Tubular suturing device and methods of use
First Claim
1. A suturing assembly for attaching a connector to an end of a tubular anatomical structure, said suturing assembly comprising:
- (a) a suturing device comprising a rigid body with a tubular suturing surface;
(b) multiple staples disposed within respective receptacles arrayed radially along said suturing surface of said rigid body, each of said staples comprising two parallel prongs joined by a crosspiece;
(c) actuating means that by an applied force move into respective spaces and eject simultaneously said multiple staples out of said receptacles; and
(d) a tubular connector comprising inner and outer tubular means affixed firmly to each other, one of said tubular means being, sufficiently rigid for preventing penetration of the staples and for clinching the stapes upon ejection, said tubular means also sustaining a predetermined coupling form, and the other of said tubular means for withholding clinched staples, said other tubular means being sufficiently soft to be penetrated by ejected staples and with a sufficient tensile strength to withhold clinched staples, wherein said connector is positioned at the end of said tubular anatomical structure with the soft tubular means of said connector abutting said tubular anatomical structure on one side, while said suturing device with said suturing surface is abutting said tubular anatomical structure on the other side.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A tubular suturing device for suturing new types of tubular connectors to the ends of tubular structures such as blood vessels. The suturing device comprises a substantially rigid body containing multiple staples disposed within receptacles arranged radially along a suturing surface of the body, and an actuating mechanism moving in predetermined spaces producing multiple forces ejecting the staples in an approximately radial direction. Various embodiments and methods are provided for attachment of different types of tubular connectors to the external or internal surface of the tubular structures by staples ejected in an inward or outward radial direction; for new methods of clinching of the prongs of the ejected staples; for new surgical procedures and for new instruments facilitating their performance.
619 Citations
55 Claims
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1. A suturing assembly for attaching a connector to an end of a tubular anatomical structure, said suturing assembly comprising:
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(a) a suturing device comprising a rigid body with a tubular suturing surface; (b) multiple staples disposed within respective receptacles arrayed radially along said suturing surface of said rigid body, each of said staples comprising two parallel prongs joined by a crosspiece; (c) actuating means that by an applied force move into respective spaces and eject simultaneously said multiple staples out of said receptacles; and (d) a tubular connector comprising inner and outer tubular means affixed firmly to each other, one of said tubular means being, sufficiently rigid for preventing penetration of the staples and for clinching the stapes upon ejection, said tubular means also sustaining a predetermined coupling form, and the other of said tubular means for withholding clinched staples, said other tubular means being sufficiently soft to be penetrated by ejected staples and with a sufficient tensile strength to withhold clinched staples, wherein said connector is positioned at the end of said tubular anatomical structure with the soft tubular means of said connector abutting said tubular anatomical structure on one side, while said suturing device with said suturing surface is abutting said tubular anatomical structure on the other side. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A suturing assembly for attaching a connector to an end of a tubular anatomical structure, said suturing assembly comprising:
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(a) a tubular suturing device comprising a tubular rigid body containing multiple staples disposed within respective receptacles arrayed radially along a suturing surface of said rigid body and actuating means that by an applied force move in a predetermined manner to eject simultaneously said staples out of said receptacles; and (d) a tubular connector comprising inner and outer tubular means affixed firmly to each other, one of said tubular means being a sufficiently rigid tubular portion for preventing penetration of the staples and for clinching the staples upon ejection and the other of said tubular means being a soft tubular portion and having a sufficient tensile strength for withholding clinched staples, wherein said connector is positioned at the end of said tubular anatomical structure with said soft portion abutting said tubular anatomical structure on one side, while said suturing device with said suturing surface is abutting said tubular anatomical structure on the other side. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A suturing assembly for attaching a tubular connector to an end of a tubular anatomical structure, said suturing assembly comprising:
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(a) a tubular suturing device comprising a tubular rigid body containing multiple staples disposed within respective receptacles arrayed radially along a suturing surface of said rigid body and actuating means that by an applied force move in a predetermined manner to eject simultaneously said staples out of said receptacles; and (b) a tubular connector comprising inner and outer tubular means affixed firmly to each other, one of said tubular means being a sufficiently rigid portion for preventing penetration of the staples and for clinching the staples upon ejection, and the other of said tubular means being a soft portion and having a sufficient tensile strength for withholding clinched staples, wherein the ejected staples pierce said tubular anatomical structure and said soft portion and are clinched by said rigid portion of said connector. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method for accomplishing an end-to-end anastomosis of two tubular anatomical structures by attaching connectors to their ends, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) suturing a tubular connector to the end of each of said two tubular anatomical structures by a tubular suturing device ejecting simultaneously multiple staples in a radial direction, said connector comprising inner and outer tubular means affixed to each other, one of said portions tubular means being a sufficiently rigid portion for preventing penetration of the staples and for clinching the staples upon ejection, said tubular means having a predefined coupling surface and the other of said tubular means being a soft portion and having a sufficient tensile strength for withholding clinched staples; and (b) joining the two tubular anatomical structures by coupling the tubular connectors sutured to their ends. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method for attaching a tubular connector to an end of a tubular anatomical structure, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) positioning the end of the tubular anatomical structure between a tubular suturing device containing multiple staples disposed within radially arrayed receptacles and a tubular connector comprising inner and outer tubular means, one of said tubular means being a sufficiently rigid portion for preventing penetration of the staples and for clinching the staples upon ejection and the other of said tubular means being a soft portion and having a sufficient tensile strength for withholding clinched staples; and (b) suturing said tubular connector to said tubular anatomical structure by ejecting said staples out of said receptacles, wherein the ejected staples pierce said tubular anatomical structure and said soft portion of said tubular connector. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A method for attaching a connector to an end of a tubular anatomical structure, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) positioning the end of the tubular anatomical structure between a tubular suturing device containing multiple staples disposed within radially arrayed receptacles and a tubular connector comprising inner and outer tubular means, one of said tubular means being a sufficiently rigid portion for preventing penetration of the staples and for clinching the staples upon ejection and the other of said tubular means being a soft portion and having a sufficient tensile strength for withholding clinched staples; and (b) suturing of said tubular connector to said tubular anatomical structure by ejecting said staples out of said receptacles, wherein the ejected staples pierce said tubular structure and said soft portion and are clinched by said rigid portion of said connector. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A tubular connector for attachment to an end of a tubular anatomical structure by a tubular suturing device ejecting simultaneously multiple staples in a radial direction, said connector comprising:
inner and outer tubular means firmly affixed together, one of said tubular means being a sufficiently rigid tubular portion for preventing penetration of the staples and for clinching the staples upon ejection, said tubular means including a predetermined coupling surface and the other of said tubular means being a soft tubular portion and having a sufficient tensile strength for withholding clinched staples, wherein said connector is positioned at the end of said tubular anatomical structure with said soft portion abutting said tubular structure. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50)
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51. A tubular connector for attachment to an end of a tubular anatomical structure by a tubular suturing device ejecting simultaneously multiple staples in a radial direction, said connector comprising:
inner and outer tubular means firmly affixed together, one of said tubular means having a rigid tubular portion and being sufficiently hard for preventing penetration of the staples and for clinching the staples upon ejection and the other of said tubular means being a soft portion and having a sufficient tensile strength for withholding clinched staples, wherein said connector is positioned at the end of said tubular anatomical structure with said soft portion abutting said tubular anatomical structure. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54)
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55. A method for accomplishing anastomosis of two tubular anatomical structures by attaching connectors to their ends, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) suturing a tubular connector to the end of each said tubular anatomical structures by a tubular suturing device ejecting staples radially, said connector comprising inner and outer tubular means affixed to each other, one of said tubular means being a sufficiently rigid portion for preventing penetration of the staples and for clinching the staples upon ejection, said tubular means having a predefined coupling surface and the other of said tubular means being a soft portion and having a sufficient tensile strength for withholding clinched staples; and (b) coupling the sutured tubular connectors to a tubular graft adapted at the ends with rigid surfaces that match correspondingly to the coupling surfaces of the sutured connectors.
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Specification