APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR ENDOLUMINAL GRAFT PLACEMENT

• US 20170056156A1
• Filed: 11/11/2016
• Published: 03/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1994
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Timothy J. Ryan
• Original Assignee: Timothy J. Ryan
• Inventors: RYAN, Timothy J.
• Application Number:
  US15/349,758
• Publication Number:
  US 20170056156A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/848 having means for fixation to the vessel wall, e.g. barbs
• 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 2/9522 Means for mounting a stent or stent-graft onto or into a placement instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/954 for placing stents or stent-grafts in a bifurcation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/067 modular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/072 Encapsulated stents, e.g. wire or whole stent embedded in lining
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/075 the stent being loosely attached to the graft material, e.g. by stitching
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91541 Adjacent bands are arranged out of phase
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91558 connected peak to peak
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9511 the retaining means being filaments or wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9534 for repositioning of stents
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0019 operated at only one temperature whilst inside or touching the human body, e.g. constrained in a non-operative shape during surgery, another temperature only occurring before the operation
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2240/001 Designing or manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0018 : differing in elasticity, stiffness or compressibility
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0019 : differing in hardness, e.g. Vickers, Shore, Brinell
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0029 : differing in bending or flexure capacity
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0039 : differing in diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0048 : differing in mechanical expandability, e.g. in mechanical, self- or balloon expandability
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0098 : radio-opaque, e.g. radio-opaque markers

Abstract

A vascular graft comprises a perforate tubular compressible frame having a fabric liner disposed over at least a portion of the frames lumen. The graft may be used in combination with a base structure to form a bifurcated graft in situ. The base structure compresses a compressible frame having a fabric liner which defines a pair of divergent legs. The base structure is positioned within the aorta so that one leg enters each iliac. The tubular grafts can then be introduced into each leg to form the bifurcated structure. A graft delivery catheter includes a controllably flared sheath which facilitates recapture of a partially deployed graft.

Claims

1. A method for introducing a vascular graft into a primary artery which divides into first and second branch arteries, said method comprising:

introducing and deploying a bifurcated structure including an anchor section and first and second connector sections so that the anchor section is disposed within the primary artery and the first and second connector sections extend toward the first and second branch arteries and thereafter;

introducing a first tubular graft into the first connector section and anchoring said first tubular graft to extend between the first connector section and the first branch artery to form a first continuous flow path from the primary artery to the first branch artery; and

introducing a second tubular graft into the second connector section and anchoring said second tubular graft to extend between the second connector section and the second branch artery to form a second continuous flow path from the primary artery to the second branch artery.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein the primary artery is an aorta, the first branch artery is a right iliac, and the second branch artery is a left iliac.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein the anchor section of the bifurcated structure is radially compressed while being introduced.

4. A method as in claim 3, wherein the anchor section is composed of a resilient material, said method further comprising releasing the radially compressed anchor section at a target location with the primary artery.

5. A method as in claim 1, wherein the bifurcated structure is introduced through the primary artery in an antegrade direction.

6. A method as in claim 1, wherein the bifurcated structure is introduced through a branch artery in a retrograde direction.

7. A method as in claim 1, wherein the first tubular graft is radially compressed while being introduced.

8. A method as in claim 7, wherein the first tubular graft is composed of a resilient material, said method further comprising releasing the radially compressed graft to anchor simultaneously within the first connector and the first branch artery.

9. A method as in claim 1, wherein the first tubular graft is introduced through the primary artery in an antegrade direction.

10. A method as in claim 1, wherein the first tubular graft is introduced through a branch artery in a retrograde direction.

11. A method as in claim 1, wherein the second tubular graft is radially compressed while being introduced.

12. A method as in claim 11, wherein the second tubular graft is composed of a resilient material, said method further comprising releasing the radially compressed graft to anchor simultaneously within the second connector and the second branch artery.

13. A method as in claim 1, wherein the second tubular graft is introduced through the primary artery in an antegrade direction.

14. A method as in claim 1, wherein the second tubular graft is introduced through a branch artery in a retrograde direction.

15. A method for treating an aneurysm by introducing a vascular graft into a primary artery which branches into first and second branch arteries, said method comprising:

introducing into a patient'"'"'s vasculature an anchor section and first tubular graft of the vascular graft so that the anchor section is disposed within the primary artery and the first tubular graft is at least partially disposed within the first branch artery to form a first continuous flow path from the primary artery to the first branch artery; and

securing a second tubular graft to the anchor section via a connector leg of the anchor section to form a second continuous flow path from the primary artery to the second branch artery, wherein each of the grafts comprises a tubular frame and a liner.

16. A method as in claim 15, wherein the primary artery is an aorta, the first branch artery is a right iliac, and the second branch artery is a left iliac.

17. A method as in claim 15, wherein the anchor section and first tubular graft of the vascular graft are radially compressed while being introduced.

18. A method as in claim 17, wherein the anchor section and first tubular graft of the vascular graft are resilient, said introducing step comprising releasing the radially compressed anchor section and first tubular graft at a target location with the vasculature.

19. A method as in claim 18, wherein the anchor section and first tubular graft of the vascular graft are introduced through the primary artery in an antegrade direction.

20. A method as in claim 18, wherein the anchor section and first tubular graft of the vascular graft are introduced through a branch artery in a retrograde direction.

21. A method as in claim 18, wherein the second tubular graft is radially compressed while being introduced.

22. A method as in claim 21, wherein the second tubular graft is resilient, said method further comprising releasing the radially compressed second tubular graft to anchor within the connector leg on the anchor section.

23. A method as in claim 22, wherein the second tubular graft is introduced through the primary artery in an antegrade direction.

24. A method as in claim 22, wherein the second tubular graft is introduced through a branch artery in a retrograde direction.

25. A method as in claim 15, wherein the introducing step comprises securing the first tubular graft to the anchor section of the vascular graft after the anchor section has been disposed within the primary artery.

26. A method as in claim 25, wherein the first tubular graft is secured to the anchor section via a second connector leg of the anchor section.

27. A method as in claim 26, wherein the first tubular graft is resilient and wherein the securing of the first tubular graft to the anchor section comprises releasing the first tubular graft from a compressed configuration to expand within the second connector leg and the first branch artery.

28. A method as in claim 27, wherein the second tubular graft is resilient and wherein the securing of the second tubular graft to the anchor section comprises releasing the second tubular graft from a compressed configuration to expand within its respective connector leg and the second branch artery.

29. A method as in claim 25, wherein the primary artery is an aorta, the first branch artery is a right iliac, and the second branch artery is a left iliac.

30. A method as in claim 29, wherein the second tubular graft is resilient and wherein the securing of the second tubular graft to the anchor section comprises releasing the second tubular graft from a compressed configuration to expand within the connector leg and the left iliac.

31. A method as in claim 25, wherein the anchor section of the vascular graft is radially compressed while being introduced.

32. A method as in claim 31, wherein the anchor section is resilient, said introducing step comprising releasing the radially compressed anchor section at a target location with the vasculature.

33. A method as in claim 32, wherein the anchor section of the vascular graft is introduced through the primary artery in an antegrade direction.

34. A method as in claim 32, wherein the anchor section of the vascular graft is introduced through a branch artery in a retrograde direction.

35. A method as in claim 25, wherein the first tubular graft is radially compressed while being introduced.

36. A method as in claim 35, wherein the first tubular graft is resilient, said introducing step comprising releasing the radially compressed first tubular graft to anchor within a second connector leg on the anchor section.

37. A method as in claim 36, wherein the first tubular graft is introduced through the primary artery in an antegrade direction.

38. A method as in claim 36, wherein the first tubular graft is introduced through a branch artery in a retrograde direction.

39. A method as in claim 36, wherein the second tubular graft is radially compressed while being introduced.

40. A method as in claim 39, wherein the second tubular graft is resilient, said method further comprising releasing the radially compressed second tubular graft to anchor simultaneously within the connector leg on the anchor section and the second branch artery.

41. A method as in claim 40, wherein the second tubular graft is introduced through the primary artery in an antegrade direction.

42. A method as in claim 40, wherein the second tubular graft is introduced through a branch artery in a retrograde direction.