Modular endoluminal stent-grafts and methods for their use
First Claim
1. A modular endoluminal stent-graft system for bridging a lesion in a blood vessel, said blood vessel having a large diameter on a proximal side of the lesion, a small diameter on the distal side of the lesion, and an intermediate region between said proximal side and said distal side, said intermediate region having a diameter larger than said large diameter, said system comprising a first stent-graft and a second stent-graft, both stent-grafts having a contracted state for insertion into the vessel and an expanded state upon deployment in the vessel;
- wherein;
a) the first stent-graft has a flared proximal end, a flared distal end, and a midsection, said flared proximal end having an expanded diameter at its tip adapted to be equal to or slightly larger than the large diameter of the blood vessel; and
b) the second stent-graft has a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end having an expanded diameter equal to or slightly larger than said expanded diameter of said midsection of said first stent graft, and said distal end having an expanded diameter which is adapted to be equal to or slightly larger than the small diameter of the blood vessel;
and wherein;
said flared distal end of said first stent-graft is adapted to directly engage the wall of the blood vessel in said intermediate region; and
said distal end of said second stent graft is adapted to engage the small diameter of the blood vessel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Modular endoluminal stent-grafts include at least two different sized stent-grafts which are deployed one within the other. According to one embodiment of the invention, a first stent-graft is provided having a flared end which is expandable to a first diameter and a midsection which is expandable to a second diameter smaller than the first diameter. A second stent-graft is also provided having an end which is expandable to a diameter which engages the midsection of the first stent-graft. The first embodiment of the invention is deployed by expanding the first stent-graft such that its flared end engages a large diameter vessel, then expanding the second stent-graft inside the midsection of the first stent graft and inside a small diameter vessel such that the second stent graft engages the small diameter vessel and the midsection of the first stent-graft. According to a second embodiment of the invention, the midsection of the first stent-graft is reinforced with a flexible member to restrict the midsection from ballooning. According to other aspects of the invention, the first stent-graft is provided with two flared ends and the second stent graft is provided with or without flared ends. According to still another embodiment of the invention, three or more stent-grafts of different expanded diameter are deployed one within the other.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A modular endoluminal stent-graft system for bridging a lesion in a blood vessel, said blood vessel having a large diameter on a proximal side of the lesion, a small diameter on the distal side of the lesion, and an intermediate region between said proximal side and said distal side, said intermediate region having a diameter larger than said large diameter, said system comprising a first stent-graft and a second stent-graft, both stent-grafts having a contracted state for insertion into the vessel and an expanded state upon deployment in the vessel;
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wherein;
a) the first stent-graft has a flared proximal end, a flared distal end, and a midsection, said flared proximal end having an expanded diameter at its tip adapted to be equal to or slightly larger than the large diameter of the blood vessel; and
b) the second stent-graft has a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end having an expanded diameter equal to or slightly larger than said expanded diameter of said midsection of said first stent graft, and said distal end having an expanded diameter which is adapted to be equal to or slightly larger than the small diameter of the blood vessel;
and wherein;
said flared distal end of said first stent-graft is adapted to directly engage the wall of the blood vessel in said intermediate region; and
said distal end of said second stent graft is adapted to engage the small diameter of the blood vessel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
said proximal end of said second stent-graft is flared.
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5. A system according to claim 1, wherein:
said distal end of said second stent-graft is flared.
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6. A system according to claim 1, wherein:
at least said midsection of said first stent-graft is reinforced with a flexible material.
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7. A system according to claim 6, wherein:
said flexible material is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terphthalate, nylon, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyolefin, polyamide, polycarbonate, polycarbonate urethane, and metallic wire.
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8. A system according to claim 6, wherein:
said flexible material is selected from the group consisting of sutures, knits, weaves, braids, wires, and stents.
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9. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:
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c) a third stent-graft having a first end, a second, end, and a midsection, said first end of said third stent-graft having an expanded fifth diameter, wherein said midsection of said second stent-graft has an expanded sixth diameter equal to or slightly smaller than said expanded fifth diameter of said first end of said third stent-graft, such that in a deployed orientation, said first end of said third stent-graft engages said midsection of said second stent-graft.
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10. A system according to claim 9, wherein:
said proximal end of said third stent-graft is flared.
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11. A system according to claim 1, wherein:
said proximal end of said second stent-graft is coupled to said first stent-graft by a coupling material selected from the group consisting of sutures, wires, adhesive and welds.
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12. A system according to claim 1, wherein:
said proximal end of said second stent-graft is coupled to said midsection of said first stent-graft.
Specification