Left ventricular conduits to coronary arteries and methods for coronary bypass

Abstract

Left ventricular conduits and related methods are disclosed for achieving bypass of a partially or completely occluded coronary artery. More broadly, conduits for allowing communication of bodily fluids from one portion of a patient's body to another and related methods are disclosed, including conduits for forming a blood flow path from a chamber of the heart to a vessel or from one vessel to another. In other embodiments, the conduits achieve a coronary artery bypass by allowing blood communication between the left ventricle and the coronary artery or between a proximal portion of the coronary artery and a distal portion of the coronary artery. The conduits may be placed completely through the heart wall or extend only partially therein. Conduits may take on a variety of configurations for allowing the control of blood flow therethrough, including curved or tapered shapes. The conduits may also follow a variety of paths, including direct transmyocardial communication between the left ventricle and the coronary artery, or through the myocardium and into the intrapericardial space and then into the coronary artery. The conduits may be implanted through a variety of methods, including minimally invasive techniques. Also disclosed are various preferred embodiments of medical devices and related methods for implanting the conduits including rigid delivery rods for penetrating bodily tissue. The delivery rods may be solid, thus being trocar-like, or hollow to form a self-implantable conduit. Other preferred rod embodiments may have the conduits mounted thereon and take the form of a stylet or the like. The conduits may be one-piece, continuous conduits or made up of a number of plural sections joined together. Disclosures of various anastomosis devices are provided.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An implantable body fluid shunt device for providing fluid communication between body vessels of a patient, said device comprising: 
 a generally elongated shunt body having proximal and distal ends, said shunt body being formed of a rigid, biocompatible material;    said shunt body having: 
 a first proximal aperture and at least one second aperture longitudinally spaced along said shunt body from said first aperture; and  
 a diversion tube having a predetermined shape providing fluid communication between said first aperture and said at least one second aperture;  
   wherein, in use, said device is implanted in a patient such that said first aperture is disposed within a first vessel, and said at least one second aperture is disposed in a second vessel.    
     
     
         2 . The implantable shunt device of  claim 1 , wherein said shunt body further comprises a spike portion at a distal end thereof.  
     
     
         3 . The implantable shunt device of  claim 1 , wherein said shunt body further comprises expansible retention members at a distal end thereof.  
     
     
         4 . The implantable shunt device of  claim 1 , wherein said device provides transmyocardial blood perfusion, and wherein said second aperture is adjacent said distal end of said shunt body and in use is disposed within the left ventricle of a patient.  
     
     
         5 . The implantable shunt device of  claim 4 , wherein the first aperture is adjacent said proximal end of said shunt body and in use is disposed within a coronary artery of a patient.  
     
     
         6 . The implantable shunt device of  claim 2 , wherein the second aperture in use is situated within the coronary artery of a patient and wherein said spike portion is disposed within the myocardium.  
     
     
         7 . The implantable shunt device of  claim 6 , wherein the first aperture is adjacent said proximal end of said shunt body, wherein said first aperture is disposed within a venous or arterial graft.