Med General, Inc.

Howard F Carpenter

Robert A Arp

Curtis H Miller

A disposable vascular tourniquet for controlling the constriction of a blood vessel during surgery. The vessel occluder comprises a flexible tubular sheath having a clamping structure disposed at its proximal end. The clamping structure is a unitary molded plastic part which has a tubular base portion adapted to be inserted into the proximal end of the flexible sheath and projecting from this base portion are bifurcated fingers, one of which includes a transversely extending latch portion which is adapted to mate with a recess on the other finger. A retractor or snare having a hook at one end and a ring-type handle at the other end may be inserted between the fingers of the clamp when in its unlatched condition and through the tubular base of the clamp and the sheath so as to extend outwardly from the distal end of the sheath. A cord may be looped around a vessel to be constricted and the ends of the loop are captured in the hook of the retractor. When the retractor is drawn outward from the sheath, the ends of the loop pass between the fingers of the clamp such that when the fingers are pinched together and latched, axial movement of the cord with respect to the tubular sheath is prevented.

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South Easton, MA, United States of America

Howard F Carpenter