Patent ID: 6660015
Filing Date: 2003-12-09
Classification: A61B,A61F

Abstract:
A connector for use in making an artificial, fluid-tight, hollow, annular connection between an end portion of a tubular graft conduit and a side wall of a tubular body conduit in a patient via an artificially created aperture in the side wall of the tubular body conduit so that the tubular graft conduit extends from the tubular body conduit outside of the tubular body conduit and the patient's body fluid can flow between lumens of the tubular graft conduit and the tubular body conduit via the connection, the connector comprising:a structure which is annularly continuous and configured for disposition annularly thin inside of the tubular graft conduit; a plurality of first members extending from the structure in an annular array which is substantially concentric with the structure, the first members being resiliently biased to extend substantially radially out from the structure and being elastically deflectable substantially parallel to a central longitudinal axis of the structure; and a plurality of second members extending from the structure in an annular array which is substantially concentric with the structure, the second members being resiliently biased to extend substantially radially out from the structure and being elastically deflectable substantially parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the structure, the first members being configured to pass through the side wall of the tubular graft conduit at respective locations that are spaced from one another around the side wall of the tubular graft conduit, and the first and second members being further configured to reach respective locations on the side wall of the tubular body conduit that are spaced annularly around the aperture when the connector is in use and the first and second members are extending substantially radially out from the structure.