Surgical anastomosis apparatus and method thereof

• US 6,450,390 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2001
• Issued: 09/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Heartport, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Heartport, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Bolduc, Lee R., Heck, Christopher F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Scott A.
• Application Number:
  US09/756,426
• Publication Number:
  US 20010000903A1
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 227/19, 227/175.1, 227/176.1, 227/178.1, 227/179.1, 606/219, 606/194
• US Class Current: 227/176.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1114 of the digestive tract, e.g. bowels or oesophagus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1152 applying the staples on the outside of the lumen
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00243 cardiac
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/081 Tissue approximator A61B2017/1103, A61B17/8866 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1103 Approximator
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1121 adapted for performing tissue or graft eversion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1135 End-to-side connections, e.g. T- or Y-connections Y-shaped blood vessel prostheses A61F2002/065
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/064 with special features to facilitate anastomotic coupling anastomosis of natural blood vessels A61B17/11

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and end-to-side surgical anastomosis apparatus for stapling an end of a tubular tissue structure to a side of a luminal structure including an elongated housing defining a central bore extending longitudinally therethrough. The elongated housing further includes an eversion support surface extending circumferentially about the bore opening adjacent the distal end which is configured to retain and support an everted end of the received tissue structure thereon to face an intimal surface of the tissue structure in an outward direction. The anastomosis apparatus further includes an anvil having a fastener engaging surface, and a compression device having a shoulder portion formed for selectively compressing the everted end of the tissue structure and a surface of the luminal structure together against the fastener engaging surface. The compression device is further formed to deform the fasteners into contact with the everted end of the tubular tissue structure and the luminal structure to create an anastomotic bond between the tubular tissue structure and the luminal structure. At least one driver pin, is preferably provided moveable relative to the compression device for ejecting the plurality of fasteners through the everted end of the tubular tissue structure and the luminal structure to engage the fastener engaging surface. This engagement deforms the fastener and creates an anastomotic bond between the tubular tissue structure and the luminal structure.

Claims

1. A method of end-to-side surgical anastomosis between a tubular tissue structure, having at least one end, and a luminal structure, such as a vascular lumen or another tubular tissue structure, comprising the steps of:

everting an end of the tubular tissue structure to face an intimal surface thereof in an outward direction;

contacting the intimal surface of the everted end with a surface of the luminal structure adjacent a surgically formed opening therein; and

simultaneously applying a plurality of staples to said tubular tissue structure and said luminal structure to form an anastomotic bond between the intimal surface of the tubular tissue structure and the surface of the luminal structure.

2. The surgical anastomosis method of claim 1 wherein the surface of the luminal structure is an adventitial surface thereof.

3. The surgical anastomosis method of claim 1 wherein,

said plurality of fasteners are applied to the tubular tissue structure and the luminal structure in a non-circular arrangement.

4. The surgical anastomosis method of claim 1 wherein,

said everted end is maintained in a non-circular shape during said step of applying.

5. The surgical anastomosis method of claim 1 wherein,

the non-circular shape is generally tear-drop shaped.