Patent ID: 8109948

Claim:
A method of joining a first tubular structure and a second tubular structure, comprising: providing an anastomosis device comprising a first sleeve and a second sleeve; placing the first sleeve within the first tubular structure; placing the second sleeve within the second tubular structure; positioning at least one of the first sleeve and the second sleeve onto a rod; suturing a portion of the first tubular structure and a portion of the second tubular structure onto a portion of the rod; positioning the second sleeve around the first sleeve so that an end of the first tubular structure is positioned around at least a portion of the first sleeve and an end of the second tubular structure is positioned around the end of the first tubular structure; removing the second sleeve from within the second tubular structure; withdrawing the rod such that the portions of the tubular structures that have been sutured are positioned laterally spaced from the first sleeve, and wherein the first sleeve is the only portion of the anastomosis device that remains within at least one of the first and the second tubular structures.