Abstract: An apparatus for delivery of a vascular arteriovenous graft comprises a tubular sleeve defining an interior lumen adapted for being slidably positioned over a tunneling instrument. Once the tunneling instrument has been advanced to a desired subcutaneous anatomical location the shaft is removed while the sleeve remains in the tissue. The sleeve has a linear slit extending from a proximal end to a point intermediate the length of the sleeve. The lumen receives the distal end of the graft and at least a portion of a cannulation chamber such that the end of the sleeve progressively expands along the slit to provide an enlarged diameter for accommodating the cannulation chamber. Longitudinal force to the sleeve during removal of the sleeve from the tissue secures the graft in the sleeve by radial compression of the sleeve for pulling the graft and the sleeve through the tunnel and deploying the vascular graft.

Abstract: A cannulation chamber is provided for use with an arteriovenous graft including a flexible conduit. The cannulation chamber comprises an elongated body defining an annular passageway having a longitudinal axis extending between a first end and a second end. The body receives and surrounds the conduit in the passageway. The body comprises a self-sealing material and a cannulation port that exposes the self-sealing material. A flexible resilient elongated back plate is embedded in the body of the cannulation chamber such that the back plate extends generally parallel with and may partially surround the passageway. The back plate is formed of a substantially rigid material such that when a needle is inserted through the cannulation port and the self-sealing material, the needle is inhibited or prevented from extending through the back plate.