Manufacturing conduits for use in placing a target vessel in fluid communication with a source of blood

A method for manufacturing a 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 steps of:

• a. providing a mold having a cavity configured to form a conduit including first and second portions disposed transverse to each other, wherein a conduit formed corresponding to the cavity is suitable for use in placing a source of blood in fluid communication with the lumen of a target vessel:
• b. placing a biocompatible moldable material in the mold cavity;
• c. subjecting the material to conditions that mold the material into a conduit having said first and second portions;
• and
• d. separating the mold and the conduit;
• e. wherein the second portion of the conduit is configured to be placed in the lumen of the target vessel and is formed so as to at least partially conform to the target vessel.

A method for manufacturing a 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 a mold having a cavity including first and second portions disposed transverse to each other;
• b. positioning a mandrel in the mold cavity, the mandrel having first and second portions substantially corresponding to the first and second portions of the mold cavity;
• c. forcing a moldable material into the mold cavity and around the first and second portions of the mandrel into the first and second portions of the mold cavity;
• d. subjecting the material to conditions sufficient to set the material in a desired configuration;
• e. removing the mandrel from the mold;
• and
• f. separating the mandrel and the material to produce a conduit comprising first and second portions that are disposed transverse to each other and have lumens in fluid communication with each other
• g. wherein the second portion of the conduit is configured to be placed in the lumen of the target vessel and is formed so as to at least partially conform to the target vessel.

A method for manufacturing a conduit for use in a medical procedure that places a target vessel in fluid communication with a source of blood in a patient's body, the method comprising steps of:

• a. providing a mandrel including first and second portions disposed transverse to each other, the first and second portions of the mandrel defining at least one external surface corresponding to an interior surface of a desired conduit configuration;
• b. disposing a biocompatible moldable material on the external surface of the mandrel;
• c. subjecting the material to conditions that mold the material into a conduit having the desired configuration;
• and
• d. separating the conduit from the mandrel;
• e. wherein the second portion of the conduit is configured to be placed in the lumen of the target vessel and at least partially conform to the target vessel.