SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PERCUTANEOUS ACCESS AND FORMATION OF ARTERIOVENOUS FISTULAS

摘要

A device and method for creating an arteriovenous (AV) fistula includes a proximal base having a distal diagonal end surface and a distal tip connected to the proximal base and movable relative to the proximal base. The distal tip has a proximal diagonal end surface. A heating assembly, including an energized heating element, is disposed one of the distal diagonal end surface and the proximal diagonal end surface. A passive heating assembly is disposed on the mating diagonal end surface. The distal diagonal end surface and the proximal diagonal end surface are adapted to contact opposing sides of a tissue portion to create a fistula. The angle of the proximal diagonal end surface matches the angle of the distal diagonal end surface, so that the two surfaces match one another during deployment.

主权项

1. A system for creating an arteriovenous (AV) fistula, comprising:
a proximal base having a distal diagonal end surface; a distal tip connected to the proximal base and movable relative to the proximal base, the distal tip having a proximal diagonal end surface, the distal diagonal end surface and the proximal diagonal end surface being adapted to contact opposing sides of a tissue portion to create the fistula; a heating assembly comprising an energizable heating element disposed on at least one of the distal diagonal end surface and the proximal diagonal end surface; and a heat spreader comprising a passive non-energized heat conductive element disposed on the other one of the distal diagonal end surface and the proximal diagonal end surface; wherein a portion of the embedded heater is shaped to a desired blood flow aperture profile and sufficiently raised above the base of the embedded heater so as to cut said profile in the tissue portion, the raised profile being adapted to contact the heat spreader and to conductively communicate heat for the purpose of welding tissues together.