Device and method for establishing an artificial arterio-venous fistula

A method for creating an intravascular connection, comprising:

• advancing an intravascular connector through a first vessel, the intravascular connector having a first pair of clinch members comprising a first member and an apposed second member and a second pair of clinch members opposite from the first pair of clinch members and also comprising a first member and an apposed second member;
• introducing the second member of the first pair and the first member of the second pair into a second vessel from the first vessel such that the respective members deploy into contact against an inner wall of the second vessel;
• and
• deploying the first member of the first pair and the second member of the second pair into contact against an inner wall of the first vessel,
• wherein the first and second pairs of clinch members have a deployed configuration longitudinally disposed relative to contiguous portions of the first and second vessels such that the first and second pairs of clinch members are biased to close upon the contiguous parallel portions,
• wherein the first member of the first and second pair of clinch members each have a length less than each second member of the first and second pair of clinch members such that each first member is deployed on opposite ends of the connector within the first and second vessels, respectively, and each individual clinch member is deployable sequentially in a predetermined order within the first vessel and second vessel, and
• wherein each first member is sized to arc entirely within each respective vessel into its deployed position when each second member contacts each respective vessel wall.