Patent ID: 6485496
Filing Date: 2002-11-26
Classification: A61B,Y10S

Abstract:
A device for use in a system for making anastomoses between hollow structures having walls, comprising:a hollow element having a tubular or annular shape and a longitudinal axis, said hollow element being movable from a starting position having a first cross-sectional area to a joining position having a second, larger cross-sectional area, said cross-sectional areas being viewed in an axial direction; and a plurality of joining elements distributed circumferentially on the hollow element, as viewed in an axial direction, and which are movable from a starting position to a joining position in order to hold the abutting walls of said hollow structures together, and wherein each said joining element has at least two free ends associated as a set at a single position on the hollow element and each set of at least two free ends of said joining elements are spaced apart when the joining elements are positioned in the starting position and each set of at least two free ends of each said joining element are positioned closer together when the joining elements are positioned in the joining position than said free ends are positioned when said joining elements are in the starting position in order to hold the walls of said hollow structures together.