Methods and apparatus for making anastomotic connections larger than the graft conduit

摘要

Methods and apparatus for making an anastomotic connection between an opening at an end of a graft conduit and an aperture in a side wall of a body tissue conduit using a hollow connector assembly are provided, wherein the cross-sectional area of the anastomotic connection is larger than that of the graft conduit. The tissue about the opening is introduced about and retained by first members of a distal portion of the connector assembly held by a loading tool. A delivery tool then collapses a proximal portion defined by second members of the connector assembly and delivers the second members into the lumen of the body tissue conduit via the aperture. Upon inserting the second members into the body tissue conduit, the delivery tool is disemployed and the second members expand such that they press against the interior wall of the body tissue conduit and such that the first members are held within the aperture against a medial wall of the body tissue conduit.

主权项

1. A connector assembly useful for making an anastomotic connection between an opening prepared at an end of a graft tissue conduit and an aperture in a side wall of a body tissue conduit in a patient, said connector assembly comprising:
a body disposed annularly about a longitudinal axis and having axially spaced distal and proximal portions, the distal portion having an annular element including a graft retention component to secure the tissue of the graft tissue conduit about the opening to the connector assembly, and the proximal portion having a plurality of annularly spaced body fingers, wherein the proximal portion is configured to be delivered into the body tissue conduit through the aperture; the body having a constrained condition and an expanded condition, the distal portion in the constrained condition having a first configuration and the proximal portion in the constrained condition having a first configuration in which the plurality of annularly spaced body fingers extend substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, and the distal portion in the expanded condition having the first configuration and the proximal portion in the expanded condition having a second configuration in which the plurality of annularly spaced body fingers extend generally radially outward from the longitudinal axis, wherein the distal portion of the body is configured to be disposed within a lumen defined by an interior surface of the graft tissue conduit, such that an annular inside-retention element of the graft retention component is configured to engage the interior surface of the graft tissue conduit about the opening in an assembled condition.