An anastomotic connector for connecting a graft to a target vessel, comprising a thin collar section (104) adapted to engage a portion of the graft; and a separate spike section (124) adapted to mount on said collar section, and comprising a plurality of spikes (126) each of said spikes (126) adapted to transfix said graft. Preferably, the connector comprises at least one locking element for interlocking said spike section (124), and said collar section (104). Preferably the locking element prov...

Vascular X-ray contrast media comprise ferrite powder coated with a negatively charged colloid such as silicate colloid, gold colloid, silver colloid or platinum colloid. Such media can be used for the medical X-ray diagnosis of small blood vessels. By applying an external magnetic field, the media can be maintained in the vessel or organ being examined.

A vascular prosthesis includes a length of generally hollow tubing having openings at both ends thereof. The prosthesis includes at least one curved portion whose curvature extends within three dimensions of two mutually perpendicular planes such as to induce swirl flow in a liquid medium when such medium flows through the curved portion.

A flexible stent is provided that has features to minimize recoil and facilitate anchoring of the stent in a vascular passage. The design features sharp angulated bends. Other features include a rounded cross-section in the wire or stent components. Another feature is the bending of the angulated bends in a transverse plane to provide additional rigidity and an anchoring mechanism. Ties are provided in alignment or in staggered fashion, either semi-rigid or flexible, to allow the structure, whic...

A self-supporting retractor for holding open an anatomic space for performing endoscopic surgical procedures. The retractor includes a substantially rigid elongate member, having proximal and distal ends, and having an arch shape or "C" cross-section, defining a passage and longitudinal working window along the retractor. The distal end is preferably rounded or streamlined to facilitate insertion along a dissected space with minimized tissue trauma, and may include a hooded portion enclosing the...

A vascular clamp and a method for temporarily occluding a vessel. The vascular clamp comprises two jaws, two handles, and a pivoting point. A biasing mechanism is positioned between the handles for biasing the handles apart so that a closing force is imparted along the length of the jaws. The pivoting points pivotally connect the jaws together and are also configured to allow one jaw to be lifted relative to the other jaw. The method of temporarily occluding a blood vessel comprises the steps of...

The invention concerns a vascular prosthesis for the replacement of blood vessels in the human or animal body, consisting of a section of a replacement blood vessel (3) which has been taken from a human or animal body and a fibro-elastic tube (2) which is drawn over this vascular section, whose intersecting threads (1) which form the tube wind in spiral form around the longitudinal axis of the tube, wherein the fibro-elastic tube (2) is extended pointwise in the longitudinal direction with alter...

In a vascular implant for the prevention or elimination of vascular restrictions a tubular body to be inserted into a body vessel includes at least a first nuclide species which has a half life in the range of 7 hours to 7 days and a second nuclide species which has a half life of more than 100 days. Instead of providing a second nuclide species, the first nuclide species may also decay into the second nuclide species thereby providing a high initial radioactivity for a relatively short period a...

A vascular occluder clip including a resiliently-biased pair of clamping elements extending transversely to longitudinally-extending members. Gripping loops or pads are provided for grasping by the user and compression of the members against the biasing force to separate the clamping elements. The gripping loops or pads extend from the longitudinal members on the opposite side thereof from the clamping elements.

A device for removing specimens of vascular tissue by scraping various portions of the area to be sampled is formed by a multi-strand coil of wires, the ends of the wires being cut to define radially projecting, axially offset cutters, the device being guided by remote control means.