US6994713B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Medical graft connector or plug structures, and methods of making and installing same
Assignee: St Jude Medical ATG Inc
•
Filing: 2002-03-05
•
Granted: 2006-02-07
•
Expires: 2022-03-05
Abstract
Abstract A medical graft connector or plug is made, for example, by cutting end portions of a tube of highly elastic material axially at numerous locations spaced circumferentially around the tube to produce a plurality of fingers which extend axially from each end of an uncut medial portion of the tube. The fingers are deflected radially outwardly from the medial portion and set in that condition. For a graft connector, the medial portion is coaxially connected to an end portion of a tubular graft. The connector is then installed through an aperture in the side wall of a patient's tubular body conduit, for example, by using a delivery tube in which the fingers are elastically deflected back to approximately their initial positions. When the delivery conduit is withdrawn from the connector, the fingers spring out to engage the inner and outer surfaces of the body conduit wall. For a plug, the medial portion is occluded and then the structure is installed through the aperture to be plugged in a manner similar to installation of the connector.
Inventors
- 👤 Todd Allen Berg
- 👤 Alex Alden Peterson
- 👤 Mark D. Wahlberg
- 👤 Jon Patrick St. Germain
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 09:05
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/11; A61B17/0057; A61B17/34; A61B17/3468; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/04; A61F2/06; A61F2/064; A61B17/064; A61B17/0643; A61B17/08; A61B17/3415; A61B2017/00646; A61B2017/00659; A61B2017/0641
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 42
Claim 1
Independent Claim
55 words
An anastomotic connector for attaching two blood vessels, comprising: a cylinder-like portion defining a lumen, having two ends and comprising a mesh wherein a cross-section of said lumen variable along said lumen; and a tissue engaging portion comprising at least one set of fingers arranged adjacent each of the two ends of said cylinder-like portion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
55 words
An anastomotic connector for attaching two blood vessels, comprising: a cylinder-like portion defining a lumen, having two ends and comprising a mesh wherein a cross-section of said lumen variable along said lumen; and a tissue engaging portion comprising at least one set of fingers arranged adjacent each of the two ends of said cylinder-like portion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
A connector according to claim 1 , comprising at least a second set of fingers adjacent each of the two ends.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
67 words
An anastomotic connector for attaching two blood vessels, comprising: a cylinder-like portion defining a lumen, wherein a cross-section of said lumen variable along said lumen; and a plurality of tissue engaging portions for engaging two blood vessels, said plurality comprising at least one finger, wherein radial expansion of said cylinder-like portion causes said at least one finger to engage tissue, wherein said cylinder-like portion comprises a mesh.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
67 words
An anastomotic connector for attaching two blood vessels, comprising: a cylinder-like portion defining a lumen, wherein a cross-section of said lumen variable along said lumen; and a plurality of tissue engaging portions for engaging two blood vessels, said plurality comprising at least one finger, wherein radial expansion of said cylinder-like portion causes said at least one finger to engage tissue, wherein said cylinder-like portion comprises a mesh.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
A connector according to claim 2 or 3 , wherein said at least one spike is arranged to extend out of said lumen when said tissue engaging portions engage tissue in a completed anastomosis.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
A connector according to claim 4 , wherein said extended finger lies in a plane perpendicular to said cylinder-like portion.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
A connector according to claim 2 or 3 , wherein said device is arranged to release said at least one finger to assume an extended configuration by an expansion of said cylinder-like portion.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
A connector according to claim 2 or 3 , wherein said finger comprises a protrusion to prevent engaged tissue from slipping off said finger.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
A connector according to claim 2 or 3 , wherein said finger comprises a protrusion to prevent engaged tissue from slipping along said finger beyond said protrusion.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
A connector according to claim 2 or 3 , wherein said finger is arranged to bend at least 90° when it extends.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
A connector according to claim 2 or 3 , wherein said finger is arranged to bend at least 150° when it extends.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
A connector according to claim 2 or 3 , wherein said finger is arranged to bend at least 180° when it extends.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
A connector according to claim 2 or 3 , wherein said finger is arranged to bend at least 210° when it extends.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
A connector according to claim 2 or 3 , wherein said finger is arranged to bend at at least two points thereon when it extends.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
A connector according to claim 2 or 3 , wherein said finger is arranged to bend in a continuous curve when it extends.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
61 words
A connector according to claim 2 or 3 , wherein said at least one finger comprises at least two fingers and wherein said connector comprises at least a second finger and wherein said second finger is arranged to bend towards said at least one finger and said at least one finger is arranged to bend towards at least a second finger.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
40 words
A connector according to claim 15 , wherein fingers of said at least a second finger are arranged to be in a same plane as fingers of said at least one finger, when the fingers are in a bent configuration.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
67 words
An anastomotic connector for attaching two blood vessels, comprising: a radially expandable cylinder-like portion defining a lumen, wherein a cross-section of said lumen variable along said lumen; a plurality of tissue engaging portions for engaging two blood vessels, wherein said cylinder-like portion comprises a mesh and said plurality of tissue engaging portions comprises a plurality of fingers extending from each of two ends of said cylinder-like portion.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
67 words
An anastomotic connector for attaching two blood vessels, comprising: a radially expandable cylinder-like portion defining a lumen, wherein a cross-section of said lumen variable along said lumen; a plurality of tissue engaging portions for engaging two blood vessels, wherein said cylinder-like portion comprises a mesh and said plurality of tissue engaging portions comprises a plurality of fingers extending from each of two ends of said cylinder-like portion.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
18 words
A device according to any of claims 1 – 17 , wherein said lumen has an elliptical cross-section.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
18 words
A device according to any of claims 1 – 17 , wherein said lumen has a circular cross-section.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
18 words
A device according to any of claims 1 – 17 , wherein said lumen has a polygonal cross-section.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
30 words
A device according to any of claims 1 – 17 , wherein said lumen has a varying inner diameter, wherein said lumen is flared at the ends of the lumen.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
30 words
A device according to any of claims 1 – 17 , wherein said lumen has a varying inner diameter, wherein said lumen is flared at one end of the lumen.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
20 words
A device according to any of claims 1 – 17 , wherein said lumen is matched to a coronary vessel.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
22 words
A device according to any of claims 1 – 17 , wherein at least one portion of said mesh has parallelogram geometry.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
38 words
A device according to any of claims 1 – 17 , wherein at least one portion of said mesh is arranged to conform to a blood vessel lumen when that portion is expanded along a certain axis thereof.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
24 words
A device according to any of claims 1 – 17 , wherein at least one portion of said mesh comprises an outline geometrical shape.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
22 words
A device according to any of claims 1 – 17 , wherein at least one of said cell elements is not planar.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
38 words
A device according to any of claims 1 – 17 , wherein said mesh is arranged as bands on at least a portion of said cylinder-like portion, each of said bands comprising substantially a single type of parallelogram.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
13 words
A device according to claim 28 , wherein said bands are axial bands.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
13 words
A device according to claim 28 , wherein said bands are circumferential bands.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
23 words
A device according to any of claims 1 – 17 , wherein substantially all of said cylinder-like portion is composed of a mesh.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
29 words
A device according to any of claims 1 – 17 , wherein said cylinder-like portion comprises several perforations and wherein said perforations are uniformly distributed on said cylinder-like portion.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
27 words
A device according to any of claims 1 – 17 , wherein said cylinder-like portion comprises at least one part which comprises a highly elastic shape-memory material.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
31 words
A device according to any of claims 1 – 17 , wherein said at least one of tissue engagers comprises at least one part which comprises a highly elastic shape-memory material.
Claim 38
Independent Claim
39 words
A device according to any of claims 1 – 17 , wherein said anastomotic connector is adapted to engage a side of one of said vessels and an end of another of said vessels, to perform a side-to-end anastomosis.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
33 words
A device according to claim 35 , wherein said anastomosis is sealed by radial pressure exerted by said cylinder-like portion and wherein said tissue engaging portions maintain the cylinder-like portion in its position.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
20 words
A device according to claim 35 , wherein said tissue engagers maintain the relative positions of the two blood vessels.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
37 words
A device according to claim 35 , wherein said tissue-engaging portions are arranged on said cylinder-like portion such that when the anastomosis is complete, the cylinder like portion is at a certain angle to the “side” vessel.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
18 words
A device according to claim 38 , wherein said certain angle is between about 70° and about 90°.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2009-02-06 | 2009-08-08 | 2010-02-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2013-02-06 | 2013-08-08 | 2014-02-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2017-02-06 | 2017-08-08 | 2018-02-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |