Surgical clamp having treatment elements

Abstract

A medical device is provided having a means for actuating a pair of opposing jaw members. The jaw members are movable relative to one another from a first position, wherein the jaw members are disposed in a spaced apart relation relative to one another, to a second position, wherein the jaw members cooperate to grasp tissue therebetween. An ablation tool is connected to at least one of the jaws members, such that the jaw members are capable of conducting ablation energy through the tissue grasped therebetween.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A medical device comprising an elongate shaft, a cooling element, and a second element movable with respect to the cooling element to define a clamp, wherein the movable element is selectively detachable from the shaft. 
     
     
         2 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of each of the elongate shaft, cooling element, and second element are thermally insulated. 
     
     
         3 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein the elongate shaft defines a coolant flow path. 
     
     
         4 . The medical device of  claim 3 , wherein at least one of the cooling element and second element defines a coolant flow path that is in fluid communication with the coolant flow path defined by the elongate shaft. 
     
     
         5 . The medical device of  claim 4 , wherein both the cooling element and second element each define a coolant flow path. 
     
     
         6 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the cooling element and the second element includes a temperature measurement device. 
     
     
         7 . The medical device of  claim 6 , wherein at least one of the cooling element and the second element includes an impedance measurement device. 
     
     
         8 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein the second element includes a temperature sensor. 
     
     
         9 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is operable to clamp an area of target tissue when the second element is attached to the shaft, and the device is operable to ablate the target tissue area when the second element is either attached to the shaft or detached from the shaft. 
     
     
         10 . A method for evaluating transmurality of a lesion comprising:
 positioning a first and a second jaw of an ablating device about tissue to be treated;   applying a cooling element to at least the first jaw of the ablating device; and   measuring temperature from a temperature sensor associated with the second jaw of the ablating device.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein at least a portion of each of the first jaw and the second jaw are thermally insulated. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the device further includes an elongate shaft, at least a portion of which is thermally insulated. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the elongate shaft defines a coolant flow path. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the cooling element is in fluid communication with the coolant flow path defined by the elongate shaft. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the step of applying a cooling element to at least the first jaw of the ablating device ablates the tissue between the first jaw and second jaw to create a lesion. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising determining the transmurality of the lesion. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the transmurality of the lesion is determined by measuring the temperature from the temperature sensor associated with the second jaw of the ablating device. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the lesion is determined to be transmural when the temperature sensor associated with the second jaw of the ablating device measures a temperature of between approximately −60° C. and approximately −20° C. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the lesion is determined to be transmural when the temperature sensor associated with the second jaw of the ablating device measures a temperature of approximately −40° C. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the lesion is determined to be transmural when the temperature sensor associated with the second jaw of the ablating device measures a temperature of approximately −40° C. for a time duration of approximately two minutes.