| abstract |
A surgical clamp applier and a detachable clamp for temporarily occluding a vessel are disclosed. The clamp applier is designed to allow a surgeon to place and remove the clamp using only one hand. The clamp applier has a dial, a button, and a pulley actuator all accessible on the handle of the applier. The dial is used to lock the clamp onto the applier and to remove the clamp from the applier. The button is used to allow the pulley actuator to be used to manipulate the lower jaw of the clamp with respect to the upper jaw of the clamp, thus varying the amount of pressure exerted by the clamp on the vessel. The pulley actuator actuates a pulley system which engages the clamp, thereby manipulating the lower jaw of the clamp with respect to the upper jaw in a scissors-like manner, allowing the surgeon to properly clamp the target vessel. Various shapes and sizes of clamps are used for various procedures, but the clamps are all compatible with the clamp applier. |