Endovascular graft system

• US 20020052645A1
• Filed: 08/13/2001
• Published: 05/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardinal Health Switzerland 515 GmbH (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Chad J. Kugler, John R. Drontle, Peter T. Keith
• Inventors: Kugler, Chad J., Keith, Peter T., Drontle, John R.
• Granted Patent: US 6,652,572 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.13
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/90 characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/91 made from perforated sheet material or tubes, e.g. perforated by laser cuts or etched holes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/065 Y-shaped blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/075 the stent being loosely attached to the graft material, e.g. by stitching
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/8486 provided on at least one of the ends
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0039 differing in diameter

Abstract

The invention provides an attachment member for anchoring a graft system at a desired location in a vessel of a patient'"'"'s vascular system. The attachment member comprises a cranial zone having a first radial strength, a caudal zone having a second radial strength, and an intermediate zone having multiple joining longitudinal struts located between and connecting the cranial and caudal zones. The intermediate zone has a third radial strength which is less than the first and second radial strengths, and the cranial and caudal zones are formed from a self-expanding material capable of expanding from a first delivery configuration to a second deployed configuration. The invention also provides an endovascular graft system, a method for deploying an aortic attachment member, and a method for repairing an aneurysm in an aorta.

Claims

1. An attachment member for anchoring a graft system at a desired location in a vessel of a patient'"'"'s vascular system, the attachment member comprising:

a cranial zone having a first radial strength;

a caudal zone having a second radial strength; and

an intermediate zone having multiple joining longitudinal struts located between and connecting the cranial and caudal zones, the intermediate zone having a third radial strength which is less than the first and second radial strengths, the cranial and caudal zones being formed from a self-expanding material capable of expanding from a first delivery configuration to a second deployed configuration.

2. The attachment member of claim 1 wherein the material forming the caudal zone forms a Z-shaped pattern.

3. The attachment member of claim 1 wherein the material forming the cranial zone forms a Z-shaped pattern.

4. The attachment member of claim 1 wherein the material forming the cranial zone forms a diamond-shaped pattern.

5. The attachment member of claim 1 wherein the first radial strength is approximately equal to the second radial strength.

6. The attachment member of claim 1 wherein the cross sectional area of the material of the cranial and caudal zones is greater than the cross sectional area of the joining longitudinal strut.

7. The attachment member of claim 1 wherein the caudal zone further comprises barbs.

8. The attachment member of claim 1 wherein the intermediate zone has at least three longitudinal struts.

9. An endovascular graft system capable of expanding from a first delivery configuration to a second deployed configuration for placement in a vessel of a patient'"'"'s vascular system, comprising:

an aortic attachment member having a cranial zone and a caudal zone each having a first radial strength, and an intermediate zone having multiple joining longitudinal struts located between and connecting the cranial and caudal zones, the intermediate zone having a second radial strength which is less than the first radial strength, the cranial and caudal zones being formed from a self-expanding material capable of expanding from a first delivery configuration to a second deployed configuration; and

a conduit formed of a graft material, the conduit being affixed to the caudal zone of the attachment member.

10. The endovascular graft system of claim 9 wherein the material forming the cranial zone forms a Z-shaped pattern.

11. The endovascular graft system of claim 9 wherein the material forming the cranial zone forms a diamond-shaped pattern.

12. The endovascular graft system of claim 9 wherein the material which forms the caudal zone forms a Z-shaped pattern.

13. The endovascular graft system of claim 9 wherein the intermediate zone has at least three longitudinal struts.

15. The biluminal endovascular graft system of claim 14 wherein the material forming the caudal zone forms a Z-shaped pattern.

16. The biluminal endovascular graft system of claim 14 wherein the material forming the cranial zone forms a Z-shaped pattern.

17. The biluminal endovascular graft system of claim 14 wherein the material forming the cranial zone forms a diamond-shaped pattern.

18. The biluminal endovascular graft system of claim 14 wherein the caudal zone further comprises barbs.

19. The biluminal endovascular graft system of claim 14 wherein the cranial zone further comprises barbs.

20. The biluminal endovascular graft system of claim 14 further comprising a plurality of stents located within at least one of the first and second conduits, the stents being affixed to the graft material forming the conduits.

21. The biluminal endovascular graft system of claim 20 wherein the stents further comprise at least one eyelet through which the stents are sutured to the graft material of the conduit.

22. The biluminal endovascular graft system of claim 14 wherein the intermediate zone has at least three longitudinal struts.

24. The attachment member of claim 23 wherein the longitudinal struts are configured to maintain the first and second engaging portions in a substantially parallel relationship when the attachment member is deployed in a vessel which causes the attachment member to bend.

25. The attachment member of claim 23 wherein the intermediate portion has at least three longitudinal struts.

27. The endovascular graft system of claim 26 wherein the longitudinal length of the attachment member is approximately 3 cm.

28. The endovascular graft system of claim 26 wherein the longitudinal struts are configured to maintain the first and second engaging portions in a substantially parallel relationship when the attachment member is deployed in a vessel which causes the attachment member to bend.

29. The endovascular graft system of claim 26 wherein the intermediate portion has at least three longitudinal struts.

14. A biluminal endovascular graft system for deployment in a vessel of a patient'"'"'s vascular system comprising:

an attachment member having a cranial zone and a caudal zone, the cranial and caudal zones being connected to and spaced apart by an intermediate zone made up of multiple longitudinal struts, the cranial and caudal zones being formed of a self-expanding material capable of expanding from a first delivery configuration to a second deployed configuration, the cranial and caudal zones each having a radial strength which is greater than the radial strength of the intermediate zone;

a trunk having first and second branch portions, the trunk being formed of a biocompatible graft material; and

first and second legs adapted to be deployed in a manner such that they extend from the first and second branches, respectively, the first branch and first leg forming a first conduit and the second branch and second leg forming a second conduit.

23. An attachment member for anchoring a graft system at a desired location in a vessel of a patient'"'"'s vascular system comprising:

a first engaging portion;

a second engaging portion, the first and second engaging portions comprising a self-expanding material capable of expanding from a delivery configuration to a deployed configuration;

an intermediate portion having multiple longitudinal struts, each having first and second ends, the first ends of the struts being affixed to the first engaging portion and the second ends of the struts being affixed to the second engaging portion, the struts being configured such that the first engaging portion can be deployed to engage the walls of the vessel substantially independently of the deployment of the second engaging portion.

26. An endovascular graft system capable of being deployed at a desired location within a vessel by a catheter introduced into a patient'"'"'s vascular system, the graft system comprising:

an attachment member having a first engaging portion, an intermediate portion and a second engaging portion, the intermediate portion having multiple longitudinal struts having first and second ends, the first ends being affixed to the first engaging portion and the second ends being affixed to the second engaging portion, the first and second engaging portions being formed of a self-expanding material capable of expanding from a delivery configuration to a deployed configuration, the struts being configured such that the first engaging portion may be deployed such that it expands to its deployed configuration while the second engaging portion is in the delivery configuration; and

a conduit formed of a graft material, the conduit being affixed to one of the engaging portions of the attachment member.

30. A biluminal endovascular graft system capable of being deployed at a desired location within a vessel by one or more catheters introduced into a patient'"'"'s vascular system, the biluminal endovascular graft system comprising:

an attachment member having a first engaging portion, an intermediate portion and a second engaging portion, the intermediate portion having multiple longitudinal struts having first and second ends, the first ends being affixed to the first engaging portion and the second ends being affixed to the second engaging portion, the first and second engaging portions being formed of a self-expanding material capable of expanding from a delivery configuration to a deployed configuration, the struts being configured such that the first engaging portion may be deployed such that it expands to its deployed configuration while the second engaging portion is in the delivery configuration;

a conduit formed of a graft material, the conduit being affixed to one of the engaging portions of the attachment member;

a trunk having first and second portions, the trunk being formed of a biocompatible graft material; and

first and second legs adapted to be deployed in a manner such that they extend from the first and second branches, respectively, the first branch and first leg forming a first conduit and the second branch and second leg forming a second conduit.

31. The biluminal endovascular graft system of claim 30 wherein the longitudinal length of the attachment member is approximately 3 cm.

32. The biluminal endovascular graft system of claim 30 wherein the longitudinal struts are configured to maintain the first and second engaging portions in a substantially parallel relationship when the attachment member is deployed in a vessel which causes the attachment member to bend.

33. The biluminal endovascular graft system of claim 30 further comprising a plurality of stents located within at least one of the first and second conduits, the stents being affixed to the graft material forming the conduits.

34. The biluminal endovascular graft system of claim 30 wherein the stents further comprise at least one eyelet through which the stents are sutured to the graft material of the conduit.

35. The biluminal endovascular graft system of claim 30 wherein the intermediate portion has at least three longitudinal struts.

36. A method for deploying an aortic attachment member in an aorta, the aortic attachment member having first and second engaging portions separated by an intermediate portion, the first and second engaging portions being made of a self-expanding material capable of expanding from a delivery configuration to a deployed configuration, the method comprising:

advancing the aortic attachment member and attached trunk though an iliac artery into the aorta by means of a first catheter;

positioning the aortic attachment member within the aorta at a desired location;

deploying the first engaging portion of the attachment member so that it seats against the wall of the aorta before the aorta has been substantially occluded by deployment of the second engaging portion; and

deploying the second engaging portion of the attachment member.

37. A method for repairing an aneurysm in an aorta with a graft system having an aortic attachment member having first and second engaging portions separated by an intermediate portion, the first and second engaging portions being made of a self-expanding material capable of expanding from a delivery configuration to a deployed configuration, the second engaging portion being attached to a trunk having first and second branches adapted to be mated with first and second legs, thus forming first and second conduits, each conduit comprising a graft component and having an iliac attachment element at its caudal end, the aorta branching into two iliac arteries, the method comprising:

advancing the aortic attachment member and attached trunk though an iliac artery into the aorta by means of a first catheter;

positioning the aortic attachment member within the aorta at a desired location;

deploying the first engaging portion of the attachment member so that it seats against the wall of the aorta before the aorta has been substantially occluded by deployment of the second engaging portion;

deploying the second engaging portion of the attachment member;

advancing the first leg by means of the first catheter through the iliac artery to mate with the first branch of the trunk, thus forming a first conduit;

advancing the second leg by means of a second catheter though a second iliac artery to mate with the second branch of the trunk, thus forming a second conduit; and

deploying the iliac attachment element of the first and second conduits within the iliac arteries.