Side-to-side sutureless vascular anastomosis with magnets

Abstract

We present a magnet-based device used to perform side-to-side peripheral vascular anastomoses. Its advantages include the ability to anastomose vessels without requiring circumferential surgical exposure. Vascular anastomosis performed with these magnets demonstrated 100% patency in the dog, lacked apparent aneurysm or other potentially catastrophic failure, and demonstrated remodeling of the vessel wall after several weeks, to incorporate the magnets, making indefinite retention of field strength unnecessary. This technique could enable minimally invasive procedures, such as complex reconstructive and revascularizing surgery, and warrants further study in vessels with different sizes, flow rates, and locations.

Using external magnet guidance and endoscopically placed magnets to create suture-free gastro-enteral anastomoses

“…Erdmann et al [9] used magnet technology to create sutureless vascular anastomosis. Magnets have been used to treat malignant and biliary duct strictures after liver transplantation [10,11].…”

Magnetic compression gastrostomy in the rat

“…Previously, all experimental studies of MCA have used large animals (pigs and dogs) [3,[6][7][8]13]. In the present study, we used rats to study MCA, which we believe will accelerate the development of magnetic device studies in the medical field.…”

“…Magnetic compression anastomosis (MCA) has been reported previously for gastrointestinal, biliary, urinary, and vascular anastomosis [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14].…”

Creation of Transcatheter Aortopulmonary and Cavopulmonary Shunts Using Magnetic Catheters: Feasibility Study in Swine

“…Although our initial intent was to investigate the use of magnetic catheters in the creation of transcatheter Glenn shunts, the swine's pulmonary vascular anatomy was not conducive to the magnet catheters that were designed. Although a transcatheter Glenn shunt was created using a trans-septal needle, magnet catheters designed with the polarity necessary for a side-to-side vessel anastomosis, as reported by Erdmann et al [5], could allow for magnetic catheters to make even this type of vascular anastomosis feasible.…”