Patent ID: 7922734

Claim:
A method for forming an anastomosis, comprising obtaining a first compression plate comprising a first ring and a first plurality of holding tabs extending from the first ring, wherein the first plurality of holding tabs define a first compression plate opening; obtaining a second compression plate comprising a second ring and a second plurality of holding tabs extending from said second ring, wherein the second plurality of holding tabs define a second compression plate opening; obtaining an anvil comprising a landing between an engaging end and a terminal end; positioning the anvil in a lumen of a first vessel at an anastomosis site, wherein the anastomosis site is located at a side of the first vessel; moving the anvil at least partially into the first compression plate opening such that a part of a wall of the first vessel at the anastomosis site is held between the landing of the anvil and the first compression plate and such that the engaging end of the anvil causes a region of the wall to extend beyond the part of the wall held between the landing and the first compression plate in conformance with the shape of the engaging end of the anvil; forming an anastomosis opening in the wall of the first vessel at the anastomosis site while extending the region of the wall beyond the part of the wall held between the landing of the anvil and the first compression plate such that at least a portion of the region of the wall of the vessel extending beyond the part held between the landing of the anvil and the first compression plate rests on the landing of the anvil after formation of the anastomosis opening; guiding together the first compression plate and the second compression plate via at least one guide extending from one of the plates from a position of being initially spaced apart and opposite from each other, while the part of the wall of the vessel at the anastomosis site continues to be held between the landing of the anvil and the first compression plate, such that the second compression plate is urged against the portion of the first vessel resting on the landing of the anvil until curling the first vessel portion over the first plurality of holding tabs of the first compression plate, whereby the first vessel portion is everted at least partially around the first compression plate opening on the first plurality of holding tabs and is held between the first plurality of holding tabs and the second plurality of holding tabs; wherein the at least one guide remains fixedly extending from one of the compression plates after the first vessel portion is held between the first plurality of holding tabs and the second plurality of holding tabs as the first compression plate and the second compression plate remain opposite each other.