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US6920882B2 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Medical grafting methods and apparatus

Assignee: St Jude Medical ATG Inc
•
Filing: 2002-04-09
•
Granted: 2005-07-26
•
Expires: 2022-04-09
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Abstract

Abstract Methods and apparatus for delivering and installing a new length of tubing between two sections of a patient's existing body organ tubing and at least partly outside of that existing structure. For example, the new length of tubing may be for the purpose of providing the patient with a coronary bypass. The new tubing may be an artificial graft, a natural graft (harvested elsewhere from the patient), or both. The new tubing is installed at the operative site primarily by providing at least one graft location with instrumentation inserted through the patient's existing tubular body organ structure. Assistance in installing the new tubing may be provided by minimally invasive surgical access openings in the patient's chest. The tubing may be delivered through the patient's existing tubular body structure or, alternatively, through the surgical access openings.

Inventors

  • 👤 Todd Allen Berg
  • 👤 Daniel J. Sullivan
  • 👤 William J. Swanson
  • 👤 Paul J. Hindrichs

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 03:38
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/064; A61B17/11; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/04; A61F2/06; A61F2/064; A61B2017/0641; A61B2017/1107; A61B2017/1135; A61B2017/1139

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim 129 words
A method for installing a tubular graft between first and second spaced locations in a patient's tubular body structure comprising: providing a first aperture through a wall of the tubular body structure at the first location with a distal portion of an elongated structure inserted into and along a lumen of the tubular body structure to the first location; passing the graft along a lumen of the tubular body structure until a distal portion of the graft extends out of said first aperture; providing a surgical access opening in the patient adjacent one of the first and second locations; moving the distal portion of the graft to the second location; and attaching axially spaced portions of the graft to the tubular body structure adjacent the first and second locations.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 129 words
A method for installing a tubular graft between first and second spaced locations in a patient's tubular body structure comprising: providing a first aperture through a wall of the tubular body structure at the first location with a distal portion of an elongated structure inserted into and along a lumen of the tubular body structure to the first location; passing the graft along a lumen of the tubular body structure until a distal portion of the graft extends out of said first aperture; providing a surgical access opening in the patient adjacent one of the first and second locations; moving the distal portion of the graft to the second location; and attaching axially spaced portions of the graft to the tubular body structure adjacent the first and second locations.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 34 words
The method defined in claim 1 , wherein the step of moving the distal portion of the graft comprises accessing the distal portion of the graft with instrumentation inserted into the surgical access opening.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 57 words
The method defined in claim 1 , wherein the step of attaching axially spaced portions of the graft to the tubular body structure comprises forming anastomotic connections between the graft and the tubular body structure so that the patient's body fluid can flow between the lumen of the tubular body structure and the interior of the graft.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 47 words
The method defined in claim 3 , wherein the step of attaching axially spaced portions of the graft to the tubular body structure comprises forming an anastomotic connection between an end of the graft and one of the apertures in the wall of the tubular body structure.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 57 words
The method defined in claim 1 , further comprising: providing a graft installing structure having a sharpened configuration adjacent a distal end portion of the graft, wherein the step of moving the distal portion of the graft to the second location comprises using a distal portion of the graft installing structure to pierce the tubular body structure.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 51 words
The method defined in claim 5 , wherein the graft installing structure has a cutting structure, and the step of moving the distal portion of the graft to the second location comprises using the cutting structure of the graft installing structure to provide a second aperture in the tubular body structure.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 64 words
The method defined in claim 6 , wherein the graft installing structure has a dilating structure coaxially mounted with respect to the graft, and the step of moving the distal portion of the graft to the second location comprises enlarging the second aperture with the dilating structure by advancing the dilating structure through the wall of the tubular body structure at the second location.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 34 words
The method defined in claim 6 , further comprising: before the step of passing the graft along a lumen of the tubular body structure, attaching a connector to an end portion of the graft.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 41 words
The method defined in claim 8 , wherein the step of attaching axially spaced portions of the graft to the tubular body structure comprises: attaching one of the end portions of the graft to the tubular body structure with the connector.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 60 words
The method defined in claim 9 , wherein the graft installing structure has an expandable component adjacent the end portion of the graft and the connector and wherein the step of attaching axially spaced portions of the graft to the tubular body structure comprises: expanding a component of the graft installing structure to radially expand a portion of the connector.
Claim 12
Independent Claim 78 words
A method for installing a tubular graft having first and second end portions between first and second spaced locations in a patient's tubular body structure, and wherein at least one of the first and second end portions of the graft is anastomosed with a connector to one of the first and second locations, and wherein delivery of the graft to the first and second locations is at least facilitated by an intraluminal step and a surgical access step.
Claim 13
Independent Claim 78 words
A method for installing a tubular graft having first and second end portions between first and second spaced locations in a patient's tubular body structure, and wherein at least one of the first and second end portions of the graft is anastomosed with a connector to one of the first and second locations, and wherein delivery of the graft to the first and second locations is at least facilitated by an intraluminal step and a surgical access step.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 65 words
The method defined in claim 11 , wherein the intraluminal step comprises: passing an elongated structure inserted into and along a lumen of the body structure to the first location; and providing an aperture in a wall of the body structure at the first location by cutting the wall of the body structure at the first location with a sharpened end of the elongated structure.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 35 words
The method defined in claim 12 , wherein the intraluminal step further comprises: passing the graft through a lumen of the elongated structure to bring the second end portion of the graft through the aperture.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 29 words
The method defined in claim 11 , wherein the surgical access step comprises: providing a surgical access opening in the patient adjacent one of the first and second locations.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 47 words
The method defined in claim 14 , wherein the surgical access step further comprises: inserting the graft through the surgical access opening to bring the first and second end portions of the graft to the first and second locations using instrumentation inserted through the surgical access opening.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 76 words
The method defined in claim 12 , wherein the surgical access step comprises: providing a surgical access opening in the patient adjacent one of the first and second locations; inserting the graft through the surgical access opening using instrumentation inserted through the surgical access opening; guiding the first end portion of the graft to the first location using the instrumentation; and guiding the second end portion of the graft to the second location using the instrumentation.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 29 words
The method defined in claim 16 , wherein guiding the first end portion of the graft to the first location comprises guiding the first end portion into the aperture.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 65 words
The method defined in claim 16 , wherein the second end portion of the graft is anastomosed with a connector attached to the second end portion, and wherein guiding the second end portion of the graft to the second location comprises piercing a wall of the body structure at the second location with a sharpened end of the connector attached to the second end portion.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 30 words
The method defined in claim 12 , wherein the intraluminal step further comprises: passing an elongated guide structure into and along a lumen of the elongated structure through the aperture.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 99 words
The method defined in claim 19 , wherein the surgical access step comprises: providing a surgical access opening in the patient adjacent one of the first and second locations; removing an end of the elongated guide structure out of the patient through the surgical access opening using instrumentation inserted through the surgical access opening; inserting the graft over the elongated guide structure through the surgical access opening to bring the first end portion of the graft to the first location using the instrumentation; and guiding the second end portion of the graft to the second location using the instrumentation.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 29 words
The method defined in claim 20 , wherein bringing the first end portion of the graft to the first location comprises guiding the first end portion into the aperture.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 65 words
The method defined in claim 20 , wherein the second end portion of the graft is anastomosed with a connector attached to the second end portion, and wherein guiding the second end portion of the graft to the second location comprises piercing a wall of the body structure at the second location with a sharpened end of the connector attached to the second end portion.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 50 words
The method defined in claim 13 , wherein the surgical access step comprises: providing a surgical access opening in the patient adjacent one of the first and second locations; and guiding the second end portion of the graft to the second location using instrumentation inserted through the surgical access opening.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 65 words
The method defined in claim 23 , wherein the second end portion of the graft is anastomosed with a connector attached to the second end portion, and wherein guiding the second end portion of the graft to the second location comprises piercing a wall of the body structure at the second location using a sharpened end of the Connector attached to the second end portion.

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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2008-07-25 2009-01-24 2009-07-26 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2012-07-25 2013-01-24 2013-07-26 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2016-07-25 2017-01-24 2017-07-26 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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