Sutureless vascular anastomosis connection
Techniques for sutureless vascular anastomosis are described, including a connector configured to provide fluid communication between a graft vessel and a main vessel, the connector having tines disposed circumferentially about an outer surface of the connector, a front wing coupled to the base, the front wing having a tine configured to engage an inner surface of the main vessel, and having a hinge coupling the front wing to the connector, and a rear wing coupled to the base, the rear wing having another tine configured to engage the inner surface of the main vessel, and having another hinge coupling the rear wing to the connector.
1. A vascular anastomosis connector for connecting a graft vessel and a main vessel in a patient, the connector comprising:
a tubular connector body defining a longitudinal axis and configured to provide fluid communication between the graft vessel and the main vessel, wherein the connector body comprises:
a first end that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;
a second end that is opposite the first end and is slanted relative to the longitudinal axis, wherein the slanted second end defines a diagonal plane that is slanted relative to the longitudinal axis;
a front side; and
a back side, wherein the front side is longer than the back side;
a connector tip integrally formed with the first end of the connector body and having a wave-shaped pattern; and
a connector base integrally formed with the second end of the connector body, wherein the connector base and the connector body intersect along the diagonal plane, and wherein the connector base comprises:
a first side extending from the front side of the connector body;
a second side extending from the back side of the connector body;
a front wing positioned on the first side of the connector base and configured to swing away from the connector base at a front wing junction to form a first angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the connector body, wherein the first angle is configured to position the front wing so that it lies along the diagonal plane, and wherein the front wing comprises a front tine configured to swing away from the front wing at a front tine junction;
a rear wing positioned on the second side of the connector base that is opposite the first side of the connector base and configured to swing away from the connector base at a rear wing junction to form a second angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the connector body, wherein the second angle is different than the first angle and is configured to position the rear wing so that it lies along the diagonal plane, wherein the front wing and the rear wing, when deployed, are positioned substantially parallel to each other along the diagonal plane, and wherein the rear wing comprises a rear tine configured to swing away from the rear wing at a rear tine junction; and
two side wings, wherein each of the two side wings is disposed between the front wing and the rear wing, and wherein each of the two side wings comprises multiple barbs, each barb configured to swing away from its side wing at a barb junction, to deploy away from a side of the connector body, and to couple with a slot disposed in an incision seal.
2. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the connector body, the front wing, and the rear wing comprise Nitinol.
3. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the front tine comprises at least two front tines.
4. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the rear tine comprises at least two rear tines.
5. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the front tine and the rear tine are configured to engage tissue associated with the main vessel.
6. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the front tine and the rear tine are comprised of Nitinol.
7. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the front tine and the rear tine are retractable into a retracted, delivery position for insertion of the connector base into the main vessel.