Endovascular graft for providing a seal with vasculature

• US 6,729,356 B1
• Filed: 04/27/2000
• Issued: 05/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lifeport Sciences LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: EndoVascular Technologies Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Escano, Arnold M., Trayer, Tamara L., McDermott, Elizabeth A., LeMere, Mark, Baker, Steven G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vanatta, A
• Assistant Examiner(s): MUROMOTO JR, ROBERT H
• Application Number:
  US09/559,681
• Time in Patent Office: 1,468 Days
• Field of Search: 281/42, 139/DIG.11, 139/383.R, 139/383.AA, 139/387.R, 623/1, 623/12, 623/11, 623/921, 623/1.51, 606/198, 606/195, 606/194, 606/192, 606/191, 606/108
• US Class Current: 139/387.00R
• 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 17/12136 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1219 expandable in contact with liquids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1205 Introduction devices
• 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 2002/075 the stent being loosely attached to the graft material, e.g. by stitching
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/077 having means to fill the space between stent-graft and aneurysm wall, e.g. a sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0067 conical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0003 having an inflatable pocket filled with fluid, e.g. liquid or gas
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 27/00 Woven pile fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 3/02 Tubular fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 3/08 Arched, corrugated, or like fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 623/921 Blood vessel

Abstract

A graft provided with a flexible sealing member to substantially prevent blood from leaking between the graft a lumen into which the graft is placed. In one embodiment, the flexible sealing member may be pressed against the vascular wall by an outwardly biased spring means attached to the sealing member. In other embodiments, the sealing member may be self-positioning upon deployment of the graft. The sealing member also may be formed into the shape of a toroid, which may be filled with thrombogenic material causing blood permeating into the toroid-shaped space to coagulate therein and hold the sealing member in place. It is also contemplated that the sealing member be formed from tufts of frayed yarn protruding circumferentially from the outer surface of the graft. A method of manufacturing such tufted yarn sealing members is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for constructing a graft, comprising the steps of:

weaving a tubular member from fabric having weft threads and warp threads;

omitting weft threads from a portion of the fabric to thereby create warp threads unconnected to weft threads;

pulling radially outward, into loops, the warp threads which are unconnected to weft threads; and

connecting adjacent circumferential edges of fabric containing both weft threads and warp threads.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of cutting the ends of the loops to create tufts of thread.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of fraying the tufts of thread.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of impregnating the tufts of thread with a thrombogenic substance.