Endovascular stent-graft with flexible bifurcation

• US 6,802,859 B1
• Filed: 07/12/2002
• Issued: 10/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lifeport Sciences LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: EndoVascular Technologies Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Dallara, Mark, Pazienza, John, Gladdish, Bennie
• Primary Examiner(s): McDermott, Corrine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Phan, Hieu
• Application Number:
  US10/194,944
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1-2-, 623/1.35
• US Class Current: 623/1.35
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• 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 2/91 made from perforated sheet material or tubes, e.g. perforated by laser cuts or etched holes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/065 Y-shaped blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/075 the stent being loosely attached to the graft material, e.g. by stitching
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/825 having longitudinal struts

Abstract

A modular bifurcated stent-graft implant having a trunk portion with graft material supported by a flexible stent lattice, the stent lattice extending from the proximal end of the trunk portion into each leg. The bifurcation of the trunk portion, which is supported by the stent lattice and graft material, is flexible such that the legs can move independently of each other both in and out of the plane of the midsection. The proximal end of the trunk portion is fully supported with one or more sealing stents. The legs and distal end of the stent-graft may be partially or fully supported

Claims

1. A bifurcated endoluminal prosthesis for repairing vasculature including a main vessel and two branch vessels, comprising:

a trunk portion having a proximal end, a midsection, two leg sections with distal ends, and a bifurcation area; and

a self-expanding flexible stent structure extending from the proximal end into at least one of the leg sections and including longitudinal struts that provide longitudinal support from the proximal end of the trunk section to the distal end of the leg sections and stent cells attached to the longitudinal struts that provide at least partial axial and circumferential support for the midsection, leg sections and bifurcation area;

wherein the leg sections may bend independently from each other in directions transverse to the midsection and wherein each of the leg sections provides a docking area into which a limb portion may be inserted further comprises support stent cells at the distal end.

2. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the trunk portion further comprises sealing stent cells at the proximal end.

3. The prosthesis of claim 2, wherein the sealing stent cells comprise full cells extending circumferentially 360°

around the proximal end.

4. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the support stent cells comprise full cells.

5. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the support stent cells comprise half cells.

6. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the support stent cells comprise quarter cells.

7. The graft of claim 1, wherein the support stent cells extend less than 360°

around the circumference of the distal end.

8. The graft of claim 1, wherein the support stent cells comprise full cells extending 360°

around the circumference of the distal end.

9. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the bifurcation area further comprises support stent cells.

10. The prosthesis of claim 9, wherein the support stent cells comprise full cells.

11. The prosthesis of claim 9, wherein the support stent cells comprise half cells.

12. The graft of claim 11, wherein the support stent cells comprise full cells extending 360°

around the circumference of the leg section.

13. The prosthesis of claim 9, wherein the support stent cells comprise quarter cells.

14. The graft of claim 9, wherein the support stent cells extend less than 360°

around the circumference of the bifurcation area.

15. The graft of claim 9, wherein the support stent cells comprise full cells extending 360°

around the circumference of the bifurcation area.

16. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein each leg section further comprises support stent cells between the bifurcation area and the distal end.

17. The prosthesis of claim 16, wherein the support stent cells comprise full cells.

18. The prosthesis of claim 16, wherein the support stent cells comprise half cells.

19. The prosthesis of claim 16, wherein the support stent cells comprise quarter cells.

20. The graft of claim 16, wherein the support stent cells extend axially less than 360°

around the circumference of the leg section.

21. The graft of claim 1, wherein the stent structure comprises two or more longitudinal stent struts, at least one longitudinal stent strut extending into each leg section.