US6409739B1 — Device and method for assisting end-to side anast…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 167 words

A device for creating a seal around an incision in a blood vessel which allows blood to flow through the blood vessel, comprising: a tube; a shaft slidably mounted within said tube; a retaining member which prevents relative movement between said shaft and said tube, said retaining member being releasable to allow said relative movement; a deformable sealing member adjoining distal ends of said shaft and said tube, said sealing member being reversibly adjustable, between: an elongated, narrow configuration for insertion of said sealing member through the incision; and a sealing configuration in which (i) a first portion of said sealing member seals against an inner wall of the blood vessel, and (ii) a second portion of said sealing member, interior to said first portion, is spaced from the inner wall of the blood vessel to form a cavity which provides a region of hemostasis within the blood vessel; wherein the configuration of said sealing member is changed by movement of said shaft relative to said tube.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 167 words

A device for creating a seal around an incision in a blood vessel which allows blood to flow through the blood vessel, comprising: a tube; a shaft slidably mounted within said tube; a retaining member which prevents relative movement between said shaft and said tube, said retaining member being releasable to allow said relative movement; a deformable sealing member adjoining distal ends of said shaft and said tube, said sealing member being reversibly adjustable, between: an elongated, narrow configuration for insertion of said sealing member through the incision; and a sealing configuration in which (i) a first portion of said sealing member seals against an inner wall of the blood vessel, and (ii) a second portion of said sealing member, interior to said first portion, is spaced from the inner wall of the blood vessel to form a cavity which provides a region of hemostasis within the blood vessel; wherein the configuration of said sealing member is changed by movement of said shaft relative to said tube.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 15 words

The device of claim 1 , wherein said sealing member comprises a preformed tubular member.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 33 words

The device of claim 1 , further comprising a handle that is operatively coupled to said tube and said shaft to allow a practitioner to remotely adjust the configuration of said sealing member.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 31 words

The device of claim 2 , said handle comprising a spring which when released urges said tube away from and distal to said handle and causes said sealing member to invert.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 25 words

The device of claim 4 , wherein said sealing member remains separated from the inner wall of the vessel while said sealing member is inverted.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 16 words

The device of claim 4 , wherein said sealing member is inverted by moving said tube.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 24 words

The device of claim 4 , wherein said tube is moved distally relative to said handle and said shaft to deploy said sealing member.

Claim 9

Independent Claim 77 words

An apparatus, comprising: first and second shafts; and a sealing member comprising proximal and distal inverting members, said inverting members connected to said first and second shafts, respectively, such that a first relative movement of said shafts positions said proximal inverting member inside said distal inverting member, and a second relative movement of said shafts opposite to said first relative movement inverts said proximal inverting member to position said proximal inverting member outside said distal inverting member.

Claim 10

Independent Claim 77 words

An apparatus, comprising: first and second shafts; and a sealing member comprising proximal and distal inverting members, said inverting members connected to said first and second shafts, respectively, such that a first relative movement of said shafts positions said proximal inverting member inside said distal inverting member, and a second relative movement of said shafts opposite to said first relative movement inverts said proximal inverting member to position said proximal inverting member outside said distal inverting member.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 35 words

The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein said distal inverting member has a substantially conical shape when said proximal inverting member is inside said distal inverting member, such that said sealing member forms a cavity.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 66 words

The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein said sealing member has a first position juxtaposed with one of said shafts and a second, expanded position sized to seal around an opening in tissue, and wherein said relative movement has a range of motion, one end of said range providing said first, juxtaposed position and another end of said range of motion providing said second, expanded position.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 26 words

The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein one of said shafts comprises a tube and the other of said shafts comprises a rod within said tube.

Claim 14

Independent Claim 148 words

A method of occluding an opening into a blood vessel, comprising: providing a pair of inverting members that are operably connected to a handle, each inverting member having an apex portion and a base portion, said base portions being attached to each other; positioning said members so that said apex portions are spaced apart such that said members provide a narrow elongated configuration; inserting said members into said opening in said elongated configuration; positioning said members so that said apex portions of said members are adjacent to each other such that at least one of said members forms a cavity between its base portion and its apex portion; positioning said inverting members so that said cavity provides a region of hemostasis around said opening within said blood vessel; and withdrawing the handle away from the blood vessel such that the inverting members are removed from the blood vessel.

Claim 15

Independent Claim 148 words

A method of occluding an opening into a blood vessel, comprising: providing a pair of inverting members that are operably connected to a handle, each inverting member having an apex portion and a base portion, said base portions being attached to each other; positioning said members so that said apex portions are spaced apart such that said members provide a narrow elongated configuration; inserting said members into said opening in said elongated configuration; positioning said members so that said apex portions of said members are adjacent to each other such that at least one of said members forms a cavity between its base portion and its apex portion; positioning said inverting members so that said cavity provides a region of hemostasis around said opening within said blood vessel; and withdrawing the handle away from the blood vessel such that the inverting members are removed from the blood vessel.

Claim 16

Independent Claim 163 words

A method of creating a region of hemostatis in a blood vessel while allowing blood to flow in the vessel past the region of hemostatis, said method comprising: providing a sealing member comprising a sleeve having a pair of ends and a portion intermediate the ends which (i) expands outwardly in response to movement of the ends of the sleeve towards each other and (ii) contracts inwardly in response to movement of the ends of the sleeve away from each other; inserting the sealing member into the blood vessel with the ends of the sleeve sufficiently separated so that said sleeve is in an elongated, substantially unexpanded condition; positioning the sealing member at a desired location in the blood vessel; moving the ends of the sleeve towards each other to expand the intermediate portion such that the intermediate portion seals against an inner wall of the blood vessel for forming the region of hemostasis; and removing the sealing member from the blood vessel.

Claim 17

Independent Claim 163 words

A method of creating a region of hemostatis in a blood vessel while allowing blood to flow in the vessel past the region of hemostatis, said method comprising: providing a sealing member comprising a sleeve having a pair of ends and a portion intermediate the ends which (i) expands outwardly in response to movement of the ends of the sleeve towards each other and (ii) contracts inwardly in response to movement of the ends of the sleeve away from each other; inserting the sealing member into the blood vessel with the ends of the sleeve sufficiently separated so that said sleeve is in an elongated, substantially unexpanded condition; positioning the sealing member at a desired location in the blood vessel; moving the ends of the sleeve towards each other to expand the intermediate portion such that the intermediate portion seals against an inner wall of the blood vessel for forming the region of hemostasis; and removing the sealing member from the blood vessel.

Claim 18

Independent Claim 112 words

A method of forming an anastomosis site along the wall of a blood vessel comprising: advancing a deformable sealing member through an incision in a wall of the blood vessel, the sealing member coupled to first and second members which are slidably mounted to one another; moving the first and second members relative to one another from outside the blood vessel to cause the sealing member to deform to a cup having a rim; and moving the sealing member proximally within the blood vessel to cause the rim to form a seal against an inner surface of the blood vessel wall, to thereby form a region of hemostasis within the blood vessel.

Claim 19

Independent Claim 112 words

A method of forming an anastomosis site along the wall of a blood vessel comprising: advancing a deformable sealing member through an incision in a wall of the blood vessel, the sealing member coupled to first and second members which are slidably mounted to one another; moving the first and second members relative to one another from outside the blood vessel to cause the sealing member to deform to a cup having a rim; and moving the sealing member proximally within the blood vessel to cause the rim to form a seal against an inner surface of the blood vessel wall, to thereby form a region of hemostasis within the blood vessel.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 51 words

The method of claim 14 , wherein the sealing member comprises a flexible member which interconnects the first and second members, and wherein the step of deforming the sealing member comprises actuating a handle which causes one of the members to be advanced distally while the other member is maintained stationary.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 59 words

The method of claim 14 , further comprising: slidably advancing a hole punch device distally along at least one of the first and second members to the incision with the sealing member forming a seal; and actuating the hole punch device to form an anastomosis opening in the wall of the blood vessel within a boundary of the seal.

Claim 22

Independent Claim 114 words

A method of forming an anastomosis site, the method comprising: accessing a blood vessel of a patient; making an incision in a wall of the blood vessel and inserting a sealing member into the blood vessel with the sealing member maintained in an elongated, narrow configuration; deforming the sealing member to form a cup; applying tension to the cup through the incision to seal a rim of the cup to an interior surface of the blood vessel wall without interrupting the flow of blood through the blood vessel; and advancing a suture through the wall of the blood vessel adjacent the rim of the cup while the sealing member is within the blood vessel.

Claim 23

Independent Claim 114 words

A method of forming an anastomosis site, the method comprising: accessing a blood vessel of a patient; making an incision in a wall of the blood vessel and inserting a sealing member into the blood vessel with the sealing member maintained in an elongated, narrow configuration; deforming the sealing member to form a cup; applying tension to the cup through the incision to seal a rim of the cup to an interior surface of the blood vessel wall without interrupting the flow of blood through the blood vessel; and advancing a suture through the wall of the blood vessel adjacent the rim of the cup while the sealing member is within the blood vessel.

Claim 24

Independent Claim 146 words

A method of forming an anastomosis site, the method comprising: accessing a blood vessel of a patient; making an incision in a wall of the blood vessel and inserting a sealing member into the blood vessel with the sealing member maintained in an elongated, narrow configuration, wherein the sealing member comprises a flexible member which interconnects a distal end of a tube to a distal end of a shaft, the shaft slidably mounted within the tube; deforming the sealing member to form a cup, wherein the step of deforming the sealing member comprises actuating a handle which causes the tube to be advanced distally over the shaft without moving the shaft; and applying tension to the cup through the incision to seal a rim of the cup to an interior surface of the blood vessel wall without interrupting the flow of blood through the blood vessel.

Claim 25

Independent Claim 146 words

A method of forming an anastomosis site, the method comprising: accessing a blood vessel of a patient; making an incision in a wall of the blood vessel and inserting a sealing member into the blood vessel with the sealing member maintained in an elongated, narrow configuration, wherein the sealing member comprises a flexible member which interconnects a distal end of a tube to a distal end of a shaft, the shaft slidably mounted within the tube; deforming the sealing member to form a cup, wherein the step of deforming the sealing member comprises actuating a handle which causes the tube to be advanced distally over the shaft without moving the shaft; and applying tension to the cup through the incision to seal a rim of the cup to an interior surface of the blood vessel wall without interrupting the flow of blood through the blood vessel.

Claim 26

Independent Claim 184 words

A method of forming an anastomosis site, the method comprising: accessing a blood vessel of a patient; making an incision in a wall of the blood vessel and inserting a sealing member into the blood vessel with the sealing member maintained in an elongated, narrow configuration; deforming the sealing member to form a cup, wherein the sealing member comprises a flexible member which interconnects a distal end of a tube to a distal end of a shaft, the shaft slidably mounted within the tube, and wherein the step of deforming the sealing member comprises actuating a handle which causes the tube to be advanced distally over the shaft without moving the shaft; applying tension to the cup through the incision to seal a rim of the cup to an interior surface of the blood vessel wall without interrupting the flow of blood through the blood vessel; slidably advancing a hole punch device distally along the tube to the incision with the sealing member forming a seal; and actuating the hole punch device to form an anastomosis opening in the wall of the blood vessel.

Claim 27

Independent Claim 184 words

A method of forming an anastomosis site, the method comprising: accessing a blood vessel of a patient; making an incision in a wall of the blood vessel and inserting a sealing member into the blood vessel with the sealing member maintained in an elongated, narrow configuration; deforming the sealing member to form a cup, wherein the sealing member comprises a flexible member which interconnects a distal end of a tube to a distal end of a shaft, the shaft slidably mounted within the tube, and wherein the step of deforming the sealing member comprises actuating a handle which causes the tube to be advanced distally over the shaft without moving the shaft; applying tension to the cup through the incision to seal a rim of the cup to an interior surface of the blood vessel wall without interrupting the flow of blood through the blood vessel; slidably advancing a hole punch device distally along the tube to the incision with the sealing member forming a seal; and actuating the hole punch device to form an anastomosis opening in the wall of the blood vessel.

Claim 28

Independent Claim 135 words

A method of forming an anastomosis site, the method comprising: accessing a blood vessel of a patient; making an incision in a wall of the blood vessel and inserting a sealing member into the blood vessel with the sealing member maintained in an elongated, narrow configuration; deforming the sealing member to form a cup; applying tension to the cup through the incision to seal a rim of the cup to an interior surface of the blood vessel wall without interrupting the flow of blood through the blood vessel; and attaching a tubular graft to said blood vessel, said attaching comprising (a) positioning edges of an end of the tubular graft so that the edges surround the incision, and (b) fastening the edges to the blood vessel such that the graft is sealed against the vessel.

Claim 29

Independent Claim 135 words

A method of forming an anastomosis site, the method comprising: accessing a blood vessel of a patient; making an incision in a wall of the blood vessel and inserting a sealing member into the blood vessel with the sealing member maintained in an elongated, narrow configuration; deforming the sealing member to form a cup; applying tension to the cup through the incision to seal a rim of the cup to an interior surface of the blood vessel wall without interrupting the flow of blood through the blood vessel; and attaching a tubular graft to said blood vessel, said attaching comprising (a) positioning edges of an end of the tubular graft so that the edges surround the incision, and (b) fastening the edges to the blood vessel such that the graft is sealed against the vessel.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2005-06-24	2005-12-24	2006-06-25	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2009-06-24	2009-12-24	2010-06-25	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2013-06-24	2013-12-24	2014-06-25	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Device and method for assisting end-to side anastomosis

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