Patent ID: 7871417

Claim:
A method for joining a blood conduit having a lumen, distal region, and proximal region, to a blood vessel having a wall, in a patient, the method comprising: making an incision in the blood vessel wall; inserting a tubular member comprising a tubular wall defining a lumen and having a distal region and a proximal region into the conduit, the tubular member distal region including a flow restrictor and a weakened wall region proximal of the flow restrictor; advancing the tubular member distal region into the blood vessel through the incision and then expanding the tubular wall and the lumen of the tubular member distal region radially outward within the blood vessel by forcing oxygenated liquid under pressure through the tubular member to expand the weakened distal region; fixedly joining the conduit distal region to the vessel wall near the incision while providing the oxygenated liquid flow from an outlet of the tubular member disposed within the conduit and into the blood vessel; and after fixedly joining the conduit to the vessel, withdrawing the tubular member through the conduit.