Patent ID: 6866674

Claim:
A method of making a graft connection between first and second portions of a patient's tubular body tissue conduit system comprising: supplying a length of tubular graft conduit having first and second severed ends; forming a first aperture in a side wall of the graft conduit adjacent the first severed end; forming a second aperture in the side wall of the graft conduit adjacent the second severed end; forming a third aperture in a side wall of the first portion of the body tissue conduit; forming a fourth aperture in a side wall of the second portion of the body tissue conduit; approximating the first and third apertures; installing a first hollow annular connector through the approximated first and third apertures to form a first hollow annular anastomotic connection between the side walls of the graft conduit and the body tissue conduit annularly around the approximated first and third apertures; approximating the second and fourth apertures; and installing a second hollow annular connector through the approximated second and fourth apertures to form a second hollow annular anastomotic connection between the side walls of the graft conduit and the body tissue conduit annularly around the approximated second and fourth apertures, wherein the installing the first and second hollow annular connectors comprises deforming at least one of the first and second connectors so that the at least one connector axially shortens and presses together the side walls of the graft conduit and body tissue conduit annularly around the approximated apertures.