Anastomosis apparatus and methods of deployment and manufacture

• US 20050080437A1
• Filed: 10/08/2003
• Published: 04/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David Walter Wright
• Original Assignee: David Walter Wright
• Inventors: Wright, David Walter
• Granted Patent: US 7,267,680 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/153
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0644 penetrating the tissue, deformable to closed position
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/11 for performing anastomosis; Buttons for anastomosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/115 Staplers for performing anastomosis in a single operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0641 having at least three legs as part of one single body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1135 End-to-side connections, e.g. T- or Y-connections Y-shaped blood vessel prostheses A61F2002/065

Abstract

A method and apparatus for making an anastomosis between a tubular duct and a vessel has an annulus having a longitudinal axis, a first set of fingers and a second set of fingers. The first set of fingers extend axially from the annulus in one direction and the second set of fingers extending axially from the annulus in another direction generally opposite the direction of the first set of fingers. The first and second sets of fingers are movable to penetrate the tubular duct and the vessel, respectively, as they move from a biased configuration to an unbiased configuration.

Claims

1. An apparatus for securing a tubular duct having a wall to a vessel having a wall, comprising:

an annulus having a longitudinal axis;

a first set of fingers extending at least in part axially from said annulus in one direction, said first set of fingers being movable between first and second configurations, said first set of fingers extending at least in part radially inwardly toward said longitudinal axis while in their second configuration;

a second set of fingers extending at least in part axially from said annulus in another direction generally opposite said one direction, said second set of fingers being movable between first and second configurations, said second set of fingers extending at least in part radially outwardly from said longitudinal axis while in their second configuration; and

said first set of fingers configured to penetrate the wall of the tubular duct as they move from their first configuration to their second configuration and said second set of fingers configured to penetrate the wall of the vessel as they move from their first configuration to their second configuration.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said first set of fingers have an outer surface facing generally away from said longitudinal axis when in their first configuration.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein each of said outer surfaces extend to a free end and have a bevel extending from said free end along at least a portion of said outer surface.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said bevels extend from said free ends generally away from said longitudinal axis when in said first configuration.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said second set of fingers have an inner surface facing generally toward said longitudinal axis when in their first configuration.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein each of said inner surfaces extend to a free end and have a bevel extending from said free end along at least a portion of said inner surface.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said bevels extend from said free ends generally toward said longitudinal axis when in said first configuration.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said fingers are constructed of resiliently springy material.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said annulus has a midsection extending annularly generally between said first and second sets of fingers.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said midsection is generally zig-zag shaped.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said midsection has a plurality of tangs extending radially therefrom.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first set of fingers are circumferentially offset from said second set of fingers.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first and second sets of fingers are generally linear while in their first configurations and nonlinear in while in their second configurations.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first and second sets of fingers are at least partially arcuate while in their second configurations.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first and second sets of fingers are generally hook shaped while in their second configurations.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first and second sets of fingers are generally S-shaped in axial cross section while in their second configuration.

17. A method of forming an annulus having a longitudinal axis and a first set of fingers extending axially from said annulus in one direction and being movable between a first, biased and generally flattened configuration and a second, unbiased and generally hook shaped configuration and having a second set of fingers extending axially from said annulus in another direction generally opposite said one direction and being movable between a first, biased and generally flattened configuration and a second, unbiased and generally hook shaped configuration extending for securing a tubular duct having a wall to a vessel having a wall, comprising the steps of:

providing a thin sheet of material;

fabricating a generally flat annular pattern from said sheet with said pattern having said first set of fingers extending radially inwardly toward one another and said second set of fingers extending radially outwardly away from one another;

providing a set of dies having outer surfaces;

forming said pattern to conform to said outer surfaces of said dies;

providing a heat source; and

applying heat from said heat source to said pattern to maintain said first and second sets of fingers in their second, unbiased and generally hook shaped configuration.

18. The method of claim 17 including the step of forming said first set of fingers in a circumferentially offset relation to said second set of fingers.

19. The method of claim 17 including the step of fabricating a generally zig zag shaped midsection extending annularly generally between said first and second sets of fingers.

20. The method of claim 19 including the step of fabricating a plurality of tangs extending radially outwardly from said midsection.

21. The method of claim 17 including the step of fabricating a bevel extending from an end of each of said sets of fingers along at least a portion of said sets of fingers.

22. The method of claim 21 including forming said bevel on one of said first and second sets of fingers to face away from a longitudinal axis of said annulus and forming said bevel on the other of said first and second sets of fingers to face toward said longitudinal axis.

23. The method of claim 21 including placing said flat annular pattern between a pair of plates, said plates each having a through hole and axially passing a honing rod through said through holes in one direction to engage said first set of fingers extending radially inwardly from said through holes and removing material from said first set of fingers to form said bevel on said first set of fingers.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein said through holes are concentrically aligned with one another and said honing rod has an outer diameter smaller than said through holes.

25. The method of claim 23 further comprising rotating said honing rod while passing said honing rod through said through holes.

26. The method of claim 21 including placing said flat annular pattern between a pair of plates, said plates each having an outer diameter concentrically aligned with one another and axially passing a honing cylinder having a bore larger than said outer diameters over said plates in one direction to engage said second set of fingers extending radially outwardly from said out diameters and removing material from said second set of fingers to form said bevel on said second set of fingers.

27. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of fabricating said flat annular pattern includes chemically etching said sheet of material.

28. The method of claim 17 including roughening an outer surface of said flat annular pattern after the fabricating step.

29. The method of claim 28 including applying a bio-adhesive to said outer surface of said annulus.

30. The method of claim 17 including removing impurities from an outer surface of said flat annular pattern after the fabricating step.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein said removing impurities step is performed utilizing a passivation process.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein said passivation process is performed utilizing an etching acid.

33. The method of claim 17 including cleaning an outer surface of said flat annular pattern utilizing a plasma cleaning process after the fabricating step.

34. An apparatus for securing a tubular duct having a wall to a vessel having an outer wall, comprising:

an annulus having a longitudinal axis;

a first set of fingers extending axially from said annulus in one direction, said first set of fingers being movable between a biased, generally flattened configuration and a unbiased, generally hook shaped configuration;

a second set of fingers extending axially from said annulus in a second direction generally opposite said one direction, said second set of fingers being movable between a biased, generally flattened configuration and a unbiased, generally hook shaped configuration;

a mandrel having an outer surface received in said annulus and said outer surface projecting axially sufficiently to bear against both of said sets of fingers;

a housing encircling said annulus and projecting axially sufficiently to encircle both of said sets of fingers;

said mandrel and said housing arranged in one relative position to bias both of said sets of fingers in their generally flattened configuration;

said mandrel and said housing being moveable axially relative to one another in a selected one of two opposite directions a distance sufficient to relieve the bias applied on a selected set of said fingers and enable said selected set of fingers to move toward their generally hook shaped configuration, and

the fingers of one of said sets being capable of embedding themselves into said wall of said tubular duct and the fingers of the other of said sets being capable of embedding themselves into said outer wall of said vessel.

35. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein one of said sets of fingers extend radially inwardly toward said longitudinal axis of said annulus while in their generally flattened configuration.

36. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein the other of said sets of fingers extend radially outwardly from said longitudinal axis of said annulus while in their generally hook shaped configuration.

37. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein said mandrel has an annular seat for the accommodation of one end of said tubular duct.

38. An apparatus for deploying an annulus having a longitudinal axis with a first and a second set of fingers with the first set of fingers extending axially from the annulus in one direction and being movable between a biased, generally flattened configuration and a unbiased, generally hook shaped configuration extending generally inwardly toward the longitudinal axis and the second set of fingers extending axially from the annulus in a second direction generally opposite the direction of the first, set of fingers and being movable between a biased, generally flattened configuration and a unbiased, generally hook shaped configuration extending generally outwardly from the longitudinal axis wherein the first set of fingers operate to penetrate a wall of a tubular duct as they move from their biased configuration to their unbiased configuration and the second set of fingers operate to penetrate a wall of a vessel as they move from their biased configuration to their unbiased configuration to attach the tubular duct to the vessel, said apparatus comprising:

a housing having an inner wall defining a generally cylindrical passage;

a generally cylindrical plunger sized for receipt in said cylindrical passage; and

a mandrel having a generally cylindrical wall projecting axially sufficiently to bear against the first and second sets of fingers and sized to accommodate the annulus and the plunger between said outer surface and said passage of said housing.

39. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said housing further comprises an outer wall and an annular base connecting said outer wall to said inner wall and defining at least in part a chamber between said inner and outer walls.

40. The apparatus of claim 39 further comprising a conduit passing through said outer wall of said housing and communicating with said chamber.

41. The apparatus of claim 39 wherein said base has a port extending into said chamber.

42. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein said port extends circumferentially about said base.

43. The apparatus of claim 39 further comprising a conduit extending between said inner and outer walls of said housing.

44. The apparatus of claim 43 wherein said conduit passes through said chamber.

45. The apparatus of claim 44 wherein said conduit defines a passage separate from said chamber.

46. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said mandrel has an annular seat extending transversely to said wall, said annular seat and said wall defining at least in part a chamber within said mandrel.

47. The apparatus of claim 46 wherein said annular seat has a port extending into said chamber.

48. The apparatus of claim 47 wherein said port extends circumferentially about said seat.

49. The apparatus of claim 46 wherein a locating plug extends generally transversely from said seat and generally concentrically to said wall.

50. The apparatus of claim 49 wherein said locating plug has a wall with an inner surface defining at least in part said chamber.

51. The apparatus of claim 50 wherein said wall has a port extending therethrough and into said chamber.

52. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said housing, said plunger and said mandrel are operable to move axially relative to one another.

53. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said plunger has a wall with a hinge allowing said wall to articulate about said hinge.

54. The apparatus of claim 53 wherein said wall of said plunger is separable along a portion of said wall diametrically opposite said hinge.

55. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said housing has a wall with a hinge allowing said wall to articulate about said hinge.

56. The apparatus of claim 55 wherein said wall of said housing is separable along a portion of said wall diametrically opposite said hinge.