Apparatus for effecting anastomotic procedures

Claim 1

Apparatus for use in effecting anastomotic procedures, to join a first hollow body member at an opening in its wall to a second hollow member and establish fluid communication therebetween, said apparatus comprising: (a) a deformable annular member having a generally ring-shaped peripheral portion and a central opening therein and having at least two operative modes, including: (i) a deformed mode in which said annular member is shaped to be inserted through the opening in the wall of said first hollow member and be completely received therewithin, and (ii) a normal mode in which said annular member is shaped to be retained against the inner surface of said first hollow body member around the opening in the wall thereof; (b) a second hollow tubular member having at least one open end, joined at said open end thereof to said annular member and dimensioned, when said annular member is retained with said first hollow body member, to extend from the interior of said first hollow body member, from the central opening in said annular member, to the exterior of said first hollow body member, to provide fluid communication between the interior of said first hollow body member and the interior of said second hollow member; (c) a liquid-impermeable tubular elastic membrane with an unbroken continuous side wall, disposed concentrically around said second hollow tubular member and having one open end thereof attached to said annular member and dimensioned, when said annular member is retained within said first hollow body member, to extend from said annular member, through said opening in the wall of said first hollow body member, to the exterior of said first hollow body member; and (d) means for radially tensioning said membrane to continuously sealingly engage the edge of the opening in the wall of said first hollow body member completely around the periphery thereof without suturing.