Importance

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Abstract

A shunt for attachment between an artery and a vein being harvested for use in an arterial bypass including an elongated tube, a first end on the elongated tube for insertion into a femoral artery, a second end on the elongated tube for insertion into the distal portion of a saphenous vein to thereby maintain communication between the artery and the vein even though normal blood flow to the vein is disrupted, a stopcock between the first and second ends, a second elongated tube coupled to the stopcock for selectively receiving blood from the elongated tube to irrigate the external portion of the vein being harvested, and a detachable connection at the second end of the elongated tube for selectively permitting detachment of the second end of the elongated tube from the remainder of the elongated tube during vein harvesting. A method of harvesting a section of vein for use in a remote portion of a person's body to effect an arterial bypass about a diseased portion of an artery having a diseased proximal portion and a diseased distal portion including the steps of harvesting a section of vein having a distal portion and a proximal portion, maintaining blood flow through the vein from its distal portion toward its proximal portion during the harvesting, effecting a first anastamosis between the proximal portion of the vein section and the artery distal to its diseased distal portion, and effecting a second anastamosis between the distal portion of the vein section and the artery proximal to its diseased proximal portion, to thereby effect the arterial bypass.

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First Claim