Importance

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Abstract

Methods for forming in situ a vascular graft having a lumen adapted to place at least two blood vessels in fluid communication. A mandrel sized and configured to substantially define a lumen of a vascular graft is placed adjacent tissue located in a patient's body, and is substantially maintained in a desired position to form a vascular graft at the desired position. The vascular graft is then used to place at least two blood vessels in fluid communication with each other, for example, it is used as coronary artery bypass graft vessel to deliver blood from the aorta to the distal side of an occluded or partially occluded coronary artery. The invention also provides a system for forming a vascular structure having a lumen. The system includes a mandrel having an exterior surface sized and configured to form a vascular structure as a result of tissue healing around the surface of the mandrel, and a mechanism by which the mandrel is positioned in a desired location relative to tissue so that a vascular structure may form at the position. The mandrel is configured to allow the vascular structure to be used as a graft without harvesting or removing the vascular structure after its formation, for example; the mandrel may be removable or bioabsorbable.

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First Claim