Medical connector

A medical connector for connecting a blood vessel to a cardiac assist device, said connector comprising:

• a base connector adapted to be connected to the cardiac assist device, with said base connector comprising:
• an annular body defining an axis, with said body having a substantially minimal profile relative to a blood vessel to be connected;
• a leading edge formed on said body comprising a radiused edge and a chamfered portion conjoined with and extending away from said radiused edge;
• an o-ring seal groove formed in said body adjacent said radiused edge;
• a plurality of o-ring seals disposed in said o-ring seal groove in substantially coaxial alignment, with an o-ring extending past said o-ring seal groove a predetermined distance;
• and,
• a retaining ring groove formed on an outer circumference of said body adjacent said chamfered portion;
• and,
• a vascular tissue connector adapted to be attached to the vascular tissue, with said vascular tissue comprising:
• an annular body defining an axis, with said body having a substantially minimal profile relative to the vascular tissue connector;
• an end face formed on said body, with said end face being completely continuous, thereby reducing tissue snagging when said vascular tissue connector is brought into contact with said base connector;
• a retaining ring housed in said body, with said retaining ring having a rest position and a biased position and further having a beveled edge adjacent said end face, with said beveled edge cooperating with said leading edge of said base connector to axially self-align said vascular tissue connector with said base connector and causing said retaining ring to move first into said biased position and then to snap into engagement with said annular groove when said vascular tissue connector attaches to said base connector in an axially oriented motion;
• inner and outer surfaces defined by said annular body;
• an annular groove formed in said inner surface for housing said retaining ring;
• an opening extending from said outer surface through to said annular groove of said inner surface to allow a portion of said retaining ring through said body to facilitate removal of said vascular tissue connector from said base connector;
• and
• a tissue connection member housed within said body, with said tissue connection member being adapted to be attached to the vascular tissue.

A method of attaching a vascular tissue to a medical device utilizing a medical connector system having at least two connectors;

• each connector comprising:
• a vascular tissue connector half adapted to mate with the vascular tissue having a longitudinal axis, and an engaging end;
• and
• a medical device connector adapted to mate with the medical device half having a longitudinal axis, and an engaging end;
• wherein a first one of the vascular tissue and medical device connector halves includes a resilient annular engagement member defining a nominal diameter and a second one of the vascular tissue and medical device connector halves including a leading portion proximate the engaging end, and an annular engagement member receiving element adjacent to the leading portion
• whereby when the longitudinal axes of vascular tissue and medical device connector halves are brought into substantial alignment and their engaging ends moved axially toward one another, the leading portion deflects the resilient annular engagement member away from its nominal diameter to allow engagement of the connector halves, and, when the resilient annular engagement member reaches the annular engagement member receiving element, the resilient annular engagement member snaps back toward its nominal diameter to thereby create a locking engagement between the connector halves and provide a surgeon operating the connector with tactile feed back that a locking engagement has been made;
• the method comprising the steps of:
• suturing a first vascular tissue connector half, to a first vascular tissue;
• positioning the medical device such that a first medical device connector half aligns with the first vascular tissue connector to determine the required length of a second vascular tissue connection half;
• conforming the second vascular tissue connection half to the determined length;
• sewing the second vascular tissue connection half to a second vascular tissue;
• positioning the medical device such that both medical device connector halves align with both vascular tissue connectors, respectively;
• and,
• axially moving each medical device connector half relative to each vascular tissue connector half in an axial direction until tactile feedback of locking engagement is detected.

A medical quick connector for connecting vascular tissue to a medical device, the connector comprising:

• a first connector half having a longitudinal axis, an engaging end, and a resilient annular engagement member defining a nominal diameter;
• a second connector half having a longitudinal axis, an engaging end, a leading portion proximate the engaging end, and an annular engagement member receiving element adjacent to the leading portion;
• and
• a resilient annular sealing element disposed on a first one of the first and second connector halves and facing in an axial direction toward a second one of the first and second connector halves when the longitudinal axes of the first and second connector halves are aligned, the resilient sealing element biasing the connector halves axially against engagement;
• wherein a first one of the first and second connector halves is adapted to mate with the vascular tissue and a second one of the first and second connector halves is adapted to mate with the medical device;
• and
• whereby when the longitudinal axes of first and second connector halves are brought into substantial alignment and their engaging ends moved axially toward one another, the leading portion of the second connector half deflects the resilient annular engagement member away from its nominal diameter to allow engagement of the connector halves, and, when the resilient annular engagement member reaches the annular engagement member receiving element, the resilient annular engagement member snaps back toward its nominal diameter to thereby create a locking engagement between the connector halves.

A self-aligning medical quick connector system connecting vascular tissue to a medical device, the connector system comprising:

• a male connector having a longitudinal axis and an engaging end;
• a female connector having a longitudinal axis and an engaging end;
• a locking engagement means provided on a first one of the male and female connectors for creating an axial locking engagement between the male and female connectors;
• an engagement receiving means provided on a second one of the male and female connectors for cooperating with the engagement means to create an axial locking engagement between the male and female connectors;
• and
• an alignment means comprising a taper provided on the male connector tapering inward toward the longitudinal axis in a direction toward the engaging end, and having a radiused edge adjacent the engaging end and a chamfer formed on the locking engaging means in a direction corresponding to the direction of the taper of the male connector;
• whereby when the male and female connectors are brought into engagement, the alignment means engages the female connector to cause the longitudinal axes of the male and female connectors to align, followed by a locking engagement between the locking engagement means.

A medical quick connector system connecting vascular tissue to a medical device, the connector comprising:

• a male connector having a longitudinal axis and an engaging end;
• a female connector having a longitudinal axis and an engaging end;
• a locking engagement means provided on a first one of the male and female connectors for creating an axial locking engagement between the male and female connectors;
• an engagement receiving means provided on a second one of the male and female connectors for cooperating with the engagement means to create an axial locking engagement between the male and female connectors;
• and
• a means for preventing tissue snagging during engagement of the connectors;
• whereby when the male and female connectors are brought into axial alignment and engaged, the locking engagement means engages the engagement receiving means to create a locking engagement between the male and female connectors without tissue snagging.

A medical quick connector for connecting vascular tissue to a medical device, the connector comprising:

• a vascular tissue connector half adapted to mate with the vascular tissue having a longitudinal axis, and an engaging end;
• a medical device connector half adapted to mate with the medical device having a longitudinal axis, and an engaging end;
• wherein a first one of the vascular tissue and medical device connector halves includes a resilient annular engagement member defining a nominal diameter and a second one of the vascular tissue and medical device connector halves including a leading portion proximate the engaging end, and an annular engagement member receiving element adjacent to the leading portion;
• and
• a pressure testing means having engagement features substantially similar to the medical device connector, the pressure testing means being replaceably engageable with the vascular tissue connector half to pressure test a mating connection between the vascular tissue connector half and the vascular tissue;
• whereby when the longitudinal axes of vascular tissue and medical device connector halves are brought into substantial alignment and their engaging ends moved axially toward one another, the leading portion deflects the resilient annular engagement member away from its nominal diameter to allow engagement of the connector halves, and, when the resilient annular engagement member reaches the annular engagement member receiving element, the resilient annular engagement member snaps back toward its nominal diameter to thereby create a locking engagement between the connector halves.

A medical connector for connecting vascular tissue to a medical device, the connector comprising:

• a base connector adapted to be attached to the medical device, with the base connector defining an axis;
• a vascular tissue connector adapted to be attached to the vascular tissue, with the vascular tissue connector defining an axis;
• a retaining ring having a rest position and a biased position, with the retaining ring being housed within a first one of the vascular tissue connector and the base connector;
• a retaining ring groove formed on an outer circumference of a second one of the base connector and the vascular tissue connector, with the groove being adapted to engage the retaining ring;
• and an alignment feature and an engagement feature each defined by a portion of one of the base connector and the vascular tissue connector and a portion of the retaining ring, with the alignment feature causing the vascular tissue connector to axially self-align with the base connector and with the engagement feature causing the retaining ring to move first into the biased position and then to return at least partially toward the rest position so as to snap into engagement within the retaining ring groove when the vascular tissue connector attaches to the base connector in an axially oriented motion, the alignment feature comprising a beveled leading edge on the retaining ring.

A medical quick connector for connecting vascular tissue to a medical device, the connector comprising:

• a vascular tissue connector half adapted to mate with the vascular tissue and having a longitudinal axis, and an engaging end;
• a medical device connector half adapted to mate with the medical device and having a longitudinal axis, and an engaging end;
• wherein a first one of the vascular tissue and medical device connector halves includes a resilient annular engagement member defining a nominal diameter and a second one of the vascular tissue and medical device connector halves including a leading portion proximate the engaging end, and an annular engagement member receiving element adjacent to the leading portion;
• and
• a plug connector adapted to be connected to the vascular tissue connector and having engagement features, the plug connector being replaceably engageable with the vascular tissue connector half to pressure test a mating connection between the vascular tissue connector and the vascular tissue.

A medical connector for connecting vascular tissue to a medical device, said connector comprising:

• a base connector adapted to be attached to the medical device, with said base connector defining an axis;
• a vascular tissue connector adapted to be attached to the vascular tissue, with said vascular tissue connector defining an axis;
• a retaining ring having a rest position and a biased position, with said retaining ring being housed within a first one of said vascular tissue connector and said base connector;
• a retaining ring groove formed on an outer circumference of a second one of said base connector and said vascular tissue connector, with said groove being adapted to engage said retaining ring;
• and
• an alignment feature and an engagement feature each defined by a portion of one of said base connector and said vascular tissue connector and a portion of said retaining ring, with said alignment feature causing said vascular tissue connector to axially self-align with said base connector and with said engagement feature causing said retaining ring to move first into said biased position and then to return at least partially toward the rest position so as to snap into engagement within said retaining ring groove when said vascular tissue connector attaches to said base connector in an axially oriented motion
• wherein one of said vascular tissue connector and said base connector comprises an annular body having an end face, with said end face being completely continuous, thereby reducing tissue snagging when said vascular tissue connector is brought into proximity with said base connector.