Method for engrafting a blood vessel

• US 6,852,116 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2002
• Issued: 02/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: World Medical Manufacturing Corp. (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: World Medical Manufacturing Corp. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Greenan, Trevor, Leonhardt, Howard J., Taheri, Syde A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Robert, Eduardo C.
• Application Number:
  US10/077,956
• Publication Number:
  US 20020077634A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,084 Days
• Field of Search: 606/1, 606/108, 606/200, 623/1.11, 623/1.23
• US Class Current: 606/108
• 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 17/12109 in a blood vessel
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12118 for positioning in conjunction with a stent
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12172 having a pre-set deployed three-dimensional shape methods of manufacturing A61B2017/00526
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12181 formed by fluidized, gelatinous or cellular remodelable materials, e.g. embolic liquids, foams or extracellular matrices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12186 liquid materials adapted to be injected
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1219 expandable in contact with liquids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12195 comprising a curable material
• 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 2/9517 handle assemblies therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/9522 Means for mounting a stent or stent-graft onto or into a placement instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/954 for placing stents or stent-grafts in a bifurcation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/958 Inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts
• 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 2002/30092 using shape memory or superelastic materials, e.g. nitinol
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30448 using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9511 the retaining means being filaments or wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0014 using shape memory or superelastic materials, e.g. nitinol
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/005 : using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0007 : for adjusting length
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/004 : characterized by lumina being arranged circumferentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09183 : having tools at the distal tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1052 : for temporarily occluding a vessel for isolating a sector
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/0266 : Shape memory materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/127 : Aorta
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/1011 : Multiple balloon catheters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/10184 : Means for controlling or monitoring inflation or deflation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 29/02 : Dilators made of swellable material balloon catheters for angioplasty A61M25/104

Abstract

A method for deploying an endoluminal prosthesis by introducing into a bifurcated vessel a sheath introducer having therein a bifurcated graft with a primary and contralateral limb. The contralateral limb being radially retained independent of the sheath introducer. The graft being positionable by an insertion catheter. When the graft is in position within the vessel, a retaining device about the contralateral limb is broken and the graft takes the shape of the vessel.

Claims

1. A method of reloading a graft into a sheath introducer, comprising:

providing a graft having a distal spring portion;

providing a sheath introducer including a spool apparatus having a hand crank, wherein the spool apparatus includes a plurality of suture loops connected to the distal spring portion;

rotating the hand crank, thereby collapsing the distal spring portion into the sheath introducer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the hand crank is rotated in a counterclockwise direction during the rotating step.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing an angiogram.

4. A method of positioning a bifurcated graft within a contralateral iliac vessel, comprising:

providing a bifurcated graft housed within a sheath introducer, wherein the graft includes a contralateral limb and a primary limb;

deploying firstly the primary limb of the graft from the sheath introducer into the aorta; and

deploying secondly the contralateral limb from the sheath introducer after the sheath introducer has been withdrawn past a graft junction of the bifurcated graft such that the contralateral limb is directed downward into the contralateral iliac vessel, wherein the contralateral limb is radially retained independent of the sheath introducer.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

positioning the contralateral limb using an insertion catheter.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

breaking a radial retaining device about the contralateral limb once the graft is in position.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

inserting a sheath introducer into the contralateral limb;

deploying an extension graft for the contralateral limb from the sheath introducer; and

mating an end of the extension graft with the contralateral limb of the bifurcated graft.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

positioning the extension graft using an insertion catheter.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

breaking a radial retaining device about the extension graft once the extension graft is mated with the contralateral limb.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the extension graft includes an adjustable length portion.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

adjusting a length of the extension graft within the contralateral iliac vessel.

12. A method of positioning a bifurcated graft within a contralateral vessel of any bifurcated artery, comprising:

providing a bifurcated graft housed within a sheath introducer, wherein the graft includes a contralateral limb and a primary limb;

deploying firstly the primary limb of the graft from the sheath introducer into the primary vessel; and

deploying secondly the contralateral limb from the sheath introducer when the sheath introducer has been withdrawn past a graft junction of the bifurcated graft such that the contralateral limb is directed distally into the contralateral vessel wherein the contralateral limb is radially retained independent of the sheath introducer.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

positioning the contralateral limb using an insertion catheter.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

breaking a radial retaining device about the contralateral limb once the graft is in position.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

inserting a sheath introducer into the contralateral limb;

deploying an extension graft for the contralateral limb from the sheath introducer; and

mating an end of the extension graft with the contralateral limb of the bifurcated graft.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

mating the extension graft to the contralateral limb using an insertion catheter.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

breaking a radial retaining device about the extension graft once the extension graft is mated with the contralateral limb.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the extension graft includes an adjustable lenth portion.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

adjusting a length of the extension graft within the contralateral vessel.