Method and apparatus for laparoscopically reinforcing vascular stent-grafts

• US 5,741,274 A
• Filed: 12/22/1995
• Issued: 04/21/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Ave Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Cardiovascular Concepts, Inc.
• Inventors: Lenker, Jay A., Fogarty, Thomas J., Zarins, Christopher K., Kinney, Edward V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiss, John G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Black, John M.
• Application Number:
  US08/577,729
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 606/139, 606/142, 606/74
• US Class Current: 606/142
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00234 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0644 penetrating the tissue, deformable to closed position
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/115 Staplers for performing anastomosis in a single operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12022 Occluding by internal devices, e.g. balloons or releasable wires plugging an opening in the wall of an organ A61B17/0057; occluders for the cervical canal A61F6/146; vas deferens occluders A61F6/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12118 for positioning in conjunction with a stent
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0649 Coils or spirals
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/82 Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents stent-grafts for tubular structures of the body other than blood vessels A61F2/04; stent-grafts for blood vessels A61F2/07; instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts A61F2/95; for closing wounds, or holding wounds closed A61B17/04 - A61B17/115; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/848 having means for fixation to the vessel wall, e.g. barbs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/065 Y-shaped blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0016 with sharp anchoring protrusions, e.g. barbs, pins, spikes

Abstract

A method and apparatus for laparoscopically reinforcing blood vessels and vascular endoluminal prosthesis includes providing at least one reinforcing member. The endoluminal prosthesis having a sufficient hoop strength to inhibit collapse of the blood vessel. The reinforcing member constricts around the blood vessel to hold the endoluminal prosthesis with respect to the blood vessel and to inhibit aneurysmal growth.

Claims

1. A tool used in conjunction with a reinforcing member for laparoscopically reinforcing a vascular endoluminal prosthesis, comprising:

a catheter insertable through a trocar, for laparoscopically inserting a reinforcing member to adjacent an aneurismic blood vessel, the catheter having a proximal end and a distal end;

a guide attached to the distal end for guiding the reinforcing member about a blood vessel, the guide has an arcuate arm which extends from the distal end of the catheter and holds the reinforcing member, the reinforcing member has a first end which defines a loop, and a second end, the guide holds the reinforcing member, the moveable means includes a hook which extends through the loop to pull the second end of the reinforcing member through the loop to lock the reinforcing member;

an actuator attached to the proximal end of the catheter; and

a moveable means attached to the actuator, the moveable means being movably mounted on the distal end of the catheter to lock the reinforcing member about the endoluminal prosthesis in response to the actuator,

whereby, when the catheter laparoscopically inserts a reinforcing member through the trocar into a body to adjacent an aneurismic blood vessel, the actuator locks the reinforcing member to reinforce the endoluminal prosthesis.

2. A tool used in conjunction with a reinforcing member for laparoscopically reinforcing a vascular endoluminal prosthesis, comprising:

a catheter insertable through a trocar, for laparoscopically inserting a reinforcing member to adjacent an aneurismic blood vessel, the catheter having a proximal end and a distal end;

a guide attached to the distal end for guiding the reinforcing member about a blood vessel;

an actuator attached to the proximal end of the catheter; and

a moveable means attached to the actuator, the moveable means being movably mounted on the distal end of the catheter to lock the reinforcing member about the endoluminal prosthesis in response to the actuator,

the moveable means includes a hook, the arcuate arm of the guide directs the second end of the reinforcing member through the loop when the hook pulls the second end,

whereby, when the catheter laparoscopically inserts a reinforcing member through the trocar into a body to adjacent an aneurismic blood vessel, the actuator locks the reinforcing member to reinforce the endoluminal prosthesis.