Manufacturing conduits for use in placing a target vessel in fluid communication with a source of blood
Methods and devices for manufacturing a conduit for placing a target vessel in fluid communication with a source of blood, such as a heart chamber containing blood. The conduit includes first and second portion adapted to be placed in fluid communication with a heart chamber and a target vessel. The conduit lies on the exterior of the myocardium between the blood source and the target vessel and delivers blood in multiple directions within the lumen of the target vessel. The conduit, which may be formed of any suitable synthetic vascular graft material, is generally T-shaped with the leg having two free ends disposed in the target vessel, preferably being secured thereto via a suture-free attachment. The conduit comprises vascular graft material and may be manufactured various ways, such as molding a conduit from any suitable biocompatible material or fabricating a conduit from one or more pieces of vascular graft material.
1. A method for manufacturing a blood delivery conduit for use in placing a target vessel of a patient's vascular system in fluid communication with a source of blood, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) providing first and second hollow members each of which has a sidewall comprising an interior surface and an exterior surface, the interior surface defining a lumen, first hollow member having two ends defining outlets, the second hollow member having proximal and distal ends, the proximal end having bifurcated flaps, the distal end defining an inlet;
(b) forming an opening through the sidewall of the first hollow member that extends into the lumen of the first hollow member, and applying an adhesive to the exterior surface of the first hollow member adjacent to the opening;
(c) positioning the bifurcated flaps of the second hollow member adjacent the opening in the first hollow member; and
(d) joining the proximal end of the second hollow member to the first hollow member, wherein the adhesive bonds the bifurcated flaps of the second hollow member to the exterior surface of the first hollow member, the lumens of the first and second hollow members sealed together in fluid communication.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second hollow members are formed of a synthetic vascular graft material selected from the group consisting of polytetraflouroethylene, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyester type polyurethane, and polycarbonate type polyurethane.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing the first or second hollow members with a support structure to add rigidity to the members.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the support structure further comprises a structural coating, disposed on the exterior surface of the hollow members.
5. The method of clam 4 , wherein the structural coating further comprised a wire re-enforcing member.