Method and apparatus for forming an endoluminal bifurcated graft
First Claim
1. A method for endoluminally isolating a pathological defect in the vicinity of a branched passageway, comprising the steps of:
- advancing through each branch of the branched passageway a graftstent complex, each of the graftstent complexes comprising a first stent and a graft;
aligning the first stents relative to each other in a common passageway on one side of the pathological defect, the common passageway being in direct fluid communication with the branched passageway, each graft extending into a respective branch of the branched passageways across the pathological defect; and
deploying each of the aligned first stents in the common passageway, whereby fluid flows in the passageway through each of the graftstent complexes thereby isolating the pathological defect.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of endoluminally bypassing blood flow through an aneurysm in the vicinity of a branched blood vessel is provided. The method comprises the steps of advancing a graftstent complex through each branch of the branched blood vessel, aligning the cephalic stents of each of the graftstent complexes relative to each other in a common vessel above the aneurysm, and deploying each of the aligned cephalic stents in the common vessel.
The invention also provides an expanded vascular stent having a non-circular cross-section and an apparatus for expanding the stent in this manner. Preferably, the expanded stent is generally "D" shaped for collateral deployment within a common body lumen. A curved edge of the stent engages a body lumen while an alignment edge engages a collaterally deployed stent. A segment of graft material having at least one end cut on a bias may be attached to the stent so that the graft material extends substantially between the proximal and distal ends of the stent along its alignment edge, yet only partially along its curved edge to assist in forming a hemostatic seal. The apparatus may also be used for collaterally deploying stents within the common body lumen.
The invention further provides an apparatus for rotationally aligning the stent alignment edges by providing an indication of the relative rotational alignment of the indwelling stents on a portion of the apparatus which remains external to the patient.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. A method for endoluminally isolating a pathological defect in the vicinity of a branched passageway, comprising the steps of:
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advancing through each branch of the branched passageway a graftstent complex, each of the graftstent complexes comprising a first stent and a graft; aligning the first stents relative to each other in a common passageway on one side of the pathological defect, the common passageway being in direct fluid communication with the branched passageway, each graft extending into a respective branch of the branched passageways across the pathological defect; and deploying each of the aligned first stents in the common passageway, whereby fluid flows in the passageway through each of the graftstent complexes thereby isolating the pathological defect. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for endoluminally excluding an aortic aneurysm in a patient'"'"'s vascular system, comprising the steps of:
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advancing through each branch of a patient'"'"'s femoral and iliac arterial system a graftstent complex, each of the graftstent complexes comprising a first stent and a graft; aligning the first stents relative to each other in a common region of normal aortic tissue on one side of the aneurysm; and deploying each of the aligned first stents in the common region, whereby blood in a patient'"'"'s vascular system flows through each of the graftstent complexes and thereby excludes the aneurysm. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An apparatus for rotationally aligning a pair of indwelling stents to be collaterally deployed, comprising:
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means for rotatably supporting each of a pair of deployment catheters, each of the deployment catheters having a shaft which includes a proximal portion and an other portion, each of the pairs of indwelling stents being supported on the other portion of a respective one of the shafts; and indicating means on the proximal portion of each of the shafts for indicating the relative rotational orientation of the pair of indwelling stents, so that rotation of the proximal portion of the shafts, which extends external to a patient, provides a corresponding rotation of the other portion of the shafts, whereby the relative rotational orientation of the supported pair of indwelling stents is indicated by the proximal indicating means. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. An apparatus at a predetermined location on a catheter that radially expands a stent to a non-circular configuration, comprising:
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a member being movably mounted with respect to the catheter; a deployment wire having a distal end connected to the member for axially moving the member with respect to the catheter; a plurality of first arms of a first length; a plurality of second arms of a second length, the first length being greater than the second length; a plurality of links; a plurality of wings partially surrounding the member to form a support surface for the stent, at least two of the wings being pivotally connected to the member by the links; and a rigid portion axially mounted on the catheter, each of the wings being pivotally connected to the rigid portion by one of the first and second arms so that the wings connected to the first arms displace radially outwardly more than the wings connected to the second arms when the member is moved axially by the deployment wire in a first direction. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. In combination with an expandable prosthesis, an apparatus for deploying the expandable prosthesis with a non-circular cross-section at a site within a body lumen, comprising:
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a support for supporting the expandable prosthesis while being delivered to the site within the body lumen; and a radially displaceable mechanical linkage connected to the support for radially displacing the support, the linkage including means for expanding the expandable prosthesis to a non-circular cross-section when the linkage is displaced radially outward, the means being adapted to deploy the expandable prosthesis when displaced radially outward, the linkage permitting continuous fluid flow within the body lumen while the expandable prosthesis is being deployed.
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31. An apparatus at a predetermined location on a catheter for collaterally deploying a pair of stents within a common body lumen, which comprises for each stent to be deployed a deployment head comprising:
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a member being movably mounted with respect to the catheter; a deployment wire having a distal end connected to the member for axially moving the member with respect to the catheter; a plurality of first arms of a first length; a plurality of second arms of a second length, the first length being greater than the second length; a plurality of links; a plurality of wings partially surrounding the member to form a support surface for the stent, at least two of the wings being pivotally connected to the member by the links; and a rigid portion axially mounted on the catheter, each of the wings being pivotally connected to the rigid portion by one of the first and second arms so that the wings connected to the first arms to displace radially outwardly more than the wings connected to the second arms when the member is moved axially by the deployment wire in a first direction.
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32. A method for endoluminally isolating a pathological defect in the vicinity of branched passageways, comprising the steps of:
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advancing first and second graftstent complexes from a common passageway into separate branches of the branched passageways, the common passageway being in direct fluid communication with the branched passageways, each of the graftstent complexes comprising a first stent, a graft, and a second stent; deploying the first stents of each of the first and second graftstent complexes in separate branches of the branched passageways on one side of the pathological defect; aligning the second stents relative to each other in the common passageway on another side of the pathological defect, deploying the aligned second stents in the common passageway, whereby fluid flows in the passageway through each of the graftstent complexes thereby isolating the pathological defect. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification