Device and method for establishing an artificial arterio-venous fistula

A device for establishing and maintaining an arterio-venous fistula between a pair of adjacent blood vessels, said device comprising:

• a proximal clinch section defined by at least first and second proximal clinch members defined by a proximal terminus and an arcuately extending tip;
• a distal clinch section defined by at least first and second distal clinch members defined by a proximal terminus and an arcuately extending tip, where said distal clinch members and proximal clinch members are arranged in a ring with the proximal terminus of each clinch member disposed toward a center of the ring and the tips pointing generally outwardly from the ring, where distal clinch members are joined at their proximal terminus to the bases of corresponding proximal clinch members, and are joined directly without an intervening central section, and the proximal clinch members are arranged relative to each other and fixed to each other near the proximal terminus of each to form a substantially circular arrangement of proximal clinch members, and the distal clinch members are arranged relative to each other and fixed to each other near the proximal terminus of each to form a substantially circular arrangement of distal clinch members;
• a first pair of tension members having opposite tips which form an atraumatic bearing surface and which are biased to curve radially outward without everting;
• and,
• a second pair of tension members having opposite tips which form an atraumatic bearing surface and which are biased to curve radially outward without everting;
• wherein the device is characterized by a transverse centerline corresponding to the direct connection between the proximal clinch members and the distal clinch members and an axial centerline perpendicular to the ring established by the arranged clinch members;
• wherein the proximal clinch members are biased to curve radially outward and evert toward the transverse centerline of the device and the first distal clinch member is biased to curve radially outward and evert toward said transverse centerline of the device to a position opposite the first proximal clinch member;
• wherein the tension members are biased to curve radially outwardly from the axial centerline without everting and the second distal clinch member is biased to curve radially outward without everting;
• wherein the proximal clinch members and distal clinch members are each resiliently biased to curve radially outward from the center of the device;
• and
• wherein the proximal clinch members and distal clinch members are positioned in an alternating arrangement relative to the first pair and second pair of tension members.