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:
- providing a first aperture through a wall of the tubular body structure at the first location with a distal portion of an elongated structure inserted into and along a lumen of the tubular body structure to the first location;
passing the graft along a lumen of the tubular body structure until a distal portion of the graft extends out of said first aperture;
providing a surgical access opening in the patient adjacent one of the first and second locations;
moving the distal portion of the graft to the second location; and
attaching axially spaced portions of the graft to the tubular body structure adjacent the first and second locations.
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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 installed at the operative site primarily by providing at least one graft location with instrumentation inserted through the patient'"'"'s existing tubular body organ structure. Assistance in installing the new tubing may be provided by minimally invasive surgical access openings in the patient'"'"'s chest. The tubing may be delivered through the patient'"'"'s existing tubular body structure or, alternatively, through the surgical access openings.
162 Citations
24 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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providing a first aperture through a wall of the tubular body structure at the first location with a distal portion of an elongated structure inserted into and along a lumen of the tubular body structure to the first location;
passing the graft along a lumen of the tubular body structure until a distal portion of the graft extends out of said first aperture;
providing a surgical access opening in the patient adjacent one of the first and second locations;
moving the distal portion of the graft to the second location; and
attaching axially spaced portions of the graft to the tubular body structure adjacent the first and second locations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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- 11. A method for installing a tubular graft having first and second end portions between first and second spaced locations in a patient'"'"'s tubular body structure, and wherein at least one of the first and second end portions of the graft is anastomosed with a connector to one of the first and second locations, and wherein delivery of the graft to the first and second locations is at least facilitated by an intraluminal step and a surgical access step.
Specification