Stent-graft with rails

• US 20050102022A1
• Filed: 10/19/2004
• Published: 05/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: GMP Cardiac Care, Inc.
• Original Assignee: GMP Cardiac Care, Inc.
• Inventors: Solovay, Kenneth S., Jacobs, Thomas P.
• Application Number:
  US10/967,207
• Publication Number:
  US 20050102022A1
• 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 2/90 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 2/915 with bands having a meander structure, adjacent bands being connected to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/075 the stent being loosely attached to the graft material, e.g. by stitching
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/825 having longitudinal struts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/826 more than one stent being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91533 characterised by the phase between adjacent bands
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0008 Fixation appliances for connecting prostheses to the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/005 using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0058 soldered or brazed or welded
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0075 sutured, ligatured or stitched, retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped

Abstract

A stent-graft with increased longitudinal flexibility that is deployed within a body lumen for supporting the lumen and repairing luminal aneurysms. In a preferred embodiment, the stent-graft is located and expanded within a blood vessel to repair aortic aneurysms. The stent-graft is comprised of an expandable stent portion, an expandable graft portion and at least one elongated rail. The stent portion and graft portion are moveable between the terminal ends of the rail(s) and relative to the rails so that it can conform to the shape of a vessel in which it is deployed. The stent-graft provides increased longitudinal flexibility within a vessel. Also, the stent-graft of the present invention does not kink after expansion, and thus, eliminates the potential for the graft portion occluding the blood flow lumen of the vessel in which it is deployed. Moreover, the wear on the graft is reduced and its longevity increased.

Claims

1. A stent-graft comprising:

an elongated stent portion extending about an axis;

a graft portion being at least partially coextensive with said stent portion; and

at least one rail element extending along a length of said stent-graft, each rail element being movably coupled to said stent portion and/or said graft portion such that at least a portion of said stent portion and said graft portion are freely movable along a portion and relative to each rail element.