Patent ID: 8287568

Claim:
A device for retaining a graft on an artery, which device is formed from elastic wire, and includes: a. a central section defined by a loop in the wire, the loop being externally bounded by: (1) opposing lateral sides, and (2) opposing forward and rearward sides between the opposing lateral sides, within a plane defined by the loop, wherein the forward side of the loop defines an abutment surface, and b. only two elongate members extending from the central section, the elongate members being resiliently biased into an open configuration in which the elongate members: (1) are spaced by the abutment surface as they extend tangentially and forwardly from opposing lateral sides of the loop, and then (2) subsequently continuously curve along arcuate paths in laterally opposing directions along the entireties of their lengths so that the ends of the elongate members distal from the central section are spaced apart from one another, wherein: i. the elongate members can be moved against said bias into a closed configuration in which said distal ends are closer together than in the open configuration, ii. said distal ends are adapted to pierce a graft on an artery wall when the device is in the lumen of the artery, so that the elongate members can be urged through the graft and artery wall, moving apart as they do so into the open configuration, in order to bring the abutment surface into contact with the graft, such that in use the graft is retained on the artery between said abutment surface and the distal ends of the elongate members with the resilient bias of the elongate members urging the abutment surface against the graft.