Patent ID: 8480695

Claim:
A device for forming an anastomosis of blood vessels having a longitudinal axis and a lumen dimension, said device comprising: first and second inner cylindrical elements adapted for respectively engaging first and second blood vessel or prosthesis end portions, said first and second inner cylindrical elements each including a ring and a plurality of deformable longitudinal legs extending from the ring; first and second middle cylindrical elements adapted for being positioned respectively on the first and second blood vessel or prosthesis end portions and into which the first and second inner cylindrical elements are respectively inserted, each of said first and second middle cylindrical elements including a tapered inside surface adapted to bend inward the legs of the respective inner cylindrical element engaged therewith, wherein said first inner cylindrical element is operably engaged with said first middle cylindrical element to define a first engagement element for said first blood vessel or prosthesis end portion; wherein said second inner cylindrical element is operably engaged with said second middle cylindrical element to define a second engagement element for said second blood vessel or prosthesis end portion; said device further comprising an outer cylindrical element adapted to receive and retain both said first and second engagement elements, wherein the longitudinal legs are straight and flexible and protrude from the respective rings of said first and second inner cylindrical elements in an axial direction and are directed parallel to an axis of the ring; wherein the first and second middle cylindrical elements have an inner cylindrical surface defining a cylindrical inside surface adjacent to said tapered inside surface, whereby said cylindrical inside surface guides the legs to slide coaxially and parallel to a wall of the first or second end portions a predetermined length, when the first and second inner cylindrical elements are made to slide in the corresponding first and second middle cylindrical elements, wherein the longitudinal legs are guided initially by the cylindrical inside surface of the respective middle cylindrical elements and subsequently by said tapered inside surface of the respective middle cylindrical element.