one of said one or more stabilizing elements extends generally perpendicular to the tissue engaging surface of the formed pad body.
- 24. The surgical clamp pad of claim 22 wherein at least one of said one or more stabilizing elements extends generally parallel to the tissue engaging surface of the formed pad body.
- 25. The surgical clamp pad of claim 22 wherein a first one or more stabilizing elements extends generally perpendicular to the tissue engaging surface of the formed pad body and a second one or more stabilizing elements extends generally parallel to the tissue engaging surface of the formed pad body.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/336,131, filed Jun. 18, 1999, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09491237 |
Jan 2000 |
US |
Child |
09911587 |
Jul 2001 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09336131 |
Jun 1999 |
US |
Child |
09491237 |
Jan 2000 |
US |