Patent ID: 8366651

Claim:
An implantable flow connector for fluidically coupling a source tissue-enclosed body space with a destination conduit, comprising: a conduit having a lumen having a first diameter and terminating at a first orifice at a first end of the conduit implantable in the source body space through an opening formed in a tissue wall of the source body space, and a second end of the conduit, comprising a second orifice having a second diameter, and implantable in the destination conduit through an opening at an end of the destination conduit; a circumferential flange, radially extending from the conduit proximate the conduit first end, configured to be implanted in the source body space adjacent the opening in the tissue wall of the source body space such that the conduit extends through the opening, the flange including first and second longitudinal sections extending on first and second opposing sides of the conduit and first and second lateral sections extending on third and fourth opposing sides of the conduit, the longitudinal and lateral sections each having an inner section closer to the conduit and an outer section positioned radially outward from the inner section and further from the conduit than the inner section, wherein adjacent lateral and longitudinal sections are contiguous along the outer sections, and wherein the outer sections are more flexible than the inner sections; and one or more cutout regions disposed on said flange between the lateral and longitudinal sections and configured to promote folding of said flange to facilitate insertion through the opening.