Patent ID: 7367984

Claim:
A sizing tool for sizing the tissue valve lumen of a tissue valve annulus of a fresh donor tissue valve isolation by a user comprising: means adapted to be grasped in a user's hand for supporting first and second probes; wherein the means for supporting the first and second probes further comprises a handle mechanism having a handle grip adapted to be grasped by the user and a movable jaw supporting the second probe extending away from the movable jaw, respectively, the handle mechanism further comprising a fixed jaw supporting the first probe extending away from the fixed jaw, wherein: the handle mechanism comprises a gage platform; the movable jaw is supported by jaw guides between the gage platform and the fixed jaw; means operable by the user for moving the second probe toward the first probe while the first probe remains stationary in disposing the first and second probes in a starting position enabling insertion of the first and second probes into the tissue valve lumen; wherein the means for disposing the first and second probes in a starting position comprises a trigger mechanism having a trigger adapted to be pulled by the user grasping the handle grip to urge the movable jaw toward the fixed jaw thereby disposing the first and second probes in a starting position; means for linearly separating the first and second probes apart within the tissue valve lumen until the first and second probes are restrained from further movement by contact with the tissue valve annulus; wherein the means for separating the first and second probes apart comprises a bias spring disposed between the fixed jaw and the movable jaw that urges the movable jaw away from the fixed jaw to separate the first probe from the second probe; and means for measuring the separation distance that the first and second probes are moved apart, whereby the measurement provides an indication of the tissue valve lumen diameter.