Patent ID: 7124570

Claim:
A method for repeatedly accessing a body fluid such as blood in an anatomical vessel, comprising: obtaining an access tube having an access end and an anastomosis end with a conduit extending from the access end to the anastomosis end; anastomosing the anastomosis end of the access tube to a side of an anatomical vessel; occluding the conduit of the access tube with a fluid in direct contact with the access tube to act as a fluid occluder which is exposed to the body fluid, wherein the conduit has a perimeter which enables the surface tension of the fluid occluder to prevent intermixing of the fluid occluder and the body fluid along the entire length of the conduit until occlusion is no longer needed; wherein the fluid occluder has at least one properly, which in cooperation with the perimeter of the conduit, enables a sufficient amount of the fluid occluder to remain in the conduit such that the body fluid is prevented from extending into the entire length of the conduit until occlusion is no longer needed; and removing the fluid occluder from the access tube to provide fluid communication between the lumen of the vessel and the conduit of the access tube.