Abstract: According to the present invention, an anastomosis catheter with internally mounted cam pieces holding a plurality of curved needles adjacent apertures in the side of the catheter is provided. The curved needles are attached to lengths of suture material which are installed to run along the outer surface of the central cam pieces to their distal end, where they reverse back along the inner core of the catheter. When the central cam pieces are withdrawn, and moved proximally, the cam surface forces the curved needles out the associated apertures. As the catheter is deployed in a hollow organ, such as a human urethra, the curved needles, as they are deployed, grasp the end of the urethra, which then can be held in position for suturing to the bladder. The other end of the suture materials could have straight needles attached to them to facilitate attaching the urethra to the bladder.

Abstract: A passive fixation device, defined by a generally elongated body with proximal and distal ends, and a connecting member to connect the two, is used for the anastomosis of body lumens without sutures. The proximal and distal ends are non-deployed in a non-deployed position, and are deployed in a deployed position. While in the non-deployed positions, the passive fixation device is inserted into one or more body lumens. After insertion, both the proximal and distal ends are deployed and become expanded. One end is first deployed, and then the other. The deployed proximal end becomes retained in a first lumen, and the deployed distal end becomes retained in a second lumen. In one embodiment, the first lumen is the urethra, and the second lumen is the bladder. The two lumens are permitted to become anastomized without sutures. The passive fixation device may be made of different materials and can have coiled proximal and distal ends that are expanded to their deployed positions by a Foley catheter.

Abstract: A surgical dissector has parallel arms mounted by a scissors linkage for moving toward and away from one another while remaining parallel. A plurality of teeth extend transversely from the arms and are positioned so that they may be interdigitated when the dissector is in a closed position. The teeth have rounded distal ends and are sufficient spaced so that spaces remain between the interdigitated teeth. The dissector is particularly useful in partial kidney resectioning.