Atrauma Bulldog Clamp

Description

Atrauma Bulldog Clamp for Artery

This atrauma bulldog clamp occludes an artery temporarily and then comes off again. Closure comes from the sprung cross-action body, so there is no ratchet to release. Applying forceps open it, and the clamp holds itself shut. As a result, one movement puts it on and one takes it off.

Why the artery pattern is sprung differently

Arterial wall is thick, muscular and under pressure. A vein wall is thin and collapses easily. Therefore the two need different closing forces, and the clamps are built accordingly. This is the arterial pattern, so it is sprung firmly enough to stop flow in a pressurised vessel.

The jaws themselves stay atraumatic. In other words, the grip is spread along fine opposed serrations rather than concentrated in coarse teeth. So the vessel is held without crushing the wall you intend to suture.

Jaw length

Jaw length decides how much vessel the clamp holds. Pick the shortest jaw that spans the segment cleanly. Otherwise the spare length sits in the field and gets in the way.

• 3.0 cm — small and distal arteries
• 3.5 cm — the common working length
• 4.0 cm — medium arteries and graft ends
• 5.0 cm — larger vessels, and a wide bite across a graft

Shank shape

Shape decides where the body of the clamp sits once the jaws are placed. All three shapes are offered in all four jaw lengths.

• Straight — lowest profile, for a vessel presented square to you
• Curved — lifts the body clear of the suture line
• Full Curved — reaches around or under a vessel, and keeps the whole instrument out of the working axis

Key features

• Sprung cross-action body with no ratchet to unlatch
• Arterial spring pressure, firmer than the vein pattern
• Fine atraumatic serrations that hold without crushing the wall
• Twelve builds: three shank shapes across four jaw lengths
• One-piece stainless steel, autoclavable to standard theatre cycles

In the theatre

Vascular surgeons use it throughout bypass and endarterectomy work. Meanwhile, cardiothoracic teams reach for it during graft and cannulation work. In addition, transplant units use several at once while vessels are prepared.

Care

Store the clamp relaxed rather than compressed. A spring left under load slowly loses the pressure the pattern depends on. So check before each case that the jaws close evenly end to end, and that the points still sit together. Finally, brush the serrations out properly, because dried blood between fine teeth stops them closing cleanly.

Warranty

Three years against manufacturing defects.