Lymphatic anastomosis devices and methods
Preferred embodiments relate to devices for performing a lymphovenous bypass procedure. A first ring is secured to tissue connected to at least one lymphatic channel of a patient and a second ring is attached to a vein of the patient. An end of the lymphatic channel that extends through the first ring is inserted into an open end of the vein and the rings are connected together to establish fluid flow from the lymphatic channel into the vein.
1 . A method of performing a lymphovenous bypass surgical procedure comprising:
attaching a first coupling device element of a lymphatic channel coupling device to adipose tissue that includes a plurality of lymphatic channels in a surgical opening of a patient wherein the lymphatic channel coupling device includes a plurality of tissue grasping elements that engage the adipose tissue;
attaching a second coupling device element of the lymphatic channel coupling device to a single vein of the patient;
coupling the plurality of lymphatic channels to the single vein wherein an open end of each of the plurality of lymphatic channels is inserted to a selected depth within an open end of the single vein; and
connecting the first coupling device element to the second coupling device element to thereby couple the plurality of lymphatic channels to the single vein and thereby deliver lymph fluid into the single vein.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein attaching the first coupling device element to the adipose tissue further comprises inserting pins on a ring of the first coupling device element into the adipose tissue.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of lymphatic channels has a smaller diameter than the single vein and intussuscepts the single vein by extending a distance into the single vein.
4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising imaging a region of a patient to generate image data and mapping the plurality of lymphatic channels in the region.
5 . The method of claim 4 further comprising selecting two or more lymphatic channels of the mapped lymphatic channels for a bypass procedure from the mapped image data.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of lymphatic channels are inserted to a depth of at least 1 mm inside the single vein.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least 3 lymphatic channels are inserted into the single vein.
8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising measuring a flow of the lymph fluid into the single vein.
9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising imaging the coupling of the plurality of lymphatic channels into the single vein.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein pins or prongs latch the first coupling device element to the second coupling device element.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the lymphatic channel coupling device is implanted into an arm of a patient to treat lymphedema or wherein the device is implanted into a leg of a patient.
12 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising connecting the first coupling device element to the second coupling device element with a connector.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the connector comprises a housing that encloses a junction in the single vein, and wherein at least one of the plurality of the lymphatic channels within the single vein delivers lymph fluid into the single vein at the junction.
14 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising a valve that contacts the single vein to constrict flow within the single vein.
15 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising robotically performing one or more steps of the method wherein a plurality of robotic arms holding a corresponding plurality of microsurgical tools grasp at least one of the first coupling device element and the second coupling device element for implantation into a patient.
16 . A method of performing a lymphovenous bypass surgical procedure comprising:
attaching a first coupling device element of a lymphatic channel coupling device to adipose tissue that includes a plurality of lymphatic channels of a patient, the lymphatic channel coupling device having a plurality of tissue grasping elements that engage the adipose tissue;
inserting an open end of each of the plurality of lymphatic channels to a depth within an open end of a single vein of the patient;
attaching a second coupling device element of the lymphatic channel coupling device to the first coupling device element such that the vein and the adipose tissue are coupled to the lymphatic channel coupling device; and
implanting the first coupling device element and the second coupling device element into a surgical site of the patient such that lymph fluid passing through at least one of the plurality of lymphatic channels within the open end of the single vein flows into the single vein.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein attaching the first coupling device element to tissue further comprises inserting the tissue grasping elements that include pins on a ring of the first coupling device element into the adipose tissue.
18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein each of the plurality of lymphatic channels has a smaller diameter than the single vein and intussuscepts the single vein by extending a distance into the single vein.
19 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising attaching the plurality of lymphatic channels that are positioned within the adipose tissue to the first coupling device element.
20 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising imaging a region of a patient to generate image data and mapping the plurality of lymphatic channels in the region.
21 . The method of claim 20 , further comprising selecting two or more lymphatic channels for a bypass procedure from the mapped image data.
22 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising inserting the plurality of lymphatic channels to a depth of at least 1 mm inside the single vein.
23 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising coupling open ends of at least 3 lymphatic channels of the plurality of lymphatic channels into the single vein.
24 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising measuring a flow of the lymph fluid into the single vein.
25 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising imaging the coupling of the plurality of lymphatic channels into the single vein.
26 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the tissue grasping elements include pins or prongs on the first coupling device element attached to the adipose tissue and wherein the second coupling device element is attached to the first coupling device element over the pins or prongs.
27 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the lymphatic channel coupling device is implanted into an arm of the patient to treat lymphedema or wherein the lymphatic channel coupling device is implanted into a leg of the patient.
28 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising connecting the first coupling device element to the second coupling device element with a connector.
29 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the connector comprises a housing that encloses a junction in the single vein wherein the plurality of lymphatic channels deliver lymph fluid into the single vein at the junction.