Surgical graft/stent system
First Claim
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1. A tubular graft/stent comprising:
- a tubular sheath that is a graft/stent; and
an integral branch tube having an end fixed to the tubular sheath at an opening in a side wall of the tubular sheath, wherein the branch tube is a graft/stent along its entire length, the branch tube comprising a plurality of rigid ring-like members being of progressively smaller size in the direction progressively away from the tubular sheath, and the branch tube being sufficiently flexible to be fully inverted along its entire length so as to be fully housed within the tubular sheath during an insertion operation in a human or animal body, and to be redeployed as a branch after said insertion operation.
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Abstract
A tubular graft/stent includes a tubular sheath (10) having at intervals along its length a plurality of ring-like rigid members (11), which are attached to the sheath around their respective circumferences and are made of a shape memory material, so that when the members (11) change shape the sheath (10) adopts a new cross section in conformity with them along its whole length. The members may be discontinuous to allow the adoption of a contracted shape in the martensitic phase and an expanded shape in the austenitic phase. A graft may also have a side tube (14) which can be inverted so as to be housed within the sheath.
127 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A tubular graft/stent comprising:
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a tubular sheath that is a graft/stent; and
an integral branch tube having an end fixed to the tubular sheath at an opening in a side wall of the tubular sheath, wherein the branch tube is a graft/stent along its entire length, the branch tube comprising a plurality of rigid ring-like members being of progressively smaller size in the direction progressively away from the tubular sheath, and the branch tube being sufficiently flexible to be fully inverted along its entire length so as to be fully housed within the tubular sheath during an insertion operation in a human or animal body, and to be redeployed as a branch after said insertion operation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of inserting a graft/stent having a tubular sheath which is a graft/stent and an attached integral branch tube that is also a graft/stent along its entire length, the method comprising:
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fully inverting said branch tube along its entire length to place said branch tube fully within said tubular sheath for insertion in a body;
inserting said graft/stent into said body; and
pulling said branch tube out of said tubular sheath in said body, wherein pulling said tubular branch tube re-inverts said branch tube and leaves said branch tube attached to said tubular sheath. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
engaging a cord on a distal end of said branch tube; and
pulling said cord to deploy said branch tube within said body.
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13. The method of claim 12, wherein said cord is selected from the group consisting of a draw string, short handle, tab, and strip.
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14. The method of claim 11 wherein the sheath includes at least one ring-like member along its length which is made of a shape memory material, and wherein the method further comprises the step of cooling the member.
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15. The method of claim 11 wherein the sheath includes at least one ring-like member along its length, the member having a variable shape wherein it may be at least partially coiled, wherein the method further comprises the step of uncoiling the member.
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16. The method of claim 11 wherein the sheath is defined by material which is at least partially coiled, wherein the method further comprises the step of uncoiling the sheath from a small-diameter state to a large-diameter state.
Specification