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US3710777A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method and apparatus for growing graft tubes in place

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1970-12-23
•
Granted: 1973-01-16
•
Expires: 1990-12-23
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Abstract

Abstract The invention is illustrated and described in connection with the growing of a femoro-popliteal artery graft. A tunneling tube is inserted through an incision above the inguinal ligament in the groin area adjacent an upper portion of the femoral artery and thrust downward subcutaneously through the thigh to a point below the knee on the inner or medial side of the leg adjacent a lower portion of the popliteal artery. A flexible silicone mandrel assembly having two layers of knitted Dacron on a flexible silicone rod is inserted in the tunneling tube. Then the tunneling tube is removed and the incision closed. The patients resumes his normal activity for a number of weeks during which time an ingrowth of connective tissue incorporates itself in the Dacron mesh, making an autogenous artery graft grown in the place where it is to be used. In a second operation, a new incision is made below the inguinal ligament to expose the upper end of the graft tube containing the mandrel an an incision is made below the knee to expose the lower end of the graft tube containing the mandrel. Both ends of the graft and mandrel are cut off and the mandrel is pulled out. The graft is then anastomosed to the femoral artery above and the popliteal artery below, using the end-to-side method of anastomosis. The closing of the two incisions completes the operation with the graft providing a shunt for the femoropopliteal artery extending from the groin to a point below the knee.

Inventors

  • 👤 C Sparks

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 03:45
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/04; A61F2/06; A61F2/062; A61L; A61L27/00; A61L27/14; A61L27/18

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim 50 words
The method of claim 1 including the steps of forming said tunnel with a tunneling tube, inserting said fabric covered mandrel in said tunneling tube, and then withdrawing said tunneling tube and leaving said fabric covered mandrel in said tunnel for the growth of said connective tissue into said fabric.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 26 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said tunneling tube is inserted and withdrawn through a single incision in the skin at one end of said tunnel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 32 words
The method of claim 2 including the steps of inserting a core rod in said tunneling tube to form said tunnel, and withdrawing said core rod before inserting said fabric covered mandrel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 52 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the path of said tunnel is directed so that each end of the tunnel is situated adjacent to a natural tube to which that end of the graft tube is to be anastomosed, and anastomosing each end of said graft tube to said adjacent natural tube.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 41 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the path of said tunnel is directed so that each end of the tunnel is situated adjacent to the same natural tube and the ends of said graft tube are anastomosed to said natural tube.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 42 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the path of said tunnel is directed so that each end of the tunnel is situated adjacent to a different natural tube and the ends of said graft tube are anastomosed to said different natural tubes.
Claim 7
Independent Claim 68 words
The method of growing a graft tube comprising thrusting a tunnelling tube through the tissue of a living body to form a tunnel theRein, inserting into said tube a fabric-covered mandrel, and then withdrawing said tube and leaving said fabric-covered mandrel in said tunnel for a time sufficient for connective tissue from said body to grow into said fabric covering and form said graft tube on said mandrel.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 31 words
The method of claim 8 including the steps of removing said graft tube and mandrel, withdrawing the mandrel, and transferring the graft tube to another part of the body for use.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 21 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said tunnel in which said graft tube is grown is situated on the chest wall.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 42 words
The method of claim 8 including the steps of subsequently withdrawing said mandrel from said graft tube while said graft tube remains in said tunnel, and utilizing said graft tube for a body function while the graft tube remains in said tunnel.
Claim 11
Independent Claim 92 words
The method of growing a graft tube comprising providing a tunneling tube open at both ends, inserting a core rod in said tube, thrusting said tunneling tube containing said core rod through the tissue of a living body, withdrawing said core rod, inserting into said tube a fabric covered mandrel, withdrawing said tube and leaving said fabric covered mandrel in said body for a time sufficient for connective tissue from said body to grow into said fabric covering and form said graft tube, and then withdrawing said mandrel from said graft tube.
Claim 12
Independent Claim 108 words
The method of growing a graft tube comprising providing a mandrel assembly having a mandrel disposed in an inner fabric tube of greater inside diameter than the outside diameter of the mandrel and an outer fabric tube of greater inside diameter than the outside diameter of said inner fabric tube, implanting said mandrel assembly in a living body for a time sufficient for connective tissue from said body to grow through said fabric tubes and fill the spaces between said inner fabric tube and said mandrel and between said inner and outer fabric tubes to form said graft tube, and then withdrawing said mandrel from said graft tube.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 20 words
The method of claim 13 wherein said graft tube is grown in the place where it is to be used.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 24 words
The method of claim 13 including the step of removing said graft tube and transferring it to another part of the body for use.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3425418A Cited
US3514791A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1976-01-16 1976-07-17 1977-01-16 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1980-01-16 1980-07-17 1981-01-16 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1984-01-16 1984-07-17 1985-01-16 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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