Biopsy Clamp

Abstract

A biopsy clamp for holding in a substantially unstressed condition a tissue sample removed from a large body of tissue according to the present disclosure comprises first and second plates having first and second jaw means, respectively. Hinge means fastened to the plates holds the plates in hinged relation so that the jaws may be moved between open and closed positions. Teeth on the jaws are arranged so that they are in grasping relationship to a tissue specimen when the jaws are in their closed position. Guide means, including retention means, is provided for determining and retaining the position of said jaws when in their closed position so as to space the jaws to hold the specimen unstressed.

Description

This invention relates to biopsy clamps, and particularly to clamps for use in isometric fixation of muscle fibers, nerve and blood vessels, and the like.

Heretofore, biopsies of muscle fiber and the like have sometimes not been altogether successful because the specimen was permitted to curl or twist during fixation. The result of the unsuccessful biopsy seriously hampered histologic examination.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a biopsy clamp for use in isometric fixation of muscle fiber, nerve vessels, blood vessels, and other similar specimens.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a biopsy clamp which may be clamped to the specimen in situ to fix the position of the specimen, which position is preserved during and after excision of the specimen.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an isometric biopsy clamp capable of holding fiber in their unstressed orientation.

In accordance with the present invention a biopsy clamp is provided having oppositely disposed jaw means capable of being clamped to a specimen in situ. Hinge means holds the jaw means in hinged relation and guide means directs the jaws together so the jaws hold the specimen in its original orientation.

In accordance with one feature of the invention, the clamp is constructed of a polypropylene which is capable of being sterilized in steam.

In accordance with another feature of the present invention, the clamp is inexpensive and may be discarded after the specimen has been removed so that it need not be cleaned.

The above and other features of this invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a prospective view of a biopsy clamp in accordance with the presently preferred embodiment of the present invention, shown clamping a specimen;

FIG. 2 is a top view elevation of the biopsy clamp illustrated in FIG. 1 in an open position;

FIG. 3 is a side view elevation of the biopsy clamp illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 in a closed position;

FIG. 4 is an end view elevation taken at line 4--4 in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a side view elevation as in FIG. 3 taken at line 5--5 in FIG. 2.

Referring to the drawings there is illustrated in biopsy clamp 10 in accordance with the presently preferred embodiment of the present invention. Biopsy clamp 10 includes a first plate 11 having a pair of extended jaws 12 and 13, and a second plate 14 having a similar pair of extended jaws 15 and 16. Plates 11 and 14 are preferably constructed of relatively rigid polypropylene plastic which is capable of being sterilized in steam. Ribs 17 and 18 are integral with plates 11 and 14, respectively, and resilient hinges 19 and 20 are fixed to plates 11 and 12 adjacent ribs 18 and 19. Pins 21, 22 and 23 are fixedly attached to plate 11 and are adapted to mate with apertures 24, 25 and 26, respectively, in plate 14. The pins and apertures are arranged in a non-linear, or triangular pattern for purposes to be hereinafter explained. As shown in the drawings, center pin 22 extends further from plate 11 than the other pins.

Teeth 27 on jaws 12 and 13 are adapted to be positioned directly between the ends of teeth 28 on jaws 15 and 16. As illustrated particularly in FIG. 3, the arrangement of teeth 27 and 28 is such that when pins 21, 22 and 23 are mated with apertures 24, 25 and 26 respectively, jaws 12 and 13 are juxtapositioned to jaws 15 and 16 and teeth 27 closely mate with teeth 28. L-shaped handle 29 is mounted to plate 11 so that the clamp may be handled.

The arrangement of the clamp is such that the jaws may be moved between an open position (shown in FIGS. 2 and 5) and a closed position (shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4). When clamp 10 is in the closed position, pins 21-23 mate with apertures 24-26 to accurately locate plate 11 with respect to plate 14. Plates 11 and 14 are retained in substantially parallel relation and are restrained from lateral movement due to the triangular positioning between the plates effectuated by pins 21-23 reacting against apertures 24-26. Hence, pins 21-23, together with apertures 24-26, serve to guide the plates while the jaws are moved from their open to their closed position, and serve to retain the closed position of the jaws. Ribs 17 and 18 regulate the distance between plates 11 and 14 when clamp 10 is in its closed position. Thus, when pins 21-23 are inserted in apertures 24-26 and plates 11 and 14 are pressed in close relationship, ribs 17 and 18 bear against each other to determine the limit of the space between plates 11 and 14. Thereafter, plates 11 and 14 may be clamped, such as by hemostat 31, and the position of plates 11 and 14 thereby is assured.

When clamp 10 is in its closed position, teeth 27 on jaws 12 and 13 are in closed relation with teeth 28 on jaws 15 and 16, respectively so that the ends of teeth 27 are disposed between the ends of adjacent teeth 28. Hence, when the clamp is in its closed position, jaws 12 and 13 are juxtapositioned to jaws 15 and 16 so the teeth grasp fibers between the jaws to hold them in unstressed position.

In the use of the device, and particularly as illustrated in FIG. 1, after a linear incision and retraction of anesthetized skin and deep fascia, the selected bundle 30 of fibers or vessels is developed and mobilized by dissection parallel to the fibers. The clamp is placed about bundle 30 and teeth 27 and 28 on jaws 12, 13, 15 and 16 grasp the fibers in bundle 30 with pressure from a hemostat clamp 31. The bundle of muscle fiber is severed about 3 millimeters beyond the outer margins of the jaws of the clamp at dashed lines 32 and 33 to obviate disengagement of the specimen by retraction. The clamp is then manipulated by means of handle 29 to remove the muscle specimen which may be placed into a container containing an appropriate fixative.

One feature of the present invention resides in the fact that the clamp is constructed of polypropylene which may be sterilized in an ordinary steam bath. Another feature of the present invention resides in the fact that the size of the clamp between the outer margins of the jaws on plates 11 and 14 is about 1.3 centimeters so the clamp and specimen may be placed together into ordinary histological processing machines. If desired, handle 29 may be cut from the clamp to enable the clamp to carry the muscle specimen into a histological processing machine.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with the biopsy of muscle fiber, it is to be understood that the clamp may also be used for isometric biopsy nerve and blood vessels. The present invention thus provides an effective, disposable biopsy clamp, which may be carried directly into processing machines. The clamp isometrically holds fibers, vessels and the like for fixation and diagnostic or histological examination.

This invention is not to be limited by the embodiment shown in the drawings and described in the description, which is given by way of example and not of limitation, but only in accordance with the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A biopsy clamp for grasping a tissue specimen to be excised, and for holding it after excision in such condition as to be substantially unstressed, and available for observation over a substantial portion of its surface area, said clamp comprising: a first and a second rigid jaw plate; a strap hinge of flexible material interconnecting said jaw plates, said hinge having a dimension of length, with its ends relative to this dimension attached to respective ones of the jaw plates, and having a substantial lateral dimension normal to the said dimension of length so as to limit the relative "shear" movement of the jaw plates when in a face-to-face position relative to one another and the hinge bent, the edges of the jaw plates adjacent to the hinge constituting the "hinged" edges of the jaw plates, and the edges farthest removed from the hinge constituting the free edges of the jaw plates, each jaw plate including a pair of spaced-apart jaw flanges extending away from the hinged edge, to form a U-shape, thereby to leave a substantial space between them, open at the free ends, for access to a specimen when held extended between the jaw plates and when held between their opposed jaw flanges; a projection rising from one of said jaw plates and extending toward the other when the jaw plates are in said face-to-face position to limit the approach of the jaw plates toward one another; at least three pins rising from one of said jaw plates, each of said pins having a tapered end, and one of the pins being longer than at least two of the others, said longer pin being spaced away from a line extending between two of said other pins, said pins and projection lying adjacent the end of the space closest to the hinged edge, and a respective aperture on the other of said jaw plates aligned with each respective pin to receive the pins when the jaw plates are brought into said face-to-face position, the pins being proportioned relative to the apertures so as to make an interference fit therein, and thereby hold the jaw plates together when the pins are pressed into the apertures; and a plurality of gripping teeth on all of said jaw flanges so disposed and arranged as to lie in parallel and opposed lines on each pair of opposite jaw flanges when the jaw plates are in said face-to-face position, and leaving between them an undulating clearance to receive and clamp onto the tissue, whereby when a sample is to be grasped, one of the jaw plates is brought against one side of it, the jaw plates being held generally aligned by said longest pin, but still free to undergo limited relative movement, and then the jaw plates are pressed together to engage all of the pins in the apertures and to force the teeth against the specimen so as to grip it.

2. A biopsy clamp according to claim 1 in which the teeth are conical.

3. A biopsy clamp according to claim 1 in which the hinges are flexible straps.

4. A biopsy clamp according to claim 1 in which the entire clamp is made of polypropylene.

5. A biopsy clamp according to claim 4 in which the hinges are flexible straps.