Importance

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Abstract

A surgical tool for cutting an opening in a blood vessel. The tool or punch has pistol-like housing, a blade pusher barrel at the front end thereof and reciprocally movable therein with a trigger for causing forward movement of the blade pusher barrel and a hollow blade drum. The hollow blade drum has a blade at its proximal end, which is inserted therein when an arm of the trigger is moved distally, whereby the blade enters and cuts the opening in the vessel. The barrel also contains a spring, behind the blade drum, which is compressed during the forward movement of the barrel. When cutting the opening the blade and proximal portion of the drum pass over a circular disc at the front of a non-movable punch mandrel contained within the hollow portion of the blade drum, the mandrel disc having been previously inserted into the vessel through an incision therein. Upon complete retraction of the trigger arm the trigger is locked in that position through engagement of complementary parts on the trigger and housing, so that barrel and blade drum are locked in their forward positions with the forward portion of the mandrel, and cutout tissue disc thereon, retained in the hollow portion of the blade drum. When recovery of the tissue is required the trigger is unlocked and the spring within the barrel permitted to expand thereby causing the barrel and blade drum to move distally, so that the front of the mandrel is exposed to permit removal of the tissue.

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First Claim