SUTURELESS VASCULAR ANASTOMOSIS CONNECTION
Techniques for sutureless vascular anastomosis are described, including an incision seal including a base configured to partially house an outer surface of a main vessel, the base being formed using a material that is configured to be penetrated by a barb disposed on a connector the main vessel being secured to the base when the base is at least partially pierced by the barb, an upper lumen configured to guide a graft vessel, and a housing opening configured to receive the graft vessel.
1 . A deployment tool, comprising:
a tip configured to house a connector, the connector being configured to couple a graft vessel to a main vessel;
a locking mechanism configured to couple the deployment tool and an introducer, the introducer being configured to be inserted into an incision in a main vessel;
a plunger configured to deploy the connector from the tip; and
a body configured to house the plunger.
2 . The deployment tool of claim 1 , wherein the connector is deployed from the deployment tool when the plunger is depressed.
3 . The deployment tool of claim 1 , wherein the connector is pre-loaded within the tip.
4 . The deployment tool of claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a hollow chamber configured to receive the plunger.
5 . The deployment tool of claim 1 , wherein the plunger comprises a safety pin configured to prevent deployment of the connector.
6 . The deployment tool of claim 5 , wherein the safety pin contacts an edge of the body to prevent deployment of the connector.
7 . The deployment tool of claim 1 , further comprising a rod coupling the connector and the plunger, the rod being configured to deploy the connector from the tip when the plunger is depressed.
8 . The deployment tool of claim 7 , wherein the rod comprises a first end substantially the same shape as an end of the plunger and a second end substantially the same shape as an end of the connector.
9 . The deployment tool of claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism is a fitting of a male-female interconnect pair.
10 . The deployment tool of claim 9 , wherein the male-female interconnect pair are tapered.
11 . The deployment tool of claim 9 , wherein another fitting of the male-female interconnect pair is disposed on the introducer, wherein the locking mechanism and the introducer are securely coupled when the fitting and the another fitting are threaded together.
12 . The deployment tool of claim 9 , wherein the locking mechanism is a female luer lock fitting.
13 . The deployment tool of claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism includes an alignment mark.
14 . The deployment tool of claim 13 , wherein the introducer includes another alignment mark, wherein the alignment mark aligns with the another alignment mark when the introducer and the locking mechanism are properly aligned.
15 . The deployment tool of claim 13 , wherein the introducer includes another alignment mark, wherein the alignment mark aligns with the another alignment mark when the introducer and the locking mechanism are properly secured.
16 . A method for deploying a connector, comprising:
inserting a deployment tool into an introducer, the introducer being partially inserted inside a main vessel;
coupling a fitting disposed on the deployment tool with another fitting disposed on the introducer, the fitting and the another fitting being configured to interlock with one another;
depressing a plunger of the deployment tool to deploy a connector housed within the deployment tool inside the main vessel; and
removing the deployment tool and the introducer from the incision.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein inserting the deployment tool comprises inserting a tip of the deployment tool into the introducer.
18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein coupling the fitting comprises threading the fitting into the another fitting.
19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein depressing the plunger comprises:
removing a safety pin from the plunger;
holding a handle of the deployment tool; and
applying pressure to the end of the plunger while holding the handle.
20 . A deployment tool, comprising:
a connector configured to couple two vessels;
a deployment tip configured to house the connector;
a locking mechanism coupled to the deployment tip, the locking mechanism being configured to couple the deployment tool to an introducer, the introducer being configured to be inserted into an incision in a vessel;
a body coupled to the locking mechanism, the body comprising a hollow chamber coupled to the deployment tip;
a plunger configured to be housed in the hollow chamber; and
a rod coupling the plunger and the connector, wherein the connector is deployed from the deployment tip when the plunger is depressed.