Medical grafting methods and apparatus

• US 20030083541A1
• Filed: 12/02/2002
• Published: 05/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1997
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: St Jude Medical ATG Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories)
• Original Assignee: St Jude Medical ATG Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories)
• Inventors: Sullivan, Daniel J., Bachinski, Thomas J., Goldsteen, David S.
• Application Number:
  US10/309,377
• Publication Number:
  US 20030083541A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/36
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32056 Surgical snare instruments for removing or smashing calculi A61B2017/2212; tonsillotomes A61B17/26
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/003 Steerable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2939 Details of linkages or pivot points
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/306 using optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3614 using optical fibre
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/064 with special features to facilitate anastomotic coupling anastomosis of natural blood vessels A61B17/11
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/90 characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/95 Instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/958 Inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/826 more than one stent being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0175 having telescopic features, interengaging nestable members movable in relations to one another
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0233 specifically adapted for attaching to a body wall by means which are on both sides of the wall, e.g. for attaching to an abdominal wall
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 623/903 Blood vessel

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for delivering and installing a new length of tubing between two sections of a patient'"'"'s existing body organ tubing and at least partly outside of that existing structure. For example, the new length of tubing may be for the purpose of providing the patient with a coronary bypass. The new tubing may be an artificial graft, a natural graft (harvested elsewhere from the patient), or both. The new tubing is delivered to and installed at the operative site primarily by working through the patient'"'"'s existing tubular body organ structure. This avoids the need for any significant surgery on the patient.

Claims

1. Apparatus for radially enlarging a structure used in a medical procedure comprising:

a first elongated component having axially spaced proximal and distal portions;

first and second members mounted for radial movement relative to the distal portion of the first component, the first and second members being movable along respective different radii of the first component; and

a second elongated component substantially parallel to the first component, the second component being operatively connected to the first and second members and movable relative to the first component to produce the radial movement of the first and second members.

2. The apparatus defined in claim 1 further comprising:

a selectively inflatable balloon on the distal portion of the first component.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein the balloon extends annularly around the distal portion of the first component.

4. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the first and second members are pivotally mounted on the distal portion of the first component.

5. The apparatus defined in claim 4 wherein the pivotal axis of each of the first and second members is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the first component.

6. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the second component is longitudinally movable relative to the first component to produce the radial movement of the first and second members.

7. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the first and second components are substantially concentric with one another.

8. The apparatus defined in claim 1 further comprising:

first and second links operatively connected between the second component and the first and second members, respectively.

9. The apparatus defined in claim 8 wherein each of the first and second links is pivotally connected to the second component and to the respective first or second member.

10. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the first component comprises a tubular member.

11. The apparatus defined in claim 10 wherein the second component is disposed substantially coaxially in the tubular member.

12. The apparatus defined in claim 11 wherein the second component comprises an elongated wire member.