METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR VEIN AND ARTERY REENFORCEMENT

• US 3,626,947 A
• Filed: 02/19/1970
• Issued: 12/14/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Charles Howard Sparks
• Original Assignee: Charles Howard Sparks
• Inventors: Sparks, Charles Howard
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaudet, Richard A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Frinks, Ronald L.
• Application Number:
  US05/012,817
• Time in Patent Office: 663 Days
• Field of Search: 128/1,334R,334C 3/1,DIG.1
• US Class Current: 623/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/06 Blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/064 with special features to facilitate anastomotic coupling anastomosis of natural blood vessels A61B17/11

Abstract

A novel method and apparatus are provided for applying a textile mesh reenforcing tube on a vein or artery. The mesh tube is gathered on a spool and confined between the end flanges of the spool. After making a severed end of the vein or artery accessible, the spool containing the mesh tube is slipped onto the blood vessel. Then the vessel is anastomosed and blood flow is established through the vessel, expanding the collapsed vessel to normal size. One end of the mesh tube is pulled off one end of the spool and secured on the vessel. By sliding the spool along the vessel, the mesh tube is pulled off the end of the spool and applied progressively to the vessel, the mesh being tensioned sufficiently to contract the tube to fit the vessel. The spool is split longitudinally so that the two halves may be removed from the vessel. The mesh tube subsequently becomes incorporated into the wall of the vessel, making it stronger than a normal artery. Such reenforcement is useful for strengthening an artery in situ and for strengthening a vein graft which is subject to arterial pressure.

Claims

1. The method of applying a textile mesh reenforcing tube to a blood vessel comprising gathering said mesh tube on a supporting tube, inserting an end of said blood vessel through said supporting tube, pulling one end of said mesh tube off one end of said supporting tube and holding said one end of said mesh tube in stationary position on said blood vessel, moving said supporting tube along said blood vessel and causing the rest of said gathered mesh tube to be pulled off said one end of said supporting tube and transferred to said blood vessel, and then removing said supporting tube from the blood vessel.

2. The method of claim 1 including the step of establishing blood flow through said blood vessel before said mesh tube is transferred from said supporting blood vessel.

3. The method of claim 1 including the step of applying a frictional drag to said gathered mesh tube on said supporting tube as said mesh tube is pulled off the supporting tube causing the mesh tube to be tensioned and contracted in diameter as it leaves the supporting tube.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said supporting tube is removed from said blood vessel by separating two halves of said supporting tube along a longitudinal joint line.

5. The method of claim 1 including the step of anchoring the ends of said mesh tube by sutures.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said blood vessel is an artery in situ.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said blood vessel is a vein graft.

8. The method of applying a textile mesh reenforcing tube to a vein graft comprising gathering said mesh tube on a supporting tube, anastomosing one end of said vein, inserting the opposite end of said vein through said supporting tube, anastomosing said opposite end of said vein and establishing blood flow through the vein, pulling one end of said mesh tube off one end of said supporting tube and holding said one end of said mesh tube in stationary position on said vein, moving said supporting tube along said vein and causing the rest of said gathered mesh tube to be pulled off said one end of said supporting tube and transferred to said vein while applying a frictional drag to said gathered mesh tube on said supporting tube to cause said mesh tube to be tensioned and contracted to fit said vein, and then removing said supporting tube from the vein.

9. The method of claim 8 including the step of anchoring the ends of said mesh tube over said anastomoses by sutures.

10. A unit for applying a textile mesh reenforcing tube to a blood vessel comprising a supporting tube having an axial hole adapted to receive said blood vessel, and means holding a textile mesh reenforcing tube gathered on said supporting tube.

11. A unit as defined in claim 10, said means comprising radial flanges on the opposite ends of said support tube confining said gathered mesh tube between said flanges.

12. A unit as defined in claim 10, said support tube being split longitudinally in two halves, and means holding said tow halves together.

13. A unit as defined in claim 10 including a tactile indicium on one side of said support tube.

14. A unit for applying a textile mesh reenforcing tube to a blood vessel comprising a spool split longitudinally in two halves, holes in one of said halves receiving pins in the other half in a frictional fit to hold the two halves together, a large radial flange on one end of said spool, a small radial flange on the other end of said spool, and a protruding indicium on said large flange on one of said halves.

15. A unit defined in claim 14 including a textile mesh reenforcing tube gathered on said spool between said end flanges.