Medical grafting methods and apparatus
First Claim
1. A method for installing a tubular graft between first and second spaced locations in a patient'"'"'s tubular body structure comprising:
- inserting an elongated structure into and along a lumen of the tubular body structure so that a distal portion of the elongated structure extends to the first location;
using a distal portion of the elongated structure to make a first aperture through the tubular body structure at the first location;
extending a distal portion of the elongated structure out of the first aperture and to the second location;
using a distal portion of the elongated structure to make a second aperture through the tubular body structure at the second location;
passing the graft along a lumen of the tubular body structure and then out one of said apertures to the other of said apertures; and
attaching axially spaced portions of the graft to the tubular body structure adjacent the first and second locations, wherein the using a distal portion of the elongated structure to make a second aperture includes;
piercing the tubular body structure at the second location with a distal end of an elongated member; and
feeding a distal portion of the elongated member into and along a lumen of the tubular body structure adjacent the second location.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for delivering and installing a new length of tubing between two sections of a patient'"'"'s existing body organ tubing and at least partly outside of that existing structure. For example, the new length of tubing may be for the purpose of providing the patient with a coronary bypass. The new tubing may be an artificial graft, a natural graft (harvested elsewhere from the patient), or both. The new tubing is delivered to and installed at the operative site primarily by working through the patient'"'"'s existing tubular body organ structure. This avoids the need for any significant surgery on the patient.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. A method for installing a tubular graft between first and second spaced locations in a patient'"'"'s tubular body structure comprising:
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inserting an elongated structure into and along a lumen of the tubular body structure so that a distal portion of the elongated structure extends to the first location;
using a distal portion of the elongated structure to make a first aperture through the tubular body structure at the first location;
extending a distal portion of the elongated structure out of the first aperture and to the second location;
using a distal portion of the elongated structure to make a second aperture through the tubular body structure at the second location;
passing the graft along a lumen of the tubular body structure and then out one of said apertures to the other of said apertures; and
attaching axially spaced portions of the graft to the tubular body structure adjacent the first and second locations, wherein the using a distal portion of the elongated structure to make a second aperture includes;
piercing the tubular body structure at the second location with a distal end of an elongated member; and
feeding a distal portion of the elongated member into and along a lumen of the tubular body structure adjacent the second location.
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2. A method for installing a tubular graft between first and second spaced locations in a patient'"'"'s tubular body structure comprising:
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inserting an elongated structure into and along a lumen of the tubular body structure so that a distal portion of the elongated structure extends to the first location;
using a distal portion of the elongated structure to make a first aperture through the tubular body structure at the first location;
extending a distal portion of the elongated structure out of the first aperture and to the second location;
using a distal portion of the elongated structure to make a second aperture through the tubular body structure at the second location;
passing the graft along a lumen of the tubular body structure and then out one of said apertures to the other of said apertures; and
attaching axially spaced portions of the graft to the tubular body structure adjacent the first and second locations, wherein the using a distal portion of the elongated structure to make a second aperture includes;
piercing the tubular body structure at the second location with a distal portion of the elongated structure; and
distally extending an elongated member from the distal portion of the elongated structure through the piercing and into the lumen of the tubular body structure adjacent the second location. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
further extending a distal portion of the elongated member along the lumen of the tubular body structure leading away from the second location.
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4. The method defined in claim 3 wherein the distal portion of the elongated member is threaded and wherein said further extending comprises:
rotating the elongated member about its longitudinal axis to cause threads on the distal portion of the elongated member to threadedly engage the interior of the lumen into which the distal portion of the elongated member is extended.
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5. The method defined in claim 2 wherein the using of a distal portion of the elongated structure to make a second aperture further includes:
radially enlarging the aperture made by the piercing.
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6. The method defined in claim 5 wherein the radially enlarging includes:
inserting an enlarging structure into the aperture made by the piercing.
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7. The method defined in claim 6 wherein the enlarging structure substantially concentrically surrounds the elongated member.
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8. The method defined in claim 6 wherein the passing includes:
following the enlarging structure into the second aperture with an axial portion of the graft.
Specification