Importance

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Abstract

A releasable, surgical clamp (10) for insertion through a surgical introducer sheath (11) and into a cavity (12) of a patient (13) during a minimally invasive surgical procedure. The releasable clamp comprises a continuous wire (39) that is shaped for insertion through the surgical sheath and into opposing jaws (14, 15). The jaws have a plurality of open and closed positions. One of the jaws has a retainer (16) that maintains the lateral displacement (17) between the opposing jaws and prevents the clamp from twisting off a vessel. A resilient assembly (18) including a torsion spring (19) and first and second resilient arms (20, 21) extending to the opposing jaws urges the jaws to a closed position. Each of the resilient arms includes a distal portion which cross each other urging the opposing jaws to a closed position. The clamp further includes a tubular, elongated containment member having a hollow passage (26) that extends therein for receiving the clamp and operating it between its open and closed positions.

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First Claim