Intravascular stapler, and method of operating same
First Claim
1. An articulatable intravascular stapler, comprising:
- an elongated catheter having a distal end adapted to be inserted into, and moved along, a blood vessel of a patient, said catheter also having a proximal end adapted to remain outside the patient'"'"'s body;
said catheter having a main body portion and having a plurality of series-connected segments arranged between said main body portion and said distal end, adjacent segments being pivotally connected such that the longitudinal axis of the most-distal segment may be moved between a first position substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of said blood vessel and a second position arranged at an angle with respect to said blood vessel axis;
articulating means for selectively moving said most-distal segment between said first and second positions; and
stapling means mounted on said most-distal segment for holding a staple in a ready position such that the legs thereof project beyond said distal end and for selectively bending the staple to close the same.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An articulatable stapler (20) is arranged in the form of an elongated catheter having a plurality of segments (25,26,28) mounted on one end of a catheter main body (24). A stylet (64) is slidably received within the catheter main body and two intermediate segments, and may be selectively moved to articulate the segments such that the most-distal segment is either aligned with, or arranged at a substantial angle with respect to, the catheter main body portion. The most-distal segment (28) carries stapling means (30) by which the improved catheter may cause a staple to be inserted through a graft (89) into the wall of the blood vessel. The improved device also has means for selectively bending a staple (75) so as to prevent unintended separation therefrom.
2690 Citations
12 Claims
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1. An articulatable intravascular stapler, comprising:
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an elongated catheter having a distal end adapted to be inserted into, and moved along, a blood vessel of a patient, said catheter also having a proximal end adapted to remain outside the patient'"'"'s body; said catheter having a main body portion and having a plurality of series-connected segments arranged between said main body portion and said distal end, adjacent segments being pivotally connected such that the longitudinal axis of the most-distal segment may be moved between a first position substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of said blood vessel and a second position arranged at an angle with respect to said blood vessel axis; articulating means for selectively moving said most-distal segment between said first and second positions; and stapling means mounted on said most-distal segment for holding a staple in a ready position such that the legs thereof project beyond said distal end and for selectively bending the staple to close the same. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. The method of stapling an object to the interior wall of a blood vessel, comprising the steps of:
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making an incision in the blood vessel; inserting the distal end of an elongated catheter into said blood vessel; moving said catheter along said blood vessel until said distal end is in a desired position relative to said blood vessel; articulating the distal marginal end portion of said catheter so that the longitudinal axis of the most-distal portion of said catheter is arranged at a substantial angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of said blood vessel; holding a staple on said catheter to a ready position at which the legs of said staple extend beyond said distal end; moving said catheter to cause the legs of said staple to penetrate at least a portion of said object and the wall of said blood vessel; and bending said staple to prevent said staple from unintentionally separating from said object and blood vessel. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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Specification