Surgical System and Method For Attaching a Prosthetic Vessel to a Hollow Structure

• US 20080200978A1
• Filed: 05/25/2006
• Published: 08/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Texas Heart Institute
• Original Assignee: Texas Heart Institute
• Inventors: Cohn, William E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,955,969 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.36
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0686 having a forming anvil staying below the tissue during stapling
• 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 2017/1107 for blood vessels
• 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 system and method for joining an end of a tubular prosthesis to the wall of a vessel wherein an anvil is inserted into the vessel through an opening in the vessel wall produced by a cutting surface on the anvil. The anvil is operated via an anvil handle which may extend through the tubular prosthesis. The tubular prosthesis is guided to the opening in the vessel wall whereupon jaws clamp the prosthesis around the anvil. Staples mounted on the jaws engage the anvil and are bent to thereby staple the end of the tubular prosthesis to the vessel wall. A cutting edge may be mounted to the anvil and utilized to create an enlarged hole to permit blood flow into the tubular prosthesis and to permit removal of the anvil from the vessel.

Claims

1. A surgical attaching system for joining a tubular prosthesis to a wall of a native vessel of an animate body, comprising:

a tubular prosthesis suitable for joining to said wall of said vessel;

at least two jaws, said tubular prosthesis being secured to said at least two jaws; and

an anvil mounted so as to be moveable through said tubular prosthesis.

2. The surgical attaching system of claim 1, further comprising a sharp portion of said anvil suitable for making an opening in said vessel, said anvil being sized for insertion through said opening in said vessel.

3. The surgical attaching system of claim 1, further comprising said at least two jaws being mounted with respect to said anvil for positioning said tubular prosthesis in surrounding relationship to said opening in said vessel.

4. The surgical attaching system of claim 3, further comprising a handle mounted to said anvil, said handle being movable inside said tubular prosthetic tube graft.

5. The surgical attaching system of claim 1, further comprising a handle by which said at least two jaws are carried, said at least two jaws being pivotally mounted with respect to said handle.

6. The surgical attaching system of claim 1, wherein said anvil is adapted for making an opening in said vessel and insertion through said opening in said vessel.

7. The surgical attaching system of claim 6, further comprising compression surfaces on said at least two jaws, said compression surfaces on said at least two jaws being pivotal to compress a wall of said vessel against opposite sides of said anvil when said anvil is positioned within said vessel.

8. The surgical attaching system of claim 7, further comprising staples mounted to or adjacent to said compression surfaces for stapling said tubular prosthesis to said wall of said vessel.

9. The surgical attaching system of claim 8, further comprising a cutting edge movable within said tubular prosthesis to provide an enlarged opening in said wall of said vessel such that said enlarged opening has a diameter approximately similar to an inner diameter of said tubular prosthesis to permit fluid flow through said hole, said anvil being removable through said tubular prosthesis.

10. The surgical attaching system of claim 1, wherein said tubular prosthesis is woven.

11. A surgical attaching system for joining a tubular prosthesis to a wall of a native vessel of an animate body, comprising:

a tubular prosthesis suitable for joining to said wall of said vessel;

at least two jaws, said at least two jaws being movable with respect to each other, said tubular prosthesis being secured to said at least two jaws;

staples secured to said at least two jaws, said staples being mounted for stapling said tubular prosthesis to an outer surface of said wall of said vessel; and

an anvil sized for insertion into said vessel, said at least two jaws being movable to compress said wall of said vessel against said anvil when said anvil is positioned within said vessel for stapling said tubular prosthesis to said vessel.

12. The surgical attaching system of claim 11, wherein said at least two jaws are pivotally mounted with respect to each other for compressing said wall of said vessel against opposite sides of said anvil for diametrically opposed application of force against said opposite sides of said anvil to effect said stapling.

13. The surgical attaching system of claim 12, further comprising a jaws handle attached to said at least two jaws, said jaws handle being positioned outside of said tubular prosthesis.

14. The surgical attaching system of claim 11, further comprising an anvil handle attached to said anvil, said anvil handle being positioned within an interior of said prosthesis.

15. The surgical attaching system of claim 14, further comprising a cutting edge positioned to produce a fluid flow opening in said wall of said vessel leading into said tubular prosthesis and through which said anvil may be removed through said tubular prosthesis with said anvil handle.

16. The surgical attaching system of claim 11, further comprising a sharpened end of said anvil for producing an opening in said wall of said vessel for insertion of said anvil into said vessel.

17. The surgical attaching system of claim 16, further comprising said at least two jaws being mounted with respect to said anvil for positioning said tubular prosthesis on said wall in surrounding relationship to said opening in said vessel.

18. The surgical attaching system of claim 17, further comprising a cutting edge movable within said tubular prosthesis to enlarge said opening.

19. A surgical attaching system for joining a tubular prosthesis to a wall of a native vessel of an animate body, comprising:

a tubular prosthesis suitable for joining to said wall of said vessel;

at least two jaws pivotal with respect to each other, said tubular prosthesis being secured to said at least two jaws; and

an anvil insertable through said wall of said vessel whereupon said at least two jaws are pivotal around said anvil to clamp a portion of said wall of said vessel against said anvil.

20. The surgical attaching system of claim 19, further comprising staples secured to said jaws for stapling said tubular prosthesis to said vessel.

21. The surgical attaching system of claim 19, further comprising an anvil handle for controlling said anvil, said anvil handle extending through said tubular prosthesis.

22. The surgical attaching system of claim 19, further comprising a sharp portion of said anvil suitable for making an opening in said vessel to permit insertion of said anvil into said vessel.

23. The surgical attaching system of claim 22, wherein said at least two jaws are mounted with respect to said anvil for positioning said tubular prosthesis in surrounding relationship to said opening in said vessel.

24. A method for surgically joining a tubular prosthesis to a native vessel of an animate body, comprising:

inserting an anvil through an opening in a wall of said vessel;

clamping an end of said tubular prosthesis in surrounding relationship around said opening in said wall; and

stapling said tubular prosthesis to said vessel.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said step of clamping further comprises compressing said wall of said vessel against opposite sides of said anvil.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising enlarging said opening to produce an enlarged opening.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising removing said anvil through said enlarged opening.

28. The method of claim 24, further comprising manufacturing at least two jaws, said at least two jaws being pivotal with respect to each other, and providing during said manufacturing that said tubular prosthesis is secured to said at least two jaws.

29. A method for making a surgical attaching tool, comprising:

providing an anvil on an anvil handle;

providing at least two jaws on a jaws handle;

securing a tubular prosthesis to said at least two jaws such that said anvil handle is positioned inside said tubular prosthesis and said jaws handle is positioned outside said tubular prosthesis.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising mounting staples to said at least two jaws.

31. A method of claim 29, further comprising providing a sharp end for said anvil and providing that said anvil is relatively narrow and bladelike in structure so as to be easily insertable into a vessel.

32. The method of claim 29, further comprising providing that said anvil has opposing relatively flat sides.

33. A method of claim 29, wherein said at least two jaws are pivotal with respect to said jaw handle.