Intravascular stapler, and method of operating same
OwnerSyde A. Taheriinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An articulatable stapler (20) is arranged in the form of an elongated catheter having a plurality of segments (25,26,28) mounted on one end of a catheter main body (24). A stylet (64) is slidably received within the catheter main body and two intermediate segments, and may be selectively moved to articulate the segments such that the most-distal segment is either aligned with, or arranged at a substantial angle with respect to, the catheter main body portion. The most-distal segment (28) carries stapling means (30) by which the improved catheter may cause a staple to be inserted through a graft (89) into the wall of the blood vessel. The improved device also has means for selectively bending a staple (75) so as to prevent unintended separation therefrom.
Claims12
An articulatable intravascular stapler, comprising:
- an elongated catheter having a distal end adapted to be inserted into, and moved along, a blood vessel of a patient, said catheter also having a proximal end adapted to remain outside the patient's body;
- said catheter having a main body portion and having a plurality of series-connected segments arranged between said main body portion and said distal end, adjacent segments being pivotally connected such that the longitudinal axis of the most-distal segment may be moved between a first position substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of said blood vessel and a second position arranged at an angle with respect to said blood vessel axis;
- articulating means for selectively moving said most-distal segment between said first and second positions;
- and
- stapling means mounted on said most-distal segment for holding a staple in a ready position such that the legs thereof project beyond said distal end and for selectively bending the staple to close the same.
The method of stapling an object to the interior wall of a blood vessel, comprising the steps of:
- making an incision in the blood vessel;
- inserting the distal end of an elongated catheter into said blood vessel;
- moving said catheter along said blood vessel until said distal end is in a desired position relative to said blood vessel;
- articulating the distal marginal end portion of said catheter so that the longitudinal axis of the most-distal portion of said catheter is arranged at a substantial angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of said blood vessel;
- holding a staple on said catheter to a ready position at which the legs of said staple extend beyond said distal end;
- moving said catheter to cause the legs of said staple to penetrate at least a portion of said object and the wall of said blood vessel;
- and
- bending said staple to prevent said staple from unintentionally separating from said object and blood vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.