The problem of anastomosing vessels that supply critical areas of the body has several important components. Either the anastomosis must be completed rapidly enough so that the temporary hypoxia to the involved organ is only fleeting and contributes nothing towards reduction of its vital function, or some form of protection must be provided to the organ while the sutures required for anastomosis are placed. Preferably, the protection should be adequate enough and prolonged enough so that the sutures can be placed accurately and unhurriedly, in order to be certain that the critical anastomosis has minimal chance for failure. These criteria are not always fulfilled. Technical difficulties, unexpectedly encountered during the anastomosis, may result in deprivation of blood supply to the critical area for longer than anticipated and lead to significant damage to an important organ. Methods for protecting the critical organ are not always entirely effective for providing adequate protection