Graft material attachment device and method

• US 20050075715A1
• Filed: 10/07/2003
• Published: 04/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardinal Health Switzerland 515 GmbH (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cordis Corporation (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Inventors: Borges, Juan, Howat, William L., Dwyer, Clifford J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,088,156 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.130
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/89 the wire-like elements comprising two or more adjacent rings flexibly connected by separate members
• 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 2/9522 Means for mounting a stent or stent-graft onto or into a placement instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/9526 using a mandrel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/075 the stent being loosely attached to the graft material, e.g. by stitching
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/828 Means for connecting a plurality of stents allowing flexibility of the whole structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0039 differing in diameter

Abstract

A stent-graft fabricated from a thin-walled, high strength material provides for a more durable and lower profile endoprosthesis. The stent-graft comprises one or more stent segments covered with a fabric formed by the weaving, knitting or braiding of a biocompatible, high tensile strength, abrasion resistant, highly durable yarn such as ultra high molecular weight polyethylene. The one or more stent segments may be balloon expandable or self-expanding. The fabric may be attached to the stent segments utilizing any number of known materials and techniques. The fabric may be attached to the stent segments utilizing an attachment device that secures the fabric to a strut of the stent segment by sandwiching the fabric between itself and the stent strut.

Claims

1. An attachment device comprising a deformable, partially tubular band having a slotted opening for accepting a portion of a first substantially flexible element and a portion of a second substrate element.

2. The attachment device according to claim 1, wherein the partially tubular band comprises a polymeric material.

3. The attachment device according to claim 1, wherein the partially tubular band comprises a metallic material.

4. The attachment device according to claim 1, wherein the partially tubular band is configured to hold a portion of the first substantially flexible element between itself and a portion of the second substrate element.

5. A stent graft comprising:

one or more stent structures;

a biocompatible graft material affixed to the one or more stent structures; and

at least one attachment device for securing the biocompatible graft material to the one or more stent structures, the at least one attachment device comprising a deformable, partially tubular band having a slotted opening for accepting a portion of the one or more stent structures and a portion of the biocompatible graft material.

6. The stent graft according to claim 5, wherein the graft material comprises ultra high molecular weight polyethylene.

7. The stent graft according to claim 5, wherein the graft material comprises polyaramid.

8. The stent graft according to claim 5, wherein the graft material comprises polyphynelenebenzobisoxazole.

9. The stent graft according to claim 5, wherein the graft material comprises liquid crystal polymer.

10. The stent graft according to claim 6, wherein the ultra high molecular weight polyethylene graft material comprises a yarn having a weight in the range from about twenty denier to about thirty denier.

11. The stent graft according to claim 5, wherein the graft material comprises blends of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene.

12. The stent graft according to claim 5, wherein the graft material is woven.

13. The stent graft according to claim 5, wherein the graft material is knitted.

14. The stent graft according to claim 5, wherein the graft material is braided.

15. The stent graft according to claim 5, wherein the at least one attachment device comprises a polymeric material.

16. The stent graft according to claim 5, wherein the at least one attachment device comprises a metallic material.

17. The stent graft according to claim 5, wherein the partially tubular band is configured to hold a portion of the biocompatible graft material between itself and a portion of the one or more stent structures.

18. The stent graft according to claim 17, wherein the partially tubular band is configured to allow relative movement between the portion of the biocompatible graft material and the portion of the one or more stent structures.

19. The stent graft according to claim 17, wherein the portion of the stent structure is configured to allow relative movement between the portion of the biocompatible graft material and the portion of the one or more stent structures.

20. A method for attaching graft material to a stent structure comprising:

positioning graft material around a stent structure;

positioning at least one attachment device such that the graft material is sandwiched between the at least one attachment device and a portion of the stent structure, and

crimping the at least one attachment device around the graft material at the portion of the stent structure.