Cardica conceived a technology to automate anastomosis, the process of attaching a vein graft during bypass surgery. Compared to hand sewn sutures, Cardica’s approach promised to produce consistent results and reduce the anastomosis time by two-thirds. Safety features would assure flawless application and allow the surgeon to abandon the process, if needed.
Function turned Cardica’s concept into a handheld device. When the surgeon applies pressure to a deployment knob, a cylindrical cam system actuates nested shafts to create an opening in the target vessel and join the vein graft.