[54] FERRULED LOOP SURGICAL FASTENERS, INSTRUMENTS, AND METHODS FOR MINIMALLY INVASIVE VASCULAR AND ENDOSCOPIC SURGERY
[75] Inventors: Barry N. Gardiner, Orinda; Paul T. McDonald, Oakland; Richard D. Phipps, Morgan Hill, all of Calif.
[73] Assignee: Elective Vascular Interventions, Inc.,
Palo Alto, Calif.
[21] Appl. No.: 781,577
[22] Filed: Jan. 9, 1997
[51] Int. Cl.6 A61B 17/04
[52] U.S. Cl 606/224; 606/144; 606/147;
606/232
[58] Field of Search 606/144, 224,
606/147, 232
[56] References Cited
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
A surgical fastener in the form of a ferruled loop, instrument and method are provided for constructing a graft to artery anastomosis and other soft tissue anastomoses, particularly by minimally invasive (or endoscopic) surgery. The ferruled loop fastener is comprised of a needle, a suture and a ferrule. The needle and suture member allow this fastener to be sewn through, for example, a graft and artery to be joined. The ferrule member allows a ferruled loop to be formed without knotting the suture member, and that serves as a suture stitch to fasten the graft and artery together. The instrument holds the needle and ferrule at its distal end, and controls in the handle allow manipulation of the needle and controllable application of the fastener. The method employs the ferruled loop and instruments to join soft tissues and to construct graft to artery anastomoses.
27 Claims, 8 Drawing Sheets
