Method for performing a coronary artery bypass graft procedure

Abstract

A method for performing a coronary artery bypass graft procedure on a patient to connect a bypass vessel to a target vessel includes the steps of creating an opening in the patient that communicates with the thoracic cavity of the patient; providing a bypass vessel having a lumen and at least one free end; passing the free end of the bypass vessel from the thoracic cavity through the opening to a position outside the body of the patient; attaching a connector to the free end of bypass vessel while the free end of the bypass vessel is outside the body of the patient; passing the free end of the bypass vessel from the position outside the body of the patient through the opening and into the thoracic cavity; and connecting the free end of the bypass vessel to a target vessel with the connector.

1 . A method for performing a coronary artery bypass graft procedure on a patient to connect a bypass vessel to a target vessel, comprising the steps of: 
 creating an opening in the patient that communicates with the thoracic cavity of the patient;    providing a bypass vessel having a lumen and at least one free end;    passing the free end of the bypass vessel from the thoracic cavity through the opening to a position outside the body of the patient;    attaching a connector to the free end of bypass vessel while the free end of the bypass vessel is outside the body of the patient;    passing the free end of the bypass vessel from the position outside the body of the patient through the opening and into the thoracic cavity; and    connecting the free end of the bypass vessel to a target vessel with the connector.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the graft vessel is an internal mammary artery and comprising the step of cutting the internal mammary artery to provide the free end.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , comprising the step of creating an arteriotomy in a side of the graft vessel at a location proximal of the free end.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the step of creating an arteriotomy comprises inserting a guidewire into the lumen of the free end.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the step of creating an arteriotomy comprises incising the side of the graft vessel with the guidewire.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , comprising the step of passing at least the distal end of an applicator having an anastomotic device carried thereon through the lumen and the arteriotomy.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the passing step of  claim 6  comprises passing the applicator over a guidewire that is positioned through the lumen of the graft vessel, with one end of the guidewire passing through the arteriotomy and the other end of the guidewire passing through the free end of the graft vessel.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , comprising the step of creating a target vessel arteriotomy in a wall of a target vessel.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , comprising the step of positioning the guidewire through the target vessel arteriotomy and into the target vessel lumen.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , comprising the step of passing at least the distal end of the applicator over the guidewire toward the target vessel arteriotomy.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising the step of passing at least the distal end of the applicator into the target vessel arteriotomy.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , comprising the step of actuating the applicator to connect the connector to at least the target vessel.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the step of actuating comprises actuating the applicator to connect the connector to the target vessel and the graft vessel.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising the step of forming a target arteriotomy in a wall of a target vessel.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , comprising the step of passing at least a distal end of a second guidewire through the target arteriotomy from a position within the target artery to position outside the target artery.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , comprising the step of passing at least a distal end of a second guidewire through the target arteriotomy from a position outside the target artery to position inside the target artery.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , comprising the step of positioning at least the distal end of an applicator having an anastomotic device carried thereon within the lumen of the graft vessel, guiding the distal end of the graft vessel over a second guidewire positioned within the target vessel arteriotomy to a position where at least the distal end of the applicator is within the target vessel arteriotomy, and actuating the applicator to connect the connector to at least the target vessel.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the opening is one of an intercostal opening and an opening is located outside the thoracic cavity.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the graft vessel is one of a vein, artery, synthetic and animal vessel.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of connecting comprises deforming the connector to compress a portion of the graft vessel and a portion of the target vessel such that the lumen of the graft vessel communicates with the lumen of the target vessel.