Detachable parallel action clamp for endoscopic surgery.

Area of Science:

• Surgical Innovation
• Biomedical Engineering
• Gastrointestinal Surgery

Background:

• Current endoscopic occlusive clamps, derived from conventional scissors designs, cause significant tissue damage.
• The inherent design of scissors clamps leads to non-uniform force distribution, resulting in excessive pressure near the pivot and inadequate occlusion at the jaw ends.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel detachable endoscopic atraumatic clamp with parallel occluding jaws.
• To engineer a clamp that ensures uniform occlusion and prevents undue crushing of gastrointestinal tissue.

Main Methods:

• Conducted biological experiments to determine optimal forces for bowel occlusion and sealing without surface damage.
• Utilized mechanical engineering and design principles to create a parallel jaw clamp incorporating pseudoelastic nickel-titanium (Ni-Ti) springs.
• Miniaturized the design for introduction through 5.0-mm endoscopic ports and performed clinical evaluation.

Main Results:

• Established force parameters for safe and effective bowel occlusion based on biological studies.
• Developed and validated a parallel jaw action clamp design using Ni-Ti springs.
• Successfully produced and clinically evaluated a detachable parallel action clamp (DPAC) suitable for endoscopic use via small ports.

Conclusions:

• The novel detachable parallel action clamp (DPAC) provides a superior alternative to existing endoscopic clamps.
• The DPAC design ensures uniform tissue occlusion, minimizing iatrogenic injury during endoscopic procedures.
• This innovation facilitates safer and more effective endoscopic interventions requiring bowel occlusion.