Medical graft component and methods of installing same

• US 20030109887A1
• Filed: 01/15/2003
• Published: 06/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/1998
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: St Jude Medical ATG Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: St Jude Medical ATG Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Swanson, William J., Galdonik, Jason A., Berg, Todd Allen, Wahlberg, Mark D.
• Application Number:
  US10/345,470
• Publication Number:
  US 20030109887A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/108
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/064 with special features to facilitate anastomotic coupling anastomosis of natural blood vessels A61B17/11
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/848 having means for fixation to the vessel wall, e.g. barbs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/91 made from perforated sheet material or tubes, e.g. perforated by laser cuts or etched holes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/915 with bands having a meander structure, adjacent bands being connected to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/95 Instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/075 the stent being loosely attached to the graft material, e.g. by stitching
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91541 Adjacent bands are arranged out of phase
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91558 connected peak to peak
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91566 connected trough to trough
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9511 the retaining means being filaments or wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0008 Fixation appliances for connecting prostheses to the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0075 sutured, ligatured or stitched, retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0013 Horseshoe-shaped, e.g. crescent-shaped, C-shaped, U-shaped

Abstract

Apparatus for securing an axial end portion of a tubular graft conduit in a lumen of a patient'"'"'s existing tubular body organ structure via an aperture in a side wall thereof is disclosed. An anchor device is configured for attachment to the end portion of the tubular graft conduit. The anchor device defines a constant axial length and a cross-section radially expandable between a first diameter sized for insertion into the aperture in the side wall of the body conduit and a second diameter sized to secure the end portion of the tubular graft conduit coaxially between the anchor device and the lumen of the tubular body conduit. The anchor device defines a longitudinal axis that may change between a substantially straight configuration and a curvilinear configuration such that the cross-section remains substantially unchanged.

Claims

1. Apparatus for securing an axial end portion of a new length of tubing in a lumen of a patient'"'"'s existing tubular body organ structure so that the lumen of the new length of tubing is partially coaxially disposed within the lumen of the existing tubular body organ structure and communicates with the lumen of the existing tubular body organ structure via an aperture in a side wall thereof to permit fluid flow between the lumens, comprising:

an anchor device, having a body portion and an attachment member, the attachment member deflected radially outwardly from the body portion and adapted for penetration of both the end portion of the new length of tubing and the existing tubular body organ structure, the body portion defining a substantially constant axial length and a cross-section expandable between a first diameter sized for insertion into the aperture in the side wall of the body conduit and a second diameter sized to secure the end portion of the new length of tubing coaxially between the anchor device and the lumen of the existing tubular structure, wherein the body portion has a plurality of axially extending members having axial lengths that remain substantially constant during radial expansion; and

a delivery device configured for coaxial insertion into the existing tubular structure and configured to expand the anchor device to the second diameter, wherein the delivery device further comprises a tapered structure positioned distal to the anchor device to facilitate introduction of the anchor device into the existing tubular structure, wherein the tapered structure partially surrounds the body portion during said introduction of the body portion into the existing tubular structure.

2. Apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the tapered structure is relatively movable with respect to the body portion into the existing tubular structure to a position spaced apart from the body portion during the expansion thereof between the first and second diameters, and wherein the tapered structure is configured for withdrawal within and through the body portion following the expansion.

3. Apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the anchor device has a plurality of axial members and a plurality of circumferential members connected to the axial members, each circumferential member having a first configuration and a second configuration relatively expanded with respect to the first configuration.

4. Apparatus defined in claim 3, wherein the circumferential members are deformable between the first and the second configuration.

5. Apparatus defined in claim 4, wherein the anchor device is configured such that the deformation of the circumferential members produces relative radial displacement of adjacent axial members with respect to one another.

6. Apparatus defined in claim 3, wherein the first configuration of the circumferential members is substantially serpentine.

7. Apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the anchor device defines an aperture configured to receive a suture for securing the end portion of the new length of tubing to the anchor device.

8. Apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the anchor device defines a longitudinal axis movable between a substantially straight configuration and a curvilinear configuration such that the cross-section remains substantially unchanged in said configurations.

9. Apparatus defined in claim 8, wherein the anchor device comprises a plurality of axial members, each having an expansion link to permit elongation of the respective axial member.

10. Apparatus defined in claim 9, wherein the expansion link is configured for independent expansion with respect to an adjacent expansion link.

11. Apparatus defined in claim 9, wherein the expansion link is plastically deformable between a compressed and an expanded configuration.

12. Apparatus defined in claim 11, wherein the expansion link has a substantially “

V”

-shaped configuration.

13. Apparatus defined in claim 12, wherein the expansion link extends radially outward and is configured to receive a suture for securing the graft conduit to the anchor device.

14. Apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the anchor device comprises a positioning member extending radially outward from said anchor device and configured to engage the side wall of the existing tubular structure.

15. Apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the anchor device comprises a positioning member extending radially outward from said anchor device and positioned at a predetermined location along the axial length thereof and configured to engage the side wall of the existing tubular structure when the anchor device has been inserted a predetermined distance into the existing tubular structure.

16. Apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the anchor device comprises a positioning member extending radially outward from said anchor device and positioned at a predetermined location along the axial length thereof and configured to provide a tactile indication to a user upon engagement with the side wall of the existing tubular structure when the anchor device has been inserted a predetermined distance into the existing tubular structure.

17. Apparatus defined in claim 8, wherein the anchor device comprises a plurality of axial members configured for relative radial movement and differential axial elongation with respect to adjacent axial members.

18. Apparatus defined in claim 17, wherein the axial members are interconnected by circumferential members deformable between a compressed and an expanded configuration.

19. Apparatus defined in claim 18, wherein each of the axial members has an expansion link configured to allow elongation of the axial member.

20. Apparatus defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a delivery device configured for coaxial insertion into the existing tubular structure and configured to expand the anchor device to the second diameter.

21. Apparatus defined in claim 20, wherein the delivery device further comprises a tapered structure positioned distal to the anchor device to facilitate introduction of the anchor device into the existing tubular structure.

22. Apparatus defined in claim 20, wherein the delivery device defines an axial bore, and the apparatus further comprises:

an elongated guide structure slidably received in the axial bore and configured for insertion into the existing tubular structure.

23. Apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the attachment member is plastically deformable to the position deflected radially outwardly from the body portion.

24. Apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the attachment member is configured to receive a suture for attaching the new length of tubing to the anchor device.

25. Apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the body portion has an articulation cell that allows the body portion to conform to a curve of the existing tubular body organ structure.