Anastomotic device and method

Claim 1

An anastomosis device for use in the surgical joining of the free ends of two tubular members to be anastomosed as the tubular members have portions retained in abutting relation upon said coupling device by purse string sutures, said anastomosis device comprising a pliable, unitary cylindrical sleeve having a central portion and first and second ends, each of which are rolled outwardly upon themselves toward the opposing ends to form a pair of relatively firm ring members in spaced relation upon said central portion, said cylindrical sleeve being of knit fabric, and having said spaced ring members coated with a rigidity promoting material, said knit fabric being at least partially formed of yarn made of dissolvable material, said ring members being spaced apart a prescribed distance for receiving therebetween the inturned free ends of the tubular members as they extend over the ring members from positions generally parallel with said central unrolled portion and retained in abutting relation generally perpendicular to said cylindrical sleeve central unrolled portion by purse string sutures enabling the two tubular members to grow together.

Claim 5

A method of performing intestinal anastomotic surgery utilizing a pliable cylindrical fabric sleeve knit of dissolvable yarn, the ends of which are rolled outwardly upon themselves toward the opposite ends and coated with a rigidity promoting material to form relatively firm, spaced ring members at each sleeve end comprising the steps of: positioning the free end of one of two tubular tissue members to be joined over one of the sleeve ring members and directing the end portion inwardly radially of the sleeve and between the spaced rings; tying the free end over the ring member; positioning the free end of the other tubular tissue member to be joined over the second ring member and directing the end portion inwardly radially of the sleeve between the spaced rings and in abutting relation with the other tubular tissue member; and tying the free end over the ring member so that both free tissue member ends are positioned between the ring members of the cylindrical sleeve and to each other to facilitate healing.

Claim 6

A method of performing intestinal anastomotic surgery utilizing a pliable cylindrical fabric sleeve knit of dissolvable yarn, the ends of which are rolled outwardly upon themselves toward the opposite ends and coated with a rigidity promoting material to form relatively firm, spaced ring members at each sleeve end comprising the steps of: positioning the free end of one of two tubular tissue members to be joined over one of the sleeve ring members and directing the end portion inwardly radially of the sleeve and between the spaced rings; tying the free end over the ring member; positioning the free end of the other tubular tissue member to be joined over the second ring member and directing the end portion inwardly radially of the sleeve between the spaced rings and in abutting relation with the other tubular tissue member; and tying the free end over the ring member so that both free tissue member ends are positioned between the ring members of the cylindrical sleeve and to each other to facilitate healing.