Clamp assembly and method of use

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The invention provides less-invasive devices and methods for clamping and cannulating a hollow and/or tubular body structure.
More specifically, the invention provides thoracoscopic methods and devices for isolating the heart and coronary blood vessels from the remainder of the arterial system.
The methods and devices eliminate the need for a median sternotomy or other form of gross thoracotomy to obtain access into the thoracic cavity.
At the same time, the invention does not rely upon endovascular access into the ascending aorta through punctures in peripheral arteries and is therefore useful when such punctures are undesirable or where arterial access locations are unavailable due to inadequate vessel diameter, vessel stenosis, vascular injury, or other conditions.
In a preferred embodiment of the method of the invention, a clamp is introduced into the patient's thoracic cavity through a percutaneous intercostal penetration in the patient's chest, typically using a trocar sleeve.
The clamp is detachably mounted to the distal end of a clamp positioner.
After the clamp is positioned around the ascending aorta, the clamp is actuated from outside the patient's thoracic cavity to clamp onto the aorta and at least partially block fluid flow through the aorta.
The clamp is then disengaged from the distal end of the clamp positioner and the clamp positioner is preferably removed from the thoracic cavity to provide enhanced access to the region in question.
Removal of the clamp positioner also frees up the trocar sleeve for the introduction of other instruments into the thoracic cavity.
In this manner, the number and/or size of the incisions required to perform the medical procedure are minimized.
In a preferred embodiment, the clamp includes a pair of jaws each having a contact surface for engaging opposing sides of the aorta.
The jaws may be hinged, deflectable, rotatable, or otherwise movable from an open position, suitable for positioning about the ascending aorta, to a clamping position configured to block blood flow through the aorta