US20060116699A1 - Adhesive-based anastomosis method and system - Google Patents
Adhesive-based anastomosis method and system Download PDFInfo
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- US20060116699A1 US20060116699A1 US11/332,611 US33261106A US2006116699A1 US 20060116699 A1 US20060116699 A1 US 20060116699A1 US 33261106 A US33261106 A US 33261106A US 2006116699 A1 US2006116699 A1 US 2006116699A1
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B17/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets
- A61B17/00491—Surgical glue applicators
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B17/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets
- A61B17/08—Wound clamps or clips, i.e. not or only partly penetrating the tissue ; Devices for bringing together the edges of a wound
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B17/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets
- A61B17/11—Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets for performing anastomosis; Buttons for anastomosis
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B17/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets
- A61B17/11—Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets for performing anastomosis; Buttons for anastomosis
- A61B2017/1107—Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets for performing anastomosis; Buttons for anastomosis for blood vessels
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B17/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets
- A61B17/11—Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets for performing anastomosis; Buttons for anastomosis
- A61B2017/1135—End-to-side connections, e.g. T- or Y-connections
Abstract
A method and system for performing anastomosis may use an anvil to control and support a tissue site during an anastomosis procedure involving tissue bonding techniques such as adhesive tissue bonding. Adhesive may be applied to mating surfaces of the graft and/or target vessels either before or after the vessels are brought into contact. Adhesive may be applied via an applicator associated with the anvil.
Description
- This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/136,007 filed on Apr. 30, 2002, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Pat. No. 6,398,797, filed on Nov. 29, 2000, which is a continuation of U.S. Pat. No. 6,391,038, filed on Jul. 28, 1999, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
- 1. Field of the Related Art
- The invention relates to an anastomosis system and method for controlling a tissue site in an anastomosis procedure wherein blood vessels or other tubular or hollow organs are joined together by tissue bonding.
- 2. Background of the Related Art
- Vascular anastomosis is a procedure by which two blood vessels within a patient are surgically joined together. Vascular anastomosis is performed during treatment of a variety of conditions including coronary artery disease, diseases of the great and peripheral vessels, organ transplantation, and trauma. In coronary artery disease (CAD) an occlusion or stenosis in a coronary artery interferes with blood flow to the heart muscle. Treatment of CAD involves the grafting of a vessel in the form of a prosthesis or harvested artery or vein to reroute blood flow around the occlusion and restore adequate blood flow to the heart muscle. This treatment is known as coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).
- In the conventional CABG, a large incision is made in the chest and the sternum is sawed in half to allow access to the heart. In addition, a heart lung machine is used to circulate the patient's blood so that the heart can be stopped and the anastomosis can be performed. In order to minimize the trauma to the patient induced by conventional CABG, less invasive techniques have been developed in which the surgery is performed through small incisions in the patients chest with the aid of visualizing scopes. Less invasive CABG can be performed on a beating or stopped heart and thus may avoid the need for cardiopulmonary bypass.
- In both conventional and less invasive CABG procedures, the surgeon has to suture one end of the graft vessel to the coronary artery and the other end of the graft vessel to a blood supplying vein or artery, such as the aorta. The suturing process is a time consuming and difficult procedure requiring a high level of surgical skill. In order to perform the suturing of the graft to a target vessel such as the coronary artery or the blood supplying artery the surgeon generally has an assistant hold the edges of the incision in the target vessel while the surgeon takes small stitches as close as possible to the edges of the incision. This suturing requires a high degree of precision and is quite time consuming. In addition, during conventional CABG procedures blood flow at the anastomosis site is stopped during suturing. This prevents bleeding from the incision site but also prevents blood from reaching a portion of the heart muscle served by the vessel.
- Various alternatives to suturing are known for performing anastomosis. These techniques generally involve securing the tissue with mechanical fasteners such as staples or fittings which compress the tissue surfaces together. Sutureless techniques for performing anastomosis are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,254,650; 3,774,615; 4,350,160; 4,352,358; 4,368,736; 4,523,592; 4,553,542; 4,593,693; 4,607,637; 4,624,255; 4,624,257; 4,657,019; 4,747,407; 4,907,591; 4,917,087; 4,917,090; 4,917,091; 5,119,983; 5,234,447; 5,336,233; 5,366,462; 5,456,714; 5,571,167; 5,669,918; 5,676,670; 5,695,504; 5,702,412; 5,707,380; 5,725,544; 5,797,920; 5,817,113; and 5,904,697.
- While offering certain advantages over suturing, mechanical fastening techniques such as stapling still have disadvantages. Staples, for example, can produce high mechanical loads which may result in tearing of the tissue around the staples. As a result, staples cannot be placed too close to the incision cite in the target vessel.
- Another alternative to suturing in general surgical procedures is tissue bonding. Tissue bonding methods include adhesive bonding and tissue welding. Adhesive bonding generally involves applying a tissue adhesive to either or both of the tissue mating surfaces and applying clamping pressure until the adhesive sets. Tissue welding is generally accomplished by heating the tissue through energy dissipation in the affected tissue. The energy applied to the tissue can be in the form of electrical power (usually RF power), light energy (e.g., laser) or ultrasonic energy. During welding, the heated tissue in the weld region undergoes cellular dehydration and denaturation of proteins which results in formation of the weld. Tissue bonding procedures are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,892,098 5,156,613; 5,290,278; 5,300,065; 5,364,389; 5,540,677; 5,611,794; 5,669,934; 5,707,369; 5,749,895; 5,824,015; 5,827,265; and 6,004,335.
- Tissue bonding techniques, however, have met with limited success when used for performing vascular anastomosis. With tissue welding, achieving a strong bond requires not only precise control of energy delivery to the tissue in the weld region but also proper tissue apposition. Energy delivery is important to ensure that the desired amount of energy is absorbed by the tissue. Tissue apposition is important because the sections of tissue to be welded together must be in substantial abutment and accurate alignment to ensure that the energy applied to the tissue effectively fuses the tissue in the weld area. Deficient apposition can cause leakage or the formation of weak bonds. Tissue apposition is also important for adhesive bonding where the tissue mating surfaces must be held in proper position until the adhesive sets. Proper tissue apposition during vascular anastomosis is particularly difficult to achieve due to the small size and the flexible, circular configuration of the blood vessels involved.
- Accordingly, there exists a need to provide a device for performing vascular anastomosis by tissue bonding. There also exists a need for a device which provides precise apposition of the graft and target vessels for tissue bonding during in an end-to-side anastomosis procedure.
- The present invention relates to a system and method for performing vascular anastomosis by tissue bonding techniques. The present invention also relates to a method of controlling a tissue site during an anastomosis procedure wherein a graft vessel and a target vessel are attached together using a tissue bonding technique. Suitable tissue bonding techniques include adhesive bonding and tissue welding. The anastomosis system and method of the present invention may be used on a pressurized or unpressurized target vessel.
- In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a method of performing anastomosis is provided. The method employs an anastomosis system including an elongated anvil having tissue contacting surfaces and a graft vessel fixture movable with respect to the anvil. The graft vessel fixture further includes clamping members each having one or more clamping surfaces adapted to compress the tissue on opposite sides of the graft vessel against the anvil. The method involves steps of: inserting the elongated anvil through the wall of a target blood vessel and positioning the elongated anvil along an interior of the target blood vessel wall; positioning a graft vessel adjacent an exterior of the target blood vessel wall; moving the fixture toward the anvil to clamp the graft and target vessel tissue between the tissue contacting surfaces of the anvil and the clamping surfaces of the fixture; and applying energy to the tissue clamped between the electrode surfaces on the anvil and the clamping surfaces of the fixture to secure the graft and target vessels together. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method also comprises steps of making an opening in the target vessel to allow blood to flow between the target vessel and the graft vessel and removing the anvil.
- In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an anastomosis system is provided for connecting a graft vessel to a target vessel by the application of energy. The anastomosis system includes an elongated anvil having tissue contacting surfaces and a graft vessel fixture. The fixture includes clamping members each of which has one or more clamping surfaces adapted to compress the graft and target vessel tissue on opposite sides of the graft vessel against the anvil. The fixture is movable relative to the anvil so as to allow the graft and target vessel tissue to be clamped between the anvil and the fixture at the anastomosis site. Furthermore, the tissue contacting surfaces of the anvil and/or the clamping surfaces of the fixture are provided with one or more energy applying surfaces.
- In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an anvil for use in performing anastomosis between a graft vessel and a target vessel is provided. The anvil includes a handle and an elongated anvil arm extending from the handle. The anvil arm has at least one energy applying surface on an upper tissue contacting surface thereof.
- In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a method of performing an anastomosis between a target vessel and the end of a graft vessel is provided. The method includes steps of: applying a tissue adhesive to mating surfaces of the graft vessel and/or target vessel; inserting an elongated anvil through the wall of the target vessel and positioning the anvil along an interior of the target vessel wall; positioning the end of the graft vessel adjacent an exterior of the target vessel wall; and curing the adhesive.
- In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, an anastomosis system for connecting a graft vessel to a target vessel using a tissue adhesive is disclosed. The anastomosis system includes an elongated anvil having tissue contacting surfaces thereon and a graft vessel fixture including clamping members each having one or more clamping surfaces adapted to compress the graft and target vessel tissue on opposite sides of the graft vessel against the tissue contacting surfaces of the anvil. The fixture is movable relative to the anvil so as to allow the graft and target vessel tissue to be clamped between the anvil and the fixture at the anastomosis site. The anvil and/or the graft vessel fixture are provided with one or more tissue adhesive applicators adapted to supply a tissue adhesive to mating surfaces of the graft and/or target vessel.
- The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the preferred embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like elements bear like reference numerals, and wherein:
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FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a portion of an anvil according to the present invention; -
FIG. 1B is a perspective view of a portion of an anvil arm according to the present invention having optical fiber ends exposed at a tissue contacting surface thereof; -
FIG. 1C is a perspective view of a portion of an anvil arm according to the present invention having an optical fiber assembly movably mounted in a track therein; -
FIG. 2A is a perspective view of the anvil ofFIG. 1A being inserted into a target vessel; -
FIG. 2B is a perspective view of the anvil tenting a wall of a target vessel for an anastomosis procedure; -
FIG. 3A is a perspective view of an anvil according to one embodiment of the present invention having a tissue adhesive applicator tube; -
FIG. 3B is a perspective view of the anvil ofFIG. 3A tenting a wall of a target vessel for an anastomosis procedure; -
FIG. 4A is a perspective view of a graft vessel placed adjacent an exterior of the tented target vessel for the anastomosis procedure; -
FIG. 4B is a perspective view of a graft vessel placed adjacent an exterior of the tented target vessel for the anastomosis procedure wherein the end of the graft vessel has been split to form two graft vessel flaps; -
FIG. 5A is a perspective view of an anastomosis system including a graft vessel fixture having angled clamping surfaces and a corresponding anvil; -
FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view of graft and target vessels mounted in the system ofFIG. 5A ; -
FIG. 6A is a perspective view of an anastomosis system with an anvil having projections; -
FIG. 6B is a perspective view of an anastomosis system with a clamping member having projections; -
FIG. 6C is a perspective view of an anastomosis system with a clamping member and an anvil having angled clamping surfaces and projections; -
FIG. 7A is a perspective view of the tissue contacting surface of a fiber holding plate; -
FIG. 7B is a perspective view of one embodiment of a laser stencil according to the present invention; -
FIG. 7C is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a laser stencil according to the present invention; -
FIG. 8A is a cross-sectional view showing a graft and target vessel in position for anastomosis wherein a needle for injecting a tissue adhesive is inserted through the graft vessel flap; -
FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional view showing a graft and target vessel in position for anastomosis wherein a needle for injecting a tissue adhesive is inserted under the graft vessel flap; -
FIG. 9A is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a pin assembly for a graft vessel fixture comprising adhesive applicator tubes; -
FIG. 9B is a cross-sectional view of a graft vessel fixture comprising the pin assembly ofFIG. 9A in position for anastomosis; -
FIG. 10A is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a pin assembly for a graft vessel fixture comprising adhesive applicator tubes; -
FIG. 10B is a cross-sectional view of a graft vessel fixture comprising the pin assembly ofFIG. 10A in position for anastomosis; -
FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a system for controlling a tissue site and performing anastomosis according to the present invention; -
FIG. 12A is a cross sectional view taken along line C-C ofFIG. 1 , showing a first step of the anastomosis procedure; -
FIG. 12B is a cross sectional view taken along line C-C ofFIG. 1 , showing a second step of the anastomosis procedure; and -
FIG. 12C is a cross sectional view taken along line C-C ofFIG. 1 , showing a third step of the anastomosis procedure. - The anastomosis system and method according to the present invention uses an anvil to control and support a tissue site during an anastomosis procedure wherein the graft and target vessel are attached together using a tissue bonding procedure such as adhesive bonding or tissue welding. The anvil is particularly useful for supporting a wall of a coronary artery during attachment of a graft vessel to the coronary artery in a coronary artery bypass graft procedure. The anvil supports the wall of the coronary artery which is generally very thin, difficult to grasp, and susceptible to tearing. Although the present invention is particularly useful for performing anastomosis on blood vessels and for controlling very thin tissues such as the walls of the coronary arteries, the anvil may also be used for performing anastomosis on other vessels and for controlling other tissue sites.
- As shown in
FIG. 1A , ananvil 10 according to one aspect of the present invention includes ahandle 12 and ananvil arm 14 extending substantially perpendicularly from the handle. As shown inFIG. 1A , theanvil arm 14 can have a sharpdistal end 16 for puncturing the tissue of a target vessel to insert theanvil arm 14 into the target vessel. In order to apply energy to the tissue at the anastomosis site, theanvil arm 14 can be provided with at least oneenergy applying surface 18 on an upper tissue contacting surface thereof. Additionally, the anvil arm can be provided with a sensor 11 such as a temperature or impedance sensor. - When tissue bonding is accomplished by RF welding, the tissue contacting surfaces of the anvil arm can be provided with one or more electrodes for applying RF energy to the weld region. The anvil arm itself may function as an electrode or one or more electrically isolated electrode patches may be formed on the tissue contacting surfaces of the anvil arm. For example, the anvil arm may comprise two substantially parallel elongated electrode surfaces on either side of the upper tissue contacting surface of the anvil arm. Further, there may be a plurality of discontinuous electrode patches on either side of the upper tissue contacting surface of the anvil arm each of which is capable of being powered separately. The anvil arm may also have projections, each of which can form an electrode surface capable of being powered separately. By employing a plurality of electrically isolated electrode patches, spot welds can be formed.
- When tissue bonding is accomplished with laser welding, the anvil arm can be provided with means for supplying laser energy to tissue in the weld region. In
FIG. 1B , ananvil arm 24 is shown having multiple optical fibers ends 20 exposed on the tissue contacting surfaces of the anvil arm for delivery of laser energy to tissue surfaces adjacent the anvil. As shown, theoptical fibers 22 can be routed through the inside of the anvil to a light source inside or outside of the anvil. - In
FIG. 1C , an alternative embodiment of an anvil arm is shown which has anenergy applying assembly 30 movably mounted in atrack 32 on each side of theanvil arm 34. The energy applying assembly may include light fibers for application of light energy, electrodes for applying electrical or RF energy or other energy applying members. Thetrack 32 allows the exposed optical fiber ends orelectrodes 36 to be moved along the length of the anvil arm in the direction D. By powering the optical fibers or electrodes and moving the energy applying assembly along the length of the anvil, a continuous weld line can be formed on each side of the anvil. Further, the energy may be pulsed to form an intermittent weld line. - In addition to an energy applying surface, the anvil may also be provided with one or more sensors. For example, one or more temperature or
impedance sensors 38 may be incorporated into the anvil to accurately measure the temperature of the intimal surface of the target vessel during the tissue welding process. Various temperature measuring devices which could be used for this purpose are known in the art including, but not limited to, thermocouples, thermistors and resistance temperature devices (RTDs). Measurement of the temperature can allow for feedback control of the tissue welding process to prevent overheating and damage to the intimal surfaces of the target vessel. The power supplied to the electrodes can be modulated in response to the output from the sensor. - In the case of RF welding, the sensor may also be an impedance sensor used to monitor the amount of energy being delivered to the tissue thus allowing power to be modulated based on measured values of tissue impedance. Tissue impedance may be measured during application of therapeutic energy or by supplying a small amount of non-therapeutic energy to the electrodes. The anvil may also be provided with a cooling ability to prevent overheating of the tissue of the target vessel. Examples of cooling means suitable for use with the anvil include heat sinks and micro-fluidic cooling channels for the circulation of a heat transfer fluid.
- As illustrated in
FIG. 2A , theanvil arm 14 can be inserted into a pressurized orun-pressurized target vessel 42 by puncturing the target vessel with the sharpdistal end 16 of the anvil arm. The hole in thetarget vessel 42 can also be made in a separate step in which case theanvil 10 does not need to have a sharp distal end. The hole which is formed in the wall of thetarget vessel 42 by theanvil arm 14 is preferably small enough to prevent significant bleeding through the puncture site. The hole is preferably less than 2 mm, and more preferably less than 1 mm in width. Theanvil arm 14 also preferably has a substantially uniform cross-section along its length to allow for puncture of the vessel and insertion through the vessel wall yet still capable of providing support to the tissue of the vessel during anastomosis. Theanvil arm 14 is depicted as being round in cross-section inFIG. 2A but other cross sectional shapes may be used such as polygonal, ovoid, etc. One example of ananvil arm 14 according to the present invention has a height and a width of about 2 mm or less, preferably about 1 mm or less, and a length of about 2 to 15 mm, preferably 5 to 12 mm. The length of theanvil arm 14 will vary depending on the diameter of the graft vessel selected. Preferably, a length to width ratio of theanvil arm 14 is between 2:1 and 15:1. - Once the
anvil arm 14 has been inserted into thetarget vessel 42, theanvil arm 14 is pulled against an inner wall of the target vessel causing tenting of the thin tissue of the vessel wall as illustrated inFIG. 2B . This tenting of the vessel wall provides control over the anastomosis site during an anastomosis procedure. During tenting of thetarget vessel 42, the upper or tissue contacting surface of the anvil is brought into contact with the tissue on the interior of the target artery. - In
FIG. 3A , ananvil 13 is shown having an external applicator for supplying a tissue adhesive to the bond region. The applicator includes atube 15 with two sets ofholes 17 on opposite sides of the tube. The tube is threaded through a hole in thehandle 12 to an internal or external adhesive supply (not shown). Theapplicator tube 15 is spaced from the anvil arm such that when theanvil arm 14 is inserted in a target vessel, the applicator tube remains external to the target vessel. In use, adhesive is forced down thetube 15 and emerges through theholes 17 in the applicator tube. The adhesive can be applied before or after the graft vessel is brought into position for anastomosis. In an alternative embodiment, the external glue applicator can be part of an external cutter assembly for forming an incision in the target vessel. -
FIG. 3B shows the anvil ofFIG. 3A inserted into the wall of atarget vessel 42. As shown, theapplicator tube 15 is in position on the exterior of thetarget vessel 42 to deliver adhesive to the bond region on either side of theapplicator tube 15. -
FIG. 4A shows agraft vessel 50 positioned adjacent an exterior of thetarget vessel 42 at the anastomosis site. InFIG. 4B , an alternative embodiment is shown where an end of thegraft vessel 50 has been split in preparation for grafting to form two graft vessel flaps 56. The tented portion of thetarget vessel 42 is positioned inside thegraft vessel 50 in the step ofFIG. 4B with one of the graft vessel flaps 56 on either side of theanvil 10. - With the graft vessel positioned as shown in
FIG. 4A or 4B, a graft vessel fixture can then be employed to compress the graft vessel tissue against the anvil in preparation for tissue welding. The graft vessel fixture includes at least two clamping members having clamping surfaces which compress the graft and target vessel tissue against opposing portions of the anvil on opposite sides of the graft vessel. The graft vessel may be mounted in the fixture prior to positioning the graft vessel against the target vessel. Alternatively, the graft vessel can be positioned against the wall of the target vessel before the graft vessel fixture is brought into position. - The clamping members of the graft vessel fixture can have various forms.
FIG. 5A shows a system for performing anastomosis comprising agraft vessel fixture 60 havingclamping members 62 with angled clamping surfaces 64. Ananvil 66 having correspondingangled surfaces 68 is also shown inFIG. 5A . To effectuate tissue welding, the clamping surfaces 64 of the clampingmembers 62 can be provided with energy applying surfaces such as electrodes for RF power application, exposed optical fiber ends for laser energy application, or vibrating surfaces for ultrasonic power application. -
FIG. 5B shows a cross-sectional view of the system ofFIG. 5A with thegraft vessel 50 andtarget vessel 42 in position for clamping. As shown, the end of thegraft vessel 50 has been split to form two graft vessel flaps 56 which are held in position against the clampingmembers 62 bypins 76. - When tissue bonding is accomplished with RF energy, the energy applying surfaces on the graft vessel fixture comprise one or more electrodes. The electrodes can be either continuous or segmented. In the case of the fixture having angled clamping
surfaces 64 as shown inFIG. 5A , the electrodes are preferably arranged as vertical strips (oriented in the graft vessel direction) or horizontal strips (oriented in the target vessel direction). The use of vertical strips is particularly preferred since it allows for less precision in the positioning of the fixture. The vertical strips can also be used to reduce or minimize the flap of unbonded target vessel tissue adjacent the incision formed in the target vessel wall. - Various clamping member and anvil arrangements are shown in
FIGS. 6A-6C . These arrangements are particularly suitable for use with RF tissue welding. For purposes of clarity, only one clamping member is shown. -
FIG. 6A shows an embodiment wherein the clampingmembers 80 comprise two parallel arms or pins which serve as electrodes and which form two elongated clamping surfaces with theanvil 82. As shown, theanvil 82 has a plurality ofprojections 84. In the case of RF tissue welding, each of theseprojections 84 can be electrically isolated and powered separately by conductors threaded through the interior of the anvil arm. -
FIG. 6B shows an embodiment wherein the clampingmembers 86 comprise a plurality ofprojections 88 each of which forms a separate clamping surface with theanvil 90. In the case of RF welding, each of theseprojections 88 can be electrically isolated from the other projections so that power can be applied sequentially to individual electrode projections. -
FIG. 6C shows a clampingmember 92 having a triangular cross-section and a correspondinganvil 94 having angled tissue contacting surfaces withprojections 96. - The clamping surfaces can also be provided with teeth-like projections having triangular cross-sections or with projections having other cross-sectional shapes. Further, the projections can be provided on both the clamping surfaces of the clamping members and the tissue contacting surfaces of the anvil. The projections on the anvil and/or clamping members can help to increase the surface area in the bond region thus increasing bond strength. The projections can also provide mechanical interlocking of the graft and target vessel tissue. Clamping pressure can be applied before, during and/or after the application of welding energy to improve tissue weld formation.
- In the case of RF tissue welding, the external electrodes can also be provided with sharp spikes which become embedded in the graft vessel tissue when the graft and target vessels are clamped together. The spikes in the electrodes become embedded in the target vessel tissue during clamping and allow the RF energy to be applied closer to the interface between the graft and target vessels.
- In the case of laser welding, the clamping surfaces of the graft fixture can comprise a fiber holding plate or a laser stencil. An example of a fiber holding plate is shown in
FIG. 7A .FIG. 7A is a view of the front or tissue clamping surface of thefiber holding plate 100. Thefiber holding plate 100 includes a plurality ofoptical fibers 102 havingends 104 exposed at the tissue contacting surfaces of the fiber holding plate. - In an alternative embodiment, the external clamping surfaces can be in the form of a laser stencil. Two embodiments of a stencil are shown in
FIGS. 7B and 7C . InFIG. 7B , alaser stencil 106 is shown having elongatedopenings 108 in a central portion thereof. The openings allow the laser energy to contact exposed portions of the underlying tissue. InFIG. 7C , a comb shapedstencil 110 is shown havingprojections 112 which form openings therebetween. In use, a powered laser is moved across the laser stencil to create welds in the underlying tissue. - In the case of ultrasonic welding, the clamping surfaces can be provided with a device similar to the fiber plate discussed above wherein the optical fibers have been replaced with wires which can be used to transmit ultrasonic energy. Alternatively, the clamping surfaces can be provided with projections and the entire clamping surface can be vibrated. The ultrasonic energy can be produced by means of ultrasonic transducers such as piezo-electric stacks or magneto-restrictive elements or by other means known in the art.
- Ultrasonic or vibrational energy can also be used in combination with other tissue welding techniques such as RF or laser welding. By vibrating the anvil and/or clamping surfaces before, during or after tissue welding, improved tissue welds can be formed.
- In the case of adhesive bonding, the adhesive can be applied to the tissue mating surfaces of the graft and/or target vessels before the surfaces are brought into contact. The adhesive may be applied to either or both of the mating surfaces of the graft and target vessels. The adhesive may be a one part or a two part adhesive. Further, the curing of the adhesive may be activated by light or heat energy. The adhesive may be applied as a liquid or as a solid film. Preferred adhesive materials include collagen, albumin, fibrin, hydrogel and glutaraldehyde. Other adhesives such as cyano-acrylates may also be used.
- In an alternative embodiment, the tissue mating surfaces can be brought into position for anastomosis before the tissue adhesive is applied to the interface region between the graft and target vessels. This procedure is particularly preferred when fast curing adhesives such as certain of the cyano-acrylates are employed. The adhesive can be supplied to the mating surfaces through holes made in the graft vessel in a previous step. Alternatively, the adhesive may be injected through the graft vessel tissue using one or more needles as shown in
FIG. 8A . -
FIG. 8A shows a cross-sectional view of agraft vessel 50 andtarget vessel 42 in position for anastomosis. As shown, thetarget vessel 42 is tented by ananvil 14 and the end of thegraft vessel 50 has been split to form two graft vessel flaps 56. Aneedle 114 is shown inserted through one of the graft vessel flap such that a tissue adhesive can be injected into the interface between the graft and target vessel. Although only one needle is shown, a plurality of needles can be simultaneously deployed on either side of the graft vessel to form spot bonds. Additionally, external clamping members can be deployed against the anvil surfaces before, during, and/or after the adhesive has been injected to improve the bond strength. -
FIG. 8B shows an alternative embodiment wherein aneedle 116 is inserted under the graft vessel flap. Although a needle is shown, a flexible tube may also be used to facilitate removal of the adhesive applicator. As with the embodiment ofFIG. 8A , a plurality of needles or flexible tubes can be deployed on either side of thegraft vessel 50. The adhesive can be injected while the needle or tube is being retracted in thedirection 118 to form adhesive bond lines. As with the embodiment ofFIG. 8A , external clamping members can be deployed to clamp the graft and target vessel tissue against the anvil surfaces before, during, and/or after adhesive has been injected. - The adhesive applying needles or tubes may be a part of a graft vessel fixture or clamp as shown in
FIGS. 9 and 10 . InFIG. 9A , apin assembly 120 for a graft vessel fixture is shown comprising twoparallel arms 122 for trapping the graft vessel against clamping members (not shown). Theparallel arms 122 include a plurality oftubes 124 for supplying a tissue adhesive to the bond region. The adhesive supplyingtubes 124 extend upwardly and inwardly from each of theparallel arms 122. Thetubes 124 may be flexible to facilitate removal after the anastomosis procedure has been performed. -
FIG. 9B is a cross-sectional view of agraft vessel fixture 126 comprising thepin assembly 120 ofFIG. 9A in position for an anastomosis procedure. Ananvil arm 14 is shown tenting the wall of thetarget vessel 42. As shown, theparallel arms 122 of thepin assembly 120 trap theflaps 56 of agraft vessel 50 against clampingmembers 128 of thefixture 126. Theadhesive applicator tubes 124 extend from theparallel arms 122 upwardly and inwardly such that an adhesive injected through the tubes is deposited in thebond region 130. - In
FIG. 10A an alternative embodiment of a pin assembly for a graft vessel fixture is shown. Thepin assembly 132 comprises twoparallel arms 134 each of which is provided with anadhesive applicator tube 136. Theadhesive applicator tubes 136 extend parallel to theparallel arms 134 of thepin assembly 132. Thetubes 136 are provided with a plurality ofholes 138. -
FIG. 10B is a cross-sectional view of agraft vessel fixture 139 comprising thepin assembly 120 ofFIG. 10A in position for an anastomosis procedure. Ananvil arm 14 is shown tenting the wall of thetarget vessel 42. As shown, theparallel arms 134 of thepin assembly 132 trap theflaps 56 of agraft vessel 50 against clampingmembers 128 of thefixture 126. Theadhesive applicator tubes 136 extend parallel to thearms 122 of the fixture with theholes 138 oriented such that an adhesive injected through the tubes is deposited in thebond region 130. - According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, after tissue bonding has been completed, an incision is formed in the wall of the target vessel to allow blood flow between the target vessel and the graft vessel. The incision may be made before or during withdrawal of the anvil arm from the target vessel. The withdrawal of the anvil arm preferably leaves only a small gap in the target vessel and therefore only minimal blood leakage occurs at the location where the anvil arm has been withdrawn.
- Various cutting devices may be used to make the incision in the target vessel according to the present invention. Suitable cutting devices, for example, are disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/363,255, entitled “Anastomosis System and Method of Controlling a Tissue Site”, filed Jul. 28, 1999. Cutting devices which are either internal or external to the anvil may be employed. In a preferred embodiment, the cutting device can be an electro-cautery cutting device electrically connected to a power source to form an electrode. By causing electric current to flow through the tissue between the electrode surfaces on the anvil and the cutting device, the incision can be cauterized. The cautery action can cause the tissue surrounding the incision to shrink thereby opening up the incision in the target vessel and thus allowing for increased blood flow between the target and graft vessels.
-
FIG. 11 shows an embodiment of asystem 140 for controlling a tissue site and performing anastomosis according to one embodiment of the present invention. The system shown uses RF energy to accomplish tissue welding. However, the system could be adapted for other tissue bonding techniques such as laser welding, ultrasonic welding or adhesive bonding. - The
system 140 includes ananvil 142 and agraft vessel holder 146 all mounted on ahandle 148. For purposes of clarity, the cutter is not shown. Theanvil 142 is mounted on thehandle 148 and connected to anactuator 150 which allows the anvil to be moved downward against the bias of a spring inside the handle. The cutter 144 may be spring biased or fixed and is positioned on thehandle 148 directly above theanvil 142. Thegraft vessel holder 146 includes two fixedarms 152 and twomovable arms 154. The twomovable arms 154 are connected to asecond actuator 156 on thehandle 148. Depression of thesecond actuator 156 against the bias of a spring within thehandle 148 causes themovable arms 154 to be moved downward away from the fixed arms to receive portions of a graft vessel between the movable and fixed arms.Electrodes 145 are mounted on the fixedupper arms 152 of thegraft vessel holder 145. Theseelectrodes 145 haveprojections 147 extending inwardly toward the opposite fixed arm of thegraft vessel holder 146. In use, each of theprojections 147 forms a clamping surface with theanvil 142. - The operation of the
system 140 ofFIG. 11 is shown in the cross sectional views ofFIGS. 12A-12C . As shown inFIG. 12A , an end of agraft vessel 151 has been split to form two graft vessel flaps 153 which can be held in position by thegraft vessel holder 146. In order to load thegraft vessel 151 into thesystem 140, thefirst actuator 150 and thesecond actuator 156 are depressed to move theanvil 142 and themovable arms 154 downward. Thesplit graft vessel 151 is then inserted between the fixed andmovable arms second actuator 156 is released to trap theflaps 153 of thegraft vessel 151, as shown inFIG. 12B . Theanvil 142 having anelectrode surface 155 is then inserted into thetarget vessel 157 as described above with respect to the various other anvil embodiments. - Once the
anvil 142 has been inserted in thetarget vessel 157 as shown inFIG. 12B , theactuator 150 is released to allow the anvil to move upward to tent the wall of thetarget vessel 157. Theelectrode surface 155 of theanvil 142 is thus brought into contact with the interior wall of thetarget vessel 157.FIG. 12C illustrates thetented target vessel 157 positioned adjacent the split and trappedgraft vessel 151 in a position for performing anastomosis. The projections of theexternal electrodes 147 are now in contact with the external wall of thegraft vessel 151. The external andinternal electrodes anvil 142 is removed and the incision in the target vessel is made. The incision can be made during withdrawal of theanvil 142 by an electro-cautery cutting device 160 as described above. - The above system can be modified for different internal/external electrode configurations as set forth above. Furthermore, either the internal or external electrodes can be powered with the other electrode or electrodes serving as the return.
- The above system can also be adapted for laser or ultrasonic tissue welding by replacing the external electrodes with a fiber or wire holding plate. Alternatively, in the case of laser tissue welding, the anvil can be provided with optical fibers having ends exposed at a tissue contacting surface thereof.
- In the case of tissue welding, the tissue welds may be strengthened by the use of known fillers (e.g., collagen or albumin) or adhesives which can be activated by the heat generated during the tissue welding procedure. The adhesive or filler may be placed between the graft and target vessel tissue surfaces prior to apposition in the form of a liquid or strips of a solid adhesive film. Alternatively, the tissue adhesive or filler can be injected after tissue apposition in a manner as set forth in
FIGS. 8-10 . - While the invention has been described in detail, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made and equivalents employed, without departing from the present invention. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the details of construction, the arrangements of components and/or the details of operation set forth in the above description or illustrated in the drawings. Headings and subheadings are for the convenience of the reader only. They should not and cannot be construed to have any substantive significance, meaning or interpretation, and should not and cannot be deemed to be limiting in any way, or indicate that all of the information relating to any particular topic is to be found under or limited to any particular heading or subheading. The contents of each section of this document are merely exemplary and do not limit the scope of the invention or the interpretation of the claims. Therefore, the invention is not to be restricted or limited except in accordance with the following claims and their legal equivalents.
Claims (20)
1. A method of performing anastomosis between a graft vessel and a target vessel, comprising:
inserting an anvil into the target vessel;
positioning said anvil against a wall of the target vessel;
positioning an end of the graft vessel against the target vessel;
delivering adhesive to substantially seal the graft vessel to the target vessel; and
removing said anvil.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising incising the wall of the target vessel at the junction between the graft vessel and the target vessel.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said incising is performed before said delivering.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein said incising is performed after said delivering.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said adhesive is cyanoacrylate.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming at least two flaps at the end of the graft vessel before said delivering.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the distal end of said anvil is sharp; and wherein said inserting includes puncturing the wall of the target vessel with said distal end of said anvil.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising curing said adhesive.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising at least one adhesive applicator on said anvil, wherein said delivering adhesive is performed through at least one said adhesive applicator.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising clamping members adapted to compress graft vessel tissue and target vessel tissue against said anvil, wherein at least one said clamping member has at least one adhesive applicator thereon, and wherein said delivering adhesive is performed through at least one said adhesive applicator.
11. A medical device for performing anastomosis between a first vessel and a second vessel, comprising:
an anvil; and
at least one clamping member associated with said anvil, wherein at least one said clamping member includes an adhesive applicator.
12. The medical device of claim 11 , wherein at least one said adhesive applicator is a tube.
13. The medical device of claim 12 , wherein at least one said tube is flexible.
14. The medical device of claim 12 , wherein at least one said tube is oriented substantially parallel to said anvil.
15. The medical device of claim 12 , wherein at least one said tube includes a plurality of apertures along at least part of its length.
16. The medical device of claim 12 , including two said tubes spaced apart from one another.
17. The medical device of claim 11 , wherein at least one said adhesive applicator is a needle.
18. The medical device of claim 18 , wherein at least one needle is oriented toward said anvil.
19. A medical device for performing anastomosis between a first vessel and a second vessel, comprising:
an anvil; and
at least one adhesive applicator connected to said anvil.
20. The medical device of claim 19 , further comprising at least one clamping member connected to at least one said adhesive applicator.
Priority Applications (1)
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US11/332,611 US20060116699A1 (en) | 1999-07-28 | 2006-01-13 | Adhesive-based anastomosis method and system |
Applications Claiming Priority (4)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US09/363,255 US6391038B2 (en) | 1999-07-28 | 1999-07-28 | Anastomosis system and method for controlling a tissue site |
US09/725,232 US6398797B2 (en) | 1999-07-28 | 2000-11-29 | Tissue bonding system and method for controlling a tissue site during anastomosis |
US10/136,007 US7014644B1 (en) | 1999-07-28 | 2002-04-30 | Tissue bonding system and method for controlling a tissue site during anastomosis |
US11/332,611 US20060116699A1 (en) | 1999-07-28 | 2006-01-13 | Adhesive-based anastomosis method and system |
Related Parent Applications (1)
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US10/136,007 Division US7014644B1 (en) | 1999-07-28 | 2002-04-30 | Tissue bonding system and method for controlling a tissue site during anastomosis |
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US20060116699A1 true US20060116699A1 (en) | 2006-06-01 |
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US10/136,007 Expired - Lifetime US7014644B1 (en) | 1999-07-28 | 2002-04-30 | Tissue bonding system and method for controlling a tissue site during anastomosis |
US11/332,611 Abandoned US20060116699A1 (en) | 1999-07-28 | 2006-01-13 | Adhesive-based anastomosis method and system |
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US10/136,007 Expired - Lifetime US7014644B1 (en) | 1999-07-28 | 2002-04-30 | Tissue bonding system and method for controlling a tissue site during anastomosis |
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US8777971B2 (en) | 2006-10-17 | 2014-07-15 | Amj Bv | Device and method for joining vessels in anastomosis |
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WO2008005385A2 (en) | 2006-06-30 | 2008-01-10 | Cvdevices, Llc | Atraumatic clamp |
US20120296238A1 (en) * | 2011-05-16 | 2012-11-22 | Tyco Healthcare Group Lp | System and Methods for Energy-Based Sealing of Tissue with Optical Feedback |
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