Abstract: A cervical clamp for preventing reflux of a fluid medium such as carbon dioxide or a saline solution injected into a uterus. The clamp has a plurality of outwardly bowed, flexible fingers for gripping a cervix. The fingers operate between an open finger position for receiving the cervix and a closed finger position for grasping the cervix and radially compressing it against a sheath in the cervical canal through which the fluid medium is injected into the uterus.

Abstract: A surgical forceps for use in clamping vascular tissue in a body cavity where the tissue being clamped may not be in full view of an operator. The forceps have jaws of uneven length with a projection on the longer jaw starting immediately at the end and extending above the shorter jaw when the forceps are closed. The shorter jaw closes adjacent the projection, with minimal space between, thus ensuring that a selected vascular tissue is contained between the jaws and the projection.

Abstract: A surgical needle for use in narrow, deep incisions in the abdominal wall opening into the abdominal cavity. The needle can be used to suture laparoscopic incisions and to suture an artery, ligament and the like which is reached through the incision. The needle has an elongated shaft with a proximally directed hook at its distal end. At its proximal end, there is a handle or indicia for indicating the direction of the hook. The hook is pointed and has an eye adjacent its point through which a suture can be threaded. The hook is of a size and shape that it can be inserted through the incision and manipulated from the opening of the shaft to place the suture "through and through" a selected portion of the abdominal wall from the base of the incision.

Abstract: A surgical stitching device allows a surgeon to place a "through and through" suture. The device includes a hollow needle with an inner needle slidingly disposed with the hollow needle. The inner needle has a groove which can be retracted within the hollow needle for grasping a suture. When the groove is filled with a suture and retracted in the hollow needle, the device can be used to make an incision through tissue and to deliver a length of suture to the bottom of the incision. The device can then be withdrawn or a second device with an empty groove used to make an incision through the tissue at a neighboring location. The device at the second incision is then used to regrasp the suture and to pull it through the tissue at the second incision. The ends of the suture at the first and second incisions are then tied in a knot around the tissue.

Abstract: A new Tenaculum for gripping the human uterine cervix presses it against an inserted medical instrument such as the sheath of a hysteroscope. The new tenaculum has a pair of movable extension members which branch into two spaced arms each extending into a knob. Each knob has a tooth which projects toward an oppositely facing knob, with the teeth offset to avoid point to point interface. Each knob has a substantially flat surface for engaging the cervix to better distribute the gripping force. The teeth and knobs are integral with their corresponding extension member.