Endoluminal graft

• US 20050234542A1
• Filed: 03/25/2005
• Published: 10/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cook Medical Incorporated (Cook Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cook Incorporated (Cook Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Melsheimer, Jeffry Scott
• Granted Patent: US 7,674,284 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.350
• 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 2/95 Instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/061 provided with means for allowing access to secondary lumens
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/067 modular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/075 the stent being loosely attached to the graft material, e.g. by stitching
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0034 D-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped

Abstract

An endoluminal graft includes a unitary tube of graft material forming two adjacent legs that are integral and monolithic to each other. The graft can be part of a prosthesis assembly for treatment of branched vascular systems and can function as an integral bifurcated leg extension prosthesis in combination with a main bifurcated prosthesis. In treating abdominal aortic aneurysms, the graft can be deployed within both iliac arteries.

Claims

1. An endoluminal graft comprising:

a tube of graft material;

a weakened section in the tube;

the tube including a first leg having a proximal end and a distal end and disposed adjacent one side of the weakened section, and

a second leg integral with and adjacent to the first leg, the second leg having a proximal end and a distal end and disposed adjacent the other side of the weakened section,

where the first leg and the second leg each comprise a proximal opening and a distal opening and are integral to and monolithic with each other and the weakened section, and

where each of the legs comprise at least one expandable stent.

2. The graft of claim 1 where the expandable stents are self-expanding.

3. The graft of claim 1 where each of the first and second legs comprise an internal stent at the proximal opening.

4. The graft of claim 1 where each of the first and second legs comprise an internal stent at the distal opening.

5. The graft of claim 1 comprising a stent about a combined periphery of the proximal openings.

6. The graft of claim 1 comprising at least one radiopaque marker.

7. The graft of claim 6 where the at least one radiopaque marker is adjacent a portion of the graft between the proximal openings.

8. The graft of claim 7 where the at least one radiopaque marker is located at the weakened section.

9. An endoluminal prosthesis, comprising:

a main body having a proximal end and a distal end comprising a bifurcation having a first limb and a second limb; and

a tube of graft material insertable into at least one of the proximal and distal ends, the tube of graft material comprising a weakened second, a first leg disposed adjacent one side of the weakened section, and a second leg integral with and adjacent to the first leg and disposed adjacent the other side of the weakened section,

where the weakened section is configured to be positioned at or near the bifurcation of the main body.

10. The endoluminal prosthesis of claim 9 where the tube is formed from a single tube of graft material and the first and second legs and the weakened section are integral and monolithic with each other.

11. The endoluminal prosthesis of claim 10 where at least a portion of the first and second legs of the tube are within the distal end of the main body.

12. The endoluminal prosthesis of claim 11 where the first leg is disposed in the first limb of the main body and the second leg is disposed in the second limb of the main body.

13. A method of repairing a compromised section of a blood vessel, comprising:

inserting into the aortic artery a bifurcated prosthesis comprising a main tubular body having a single proximal opening, a first distal opening and a second distal opening;

introducing a unitary tubular graft having a weakened section, a first tube section disposed adjacent one side of the weakened section, a second tube section disposed adjacent the other side of the weakened section, into a first iliac artery;

inserting at least the first section of the tubular graft and through the first distal opening of the main tubular body and into the main tubular body;

advancing the first section of the tube through the second distal opening of the main body and partially into the second iliac artery;

positioning the weakened section of the tube approximately adjacent the main body bifurcation with the weakened section opposed the bifurcation;

separating the tubular graft at the weakened section sufficient to form two adjacent legs and two leg openings at the weakened section;

expanding the tubular graft such that the first section engages the second distal opening of the main body and the second iliac artery and the second section engages the first distal opening of the main body and the first iliac artery.

14. The method of claim 13 where the weakened section comprises a lateral cut.

15. The method of claim 13 where the weakened section comprises perforations.

16. The method of claim 15 where separating the graft breaks the perforations to form the leg openings.