Braided Flange Branch Graft for Branch Vessel

• US 20080228256A1
• Filed: 03/13/2007
• Published: 09/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Vascular, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Vascular, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Erickson, David, Douk, Nareak, Rafiee, Nasser, Ganesan, Prema, Rust, Matthew, Morris, Jonathan, Hanson, Curtis, Yamasaki, Sonny
• Application Number:
  US11/685,368
• Publication Number:
  US 20080228256A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/064 with special features to facilitate anastomotic coupling anastomosis of natural blood vessels A61B17/11
• 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 2002/061 provided with means for allowing access to secondary lumens
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/821 Ostial stents
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0039 differing in diameter
• CPC Class Codes: D04C 1/06 Braid or lace serving particular purposes
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2509/06 Vascular grafts; stents

Abstract

A braided flange branch graft formed of a braided super elastic memory material includes a neck between an inner flange and an outer flange. The neck is positioned in a side opening in a sidewall of a main stent graft and the inner flange and outer flange are deployed on opposite sides of the sidewall. The inner flange and the outer flange have a diameter greater than a diameter of the side opening in the sidewall of the main stent graft. Thus, the sidewall of the main stent graft is sandwiched between the inner flange and the outer flange securely and simply mounting the braided flange branch graft to the main stent graft. The braided flange has a substantially unobstructed fluid communication passage therethrough. Further, when stretched into a substantially cylindrical shape for delivery, the braided flange branch graft has a small delivery profile and is extremely flexible.

Claims

1. An assembly comprising a braided flange branch graft around a tubular opening, said braided flange branch graft formed from a braided super elastic memory material, said braided flange branch graft comprising:

a first flange;

a second flange;

a neck between said first flange and said second flange; and

a trunk extending longitudinally from said second flange;

wherein said tubular opening is the beginning of a substantially unobstructed passageway through and substantially along an axis of the braided flange.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said first flange and said second flange extend radial outward from said neck.

3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said first flange and said second flange have a first diameter greater than a second diameter of said neck.

4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said first flange, said second flange, and said neck collectively define an annular channel.

5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said first flange is disk shaped.

6. The assembly of claim 5 wherein said first flange comprises an outer radial perimeter that is circular.

7. The assembly of claim 5 wherein said first flange increases in thickness towards a radial center of said first flange.

8. The assembly of claim 5 wherein said first flange has a uniform thickness.

9. The assembly of claim 5 wherein said second flange is disk shaped.

10. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said trunk comprises a base attached to said second flange.

11. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said trunk is cylindrical.

12. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said braided flange branch graft defines a lumen extending through said braided flange branch graft.

13. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said braided flange branch graft further comprises an elastic cover over said braided super elastic memory material.

14. An assembly comprising:

a main stent graft comprising a sidewall with a side opening therein; and

a braided flange branch graft connected to said main stent graft, said braided flange branch graft formed from a braided super elastic memory material, said braided flange branch graft elements comprising;

a first flange on an inside of said main stent graft;

a second flange on an outside of said main stent graft;

a neck between said first flange and said second flange, said neck being located in said side opening; and

a trunk extending longitudinally from said second flange,

where a substantially unobstructed side passage provides fluid communication through said braided flange elements through said side opening.

15. The assembly of claim 14 wherein said sidewall is sandwiched between said first flange and said second flange.

16. The assembly of claim 14 wherein said first flange and said second flange are deployed on opposite sides of said sidewall of said main stent graft.

17. The assembly of claim 14 wherein said first flange and said second flange have a first diameter greater than a second diameter of said side opening.

18. The assembly of claim 14 wherein said sidewall is located within an annular channel defined by said first flange, said neck, and said second flange.

19. The assembly of claim 14 wherein said first flange, said neck, and said second flange form a means for locking said braided flange branch graft to said main stent graft.

20. The assembly of claim 14 wherein said braided flange branch graft defines a lumen in fluid communication with a lumen of said main stent graft.

21. A delivery system comprising:

a braided flange branch graft formed from a braided super elastic memory material, said braided flange branch graft comprising;

a first flange;

a second flange;

a neck between said first flange and said second flange; and

a trunk extending longitudinally from said second flange, said braided flange branch graft being stretched into a substantially cylindrical shape;

a handle;

an inner member extending distally from said handle, said braided flange branch graft being located over a distal end of said inner member;

a neck hook connected to said neck of said braided flange branch graft;

an inner end hook connected to an inner end of said braided flange branch graft, said first flange being stretched between said inner end hook and said neck hook; and

a base hook connected to a base of said trunk, said second flange being stretched between said neck hook and said base hook.

22. The delivery system of claim 21 wherein said handle comprises:

an inner end hook slider connected to said inner end hook by an inner end hook connector; and

a base hook slider connected to said base hook by a base hook connector.

23. The delivery system of claim 22 wherein said handle further comprises:

an inner end adjustment ring threadedly connected to said inner end hook slider; and

a base adjustment ring threadedly connected to said base hook slider.

24. The delivery system of claim 22 wherein said inner end hook connector comprises a wire.

25. The delivery system of claim 22 wherein said base hook connector comprises a pair of coaxial hypo tubes.

26. The delivery system of claim 21 wherein said neck hook is connected to said inner member.

27. The delivery system of claim 21 wherein said inner member defines a guide wire lumen, said delivery system further comprising a guide wire in said guide wire lumen.

28. The delivery system of claim 21 further comprising an outer end hook connected to an outer end of said braided flange branch graft, said outer end hook stretching said trunk.

29. The delivery system of claim 28 wherein said handle comprises:

an outer end hook slider connected to said outer end hook by an outer end hook connector; and

an outer end adjustment ring threadedly connected to said outer end hook slider.

30. A method of forming an intra-vascular assembly comprising:

deploying a main stent graft comprising a sidewall having a side opening therein;

stretching a braided flange branch graft into a substantially cylindrical shape, said braided flange branch graft formed from a braided super elastic memory material, said braided flange branch graft element comprising;

a first flange;

a second flange;

a neck between said first flange and said second flange; and

a trunk extending longitudinally from said second flange, where a substantially unobstructed passage for fluid communication is provided through said braided flange element;

positioning said neck within said side opening;

deploying said first flange inside of said main stent graft; and

deploying said second flange outside of said main stent graft, wherein said sidewall of said main stent graft is sandwiched between said first flange and said second flange.

31. The method of claim 30 further comprising deploying said trunk.