Vascular graft securement apparatuses and related kits and methods

Abstract

Some of the present apparatuses include a flexible vascular graft defining a lumen and a hub having a distal end configured to penetrate a blood vessel, a proximal end, and a wall extending between the distal end and the proximal end that defines an interior passageway. In some apparatuses, the vascular graft is non-removably coupled to the hub, and the lumen of the vascular graft is in communication with the interior passageway of the hub. Some apparatuses include one or more helical protrusions fixed in relation to the wall and configured to secure the hub relative to the blood vessel, each of the one or more helical protrusions extending away from the interior passageway. In some apparatuses, the wall has an outer surface defining an annular recess that extends around the wall, the recess configured to receive at least a portion of a wall of the blood vessel.

1 . An apparatus for securing a vascular graft to a blood vessel, the apparatus comprising:
 a flexible vascular graft defining a lumen; and   a hub having:
 a distal end configured to penetrate a blood vessel; 
 a proximal end; 
 a wall extending between the distal end and the proximal end that defines an interior passageway; and 
 one or more helical protrusions fixed in relation to the wall and configured to secure the hub relative to the blood vessel, each of the one or more helical protrusions extending away from the interior passageway; 
 wherein a portion of the wall that is disposed between a proximal-most portion of the helical protrusion(s) and a distal-most portion of the helical protrusion(s) tapers in an exterior transverse dimension along a direction from the proximal end of the hub toward the distal end of the hub; 
   where the vascular graft is configured to be coupled to the hub such that the lumen of the vascular graft is in communication with the interior passageway of the hub.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a penetrator having a distal end configured to penetrate the blood vessel;   where the penetrator is disposable through the lumen of the vascular graft and through the interior passageway of the hub such that a portion of the penetrator extends beyond the distal end of the hub.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , where the penetrator defines an interior passageway that extends through the distal end of the penetrator and is sized for a guide wire. 
     
     
         4 . An apparatus for securing a vascular graft to a blood vessel, the apparatus comprising:
 a flexible vascular graft defining a lumen;   a hub having:
 a distal end configured to penetrate a blood vessel; 
 a proximal end; 
 a wall extending between the distal end and the proximal end that defines an interior passageway; and 
 one or more helical protrusions fixed in relation to the wall and configured to secure the hub relative to the blood vessel, each of the one or more helical protrusions extending away from the interior passageway; and 
   a penetrator having a distal end configured to penetrate the blood vessel, the penetrator defining an interior passageway that extends through the distal end of the penetrator and is sized for a guide wire;   where the vascular graft is couplable to the hub such that the lumen of the vascular graft is in communication with the interior passageway of the hub, and the penetrator is disposable through the lumen of the vascular graft and through the interior passageway of the hub such that a portion of the penetrator extends beyond the distal end of the hub.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , where the vascular graft is non-removably coupled to the hub and has a length that is at least 14 centimeters (cm). 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , where the penetrator is couplable to the hub such that rotation of the penetrator rotates the hub. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , where, for each of the one or more helical protrusions, a longitudinal distance between adjacent portions of the helical protrusion decreases along a direction from the distal end of the hub to the proximal end of the hub. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , where the proximal end of the hub defines a flange. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , where the flange defines one or more openings, each configured to receive a suture. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , where:
 the distal end of the hub has a first transverse dimension; and   the proximal end of the hub has a second transverse dimension that is larger than the first transverse dimension.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , where the interior passageway of the hub tapers in a transverse dimension along a direction from the proximal end of the hub to the distal end of the hub. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , where the hub is monolithic. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , where the vascular graft is coupled to the hub such that at least a portion of the hub is received within the lumen of the vascular graft. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising a crimped connection between the vascular graft and the hub. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising a welded connection between the vascular graft and the hub. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , where:
 the vascular graft has a length that is at least 14 cm; and   the vascular graft comprises at least one of: woven polyester and expanded polytetrafluoroethylene.