Patent ID: 7981126

Claim:
A compression plate anastomosis apparatus for facilitating fluid communication through a side of a target vessel, comprising: a first compression plate comprising a first ring, a first compression plate opening and a plurality of first holding tabs extending from said first ring, wherein each of said first holding tabs extends from said first ring with a length that is sufficiently short to permit a portion of a target vessel that defines a target vessel opening to extend through the first compression plate opening with a length sufficient for the target vessel portion to be everted over the first holding tabs at least partially around the first compression plate opening, wherein each of the first holding tabs terminates at a tip and each tip is separated from the first ring by the length of the corresponding tab, wherein the first compression plate is a non-separable, unitary component; a second compression plate comprising a second compression plate opening and a plurality of second holding tabs, wherein each of the second holding tabs terminates at a tip, and wherein the second compression plate is a non-separable, unitary component; and a plurality of guides fixedly extending from one of the plates, wherein each guide is retained in a friction fit engagement in a hole in the other plate such that the first compression plate and the second compression plate are spaced apart in an initial position opposite from each other and such that the plate with the holes cannot inadvertently slide on the guides, and wherein the guides and the holes permit the first compression plate and the second compression plate to be driven together from the initial position, in a fixed parallel orientation relative to each other, without requiring penetration of the target vessel by the guides, such that the first compression plate and the second compression plate are in the compressed position with a friction fit engagement between the guides and the holes that prevents the plates from separating while remaining in the body, wherein the first holding tabs and the second holding tabs are oriented such that the tips of the first holding tabs extend toward the second compression plate and such that the tips of the second plurality of holding tabs extend toward the first compression plate, and wherein the first compression plate and the second compression plate cooperate together in the compressed position such that the target vessel portion is held directly between the tips of the first holding tabs and the tips of the second holding tabs, due to the distance between the tips of the first holding tabs and the tips of the second holding tabs and the orientation of the first holding tabs and the second holding tabs relative to each other.