SEXUAL STERILISATION DEVICE

DISPOSITIF DE STERILISATION SEXUELLE

English Abstract

ABSTRACT
A sexual sterilization device in the form of a
clip is designed to prevent, as far as possible, failure
due to incorrect latching of an upper jaw underneath the
lip of a lower jaw by dimensioning the upper and lower
jaws such that considerable deformation of the upper jaw
is required before correct latching can occur.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A sexual sterilization device consisting of a clamp
adapted to be closed on a duct in which gametes
circulate, so as to occlude said duct, which
comprises two hingedly interconnected arms, the first
arm comprising a latching portion under which the
free end of the second arm is adapted to be engaged
to keep the clamp closed, said second arm being
deformed between an initial condition in which it is
curved and a second condition in which said second
arm is more flattened so as to have a greater length
enabling its free end to extend under the latching
portion of the first arm, characterized in that when
said second arm is in its initial curved condition
and pivoted towards the first arm, a clearance exists
between the free end of said second arm and said
latching portion, this precluding any possibility of
engaging said free end under said latching portion as
long as said second arm has not been flattened
sufficiently to permit this engagement.
2. A device as claimed in Claim 1, in which the clip is
lined internally with a resilient material, and a
resilient material lining the second arm is shaped to
form a projection extending outwardly from the second
arm, which projection acts upon the resilient lining
on the first arm to spring urge the arms apart until
the second arm has been sufficiently flattened to
latch the free end securely under the lip of the
first arm.
3. A device as claimed in Claim 2, in which the
resilient material is medical grade silicon rubber.

4. A sexual sterilizing clamp to occlude a duct bearing
gametes, the clamp comprising first and second jaws
hingedly connected together by a hinge at inner ends
of the jaws, the first jaw having a lip spaced at a
first spacing from the hinge, the second jaw having a
catch portion and being deformable between an initial
condition in which the second jaw is curved and the
catch portion is spaced from the hinge by a second
spacing which is smaller than the first spacing, and
a second condition in which the second jaw is more
flattened and the catch portion is spaced from the
hinge by a third spacing which is larger than the
first spacing, so that when the second jaw is in the
initial condition and the catch portion is generally
adjacent the lip, a clearance exists between the
catch portion and the lip, and when the second jaw is
in the second condition, the catch portion extends
under the lip of the first arm, thus holding the
clamp closed.
5. A clamp as claimed in Claim 4, in which the jaws have
oppositely facing inner faces, each face supporting a
lining of resilient material, the resilient material
lining the second jaw being shaped to form a
projection extending outwardly beyond the catch
portion of the second jaw so that the projection acts
upon the resilient lining of the first jaw to spring
urge the jaws apart until the second jaw has been
sufficiently flattened to latch the catch portion
securely under the lip of the first jaw.
6. A device as claimed in Claim 5, in which the
resilient material is medical grade silicon rubber.
B182:381:63

Description

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SPECIFICATION
This invention relates to a sexual sterilization
device in the form of a clip adapted to be clamped on a
Fallopian tube or a vas deferen.s to effect occlusion
thereof.
U.K. Patent Specification No. 1 530 282
describes and claims a clip of this general type, and this
form of clip has been widely used with a very small
failure rate. Improvements in the reliability of this
clip have been achieved by providing the clip with a
latching arrangement, whereby one jaw is held under a lip
on the other jaw, after closure of the clip, but because
of the sllght inherent resilience of the metal of the
clip, titanium, it has been found that it is still
possible for a small passageway to be left open for the
passage of gametes if sufficient closing force is not
exercised on the clip during application, and this could
lead to a failure of sterilization.
~ Additionally, the clips are applied by an
applicator which has clamping jaws remotely operated
through appropriate linkages. It is possible for the
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applicator to be incorrectly assembled, for example after
disassembly for;sterilization of the instrument, or for
the linkages to become worn after prolonged use, in either
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case making it i~possible for the surgeon to apply
sufficient pressure to the clip to close it fully. ~he
conventional clip may in these circumstances appear
properly closed, but still leave a srnall passageway for
gametesJ or the potential for such a passageway after the
normal physiological changes in the tube have taken place
after clamping.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a
sexual sterilization device in the form of a clip adapted
to be clamped on and thereby to occlude a duct through
which gametes pass, comprising a pair of clamping jaws
hinged together, the first jaw having a lip under which
the free end of the second jaw is engaged to hold the clip `
closed, wherein the second jaw is deformable and is
dimensioned and arranged such that the free end thereof
can only engage under the lip after deformation of the
second jaw into occluding engagement with the first jaw.
.
It wlll be understood that occluding engagement
occurs when the duct is permanently closed to the passage
of gametes.
Preferably, the second jaw initially curves
: outwardly~between the ends thereof from the first jaw,
,
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deformation serving to flatten the second jaw towards the
first.
The clip is preferably lined internally with a
resilient material, such as a medial grade silicone
rubber
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It has been found that, using clips according to
the present invention, it is i~lpossible to latch the
second jaw under the lip of the first jaw and still leave
a passage for the gametes, and it is therefore expected --~
that a significant reduction in the already small number
of failures~of the clip will be achieved.
A specific embodiment of the invention will now
be described, by:way of example only, with the use of
drawings in whioh:
:;
: : Figure 1 is:a side elevation of a clip in
accordance with~a preferred embodiment of the invention,
in:its~fully open poeition;
~ Figure;~2 ls a view corresponding to Figure 1,
with the second~:jaw in position prior to closure of the
clip: and~
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Figure 3 is a view corresponding to Figure 1,
with the clip closed on a tube representing a duct for
gametes.
Referring now to the drawings, the clip
comprises a first jaw 1 in the form of a flat plate la
having one end curved over to form a lip lb, and the other
end provided with upstanding side plates lc with aligned
holes ld therein. A second jaw 2 is formed with small
posts 2a extending from each side thereof adjacent to one
end, the posts 2a serving as a pivot for mounting in the
holes ld to provide a hinging action between the two
jaws. The second jaw 2 is curved so as to present a~
concave face to the first jaw 1, and has catch_iDe~n 2b
at the free end thereof, bent outwardly from the concave
face.
The two jaws 1 and 2 are formed from
commercially pure titaniu~, and are provided with linings
3 and 4 of medical grade silicone rubber. The linings are
provide~d with longitudinal ribs 3a and 4a to reduce the
risk of damage to the duct to which the clip is applied.
The lining 3 for the first jaw 1 substantially fills the
space 5 defined between the lip lb`and the flat part la.
~The l~inlng 4~on the catch portion of 2b of the second jaw
2~has~ a proiection 4b.
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The spacing C lFigure 2) relative to the overall
length of the jaw 2 ensures that only when the second jaw
2 is sufficiently deformed to guarantee full occlusion of
the tube will sufficient of the catch portion 2b (distance
,r' B in Figure~) be caught under the lip lb to hold the -
closed. If the second jaw is not sufficiently deformed,
and the distance is less than B, the resilience of the
projection 4b, coacting with the lining in the space 5,
will push the catch portion 2b clear of the lip lb, and it
will be Immediately apparent to the surgeon applying the
clip that it is not yet latched closed.
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A further advantage of the resilience of the
projection 4b, and the lining in the space 5, is that it
prevents excessive deformation of the second jaw 2, with
consequent risk of damage to the duct to which it is being
` applied.
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In practice, the;clip of the invention is
applied~to a duct by~the use of an applicatorj which
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enables the surgeon remotely to locate the clip and then
apply pressure to deform~the second jaw and close the
clip. Such applicators~ are known for use with existing
clips~of this type, as hereinbefore described.
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It will be appreciate~ that the clip of the
invention can be readily adapted, for exa~ple by suitably
modifying the dimensions and closure position of the jaws,
for ~se either on the Fallopian tube or on vas deferens.
It can be seen that the clamp has two hingedly connected
~aws or arms in which the lip lb of the first jaw serves
a~ a latching portion which engages the free end or catch
portion 2b of the second arm. Spacing between the hinge of
the clam~ and the catch portion at the free end o~ the
second arm defines ~length~ of the second arm, which
length can vary from:the initial position in which the arm
is curved, to the second condition, in which the arm is
flattened and the:length is greater. --.
.
While a specific embodiment of the invention has
:
been described~, sucb description shouId be taken as
illustrative only and~ n~t limiting the~scope of the
in~èntion as:defln~e~d~ in~accordance with the accompanying
claims.~
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Representative Drawing