Stent graft fixation system and method

• US 7,806,917 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2007
• Issued: 10/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Vascular, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Vascular, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Xiao, Jia Hua
• Primary Examiner(s): TRUONG, KEVIN THAO
• Application Number:
  US11/736,465
• Publication Number:
  US 20080262596A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,267 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 623/1.13
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0682 for applying U-shaped staples or clamps, e.g. without a forming anvil
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12118 for positioning in conjunction with a stent
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0649 Coils or spirals
• 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 2002/8483 Barbs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped

Abstract

A stent graft fixation system and method including a stent graft for fastening to a fixation point in a body lumen, the stent graft including a stent; a graft material supported by the stent and having a fixation region; and a guide suture joined to the graft material in the fixation region. The guide suture has a length selected to extend from the fixation point to outside of the body lumen.

Claims

1. A stent graft for fastening to a fixation point in a body lumen, the stent graft comprising:

a stent;

a graft material supported by the stent and having a fixation region; and

a guide suture joined to the graft material in the fixation region, the guide suture having a length selected to extend from the fixation point to outside of the body lumen, the guide suture being joined to the graft material before the stent graft is deployed in the body lumen.

2. The stent graft of claim 1 wherein the stent is a thin spring interwoven with the graft material.

3. The stent graft of claim 1 wherein the stent is integral to the graft material.

4. The stent graft of claim 1 wherein the graft material forms a graft lumen and the guide suture is a double-ended guide suture joined to the graft material along a continuous path from the graft lumen through the graft material and back through the graft material into the graft lumen.

5. The stent graft of claim 1 wherein the graft material forms a graft lumen and the guide suture is a double-ended guide suture joined to the graft material along a continuous path from the graft lumen through the graft material and outside the stent graft.

6. The stent graft of claim 1 wherein one end of the guide suture is anchored to the graft material in the fixation region.

7. The stent graft of claim 6 wherein the one end is glued to the graft material.

8. The stent graft of claim 6 wherein the one end is tied to the graft material.

9. The stent graft of claim 1 further comprising a second guide suture joined to the graft material in the fixation region.

10. The stent graft of claim 1 wherein the graft material has a second fixation region and further comprising a second guide suture joined to the graft material in the second fixation region.

11. A stent graft fixation system comprising:

a stent graft having graft material;

a guide suture joined to the graft material, the guide suture being joined to the graft material before the stent graft is deployed in a body lumen; and

a fixation tool having a fixation tool head, the fixation tool head defining a guide aperture operable to receive the guide suture.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the stent graft further comprises a thin spring interwoven with the graft material.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the graft material forms a graft lumen and the guide suture is a double-ended guide suture joined to the graft material along a continuous path from the graft lumen through the graft material and back through the graft material into the graft lumen.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the graft material forms a graft lumen and the guide suture is a double-ended guide suture joined to the graft material along a continuous path from the graft lumen through the graft material and outside the stent graft.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein one end of the guide suture is anchored to the graft material.

16. The system of claim 11 further comprising a second guide suture joined to the graft material.

17. The system of claim 11 further comprising a cutter slidable across the guide aperture.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the cutter is selected from the group consisting of a single blade cutter and double blade cutter.

19. The system of claim 11 further comprising a catheter operable to receive the stent graft in a compressed state.

20. The system of claim 11 further comprising a fastener deployable from the fixation tool head.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the fastener is selected from the group consisting of a helical fastener, coil fastener, planar staple, and ring staple.

22. A method of fixing a stent graft to a body lumen wall, the method comprising:

providing a stent graft having graft material and a guide suture joined to the graft material;

providing a fixation tool having a fixation tool head, the fixation tool head defining a guide aperture operable to receive the guide suture;

deploying the stent graft in a body lumen;

threading the guide suture through the guide aperture;

guiding the fixation tool head along the guide suture to a fixation point; and

fastening the graft material to the body lumen wall at the fixation point.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the fastening further comprises urging the graft material toward the fixation point of the body lumen wall with the fixation tool head.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the fastening further comprises verifying rotational orientation of the fixation tool head fluoroscopically.

25. The method of claim 22 further comprising pulling the graft suture from the graft material.

26. The method of claim 22 further comprising cutting the graft suture with the fixation tool head.

27. The method of claim 22 wherein:

the stent graft further comprises a second guide suture joined to the graft material;

the threading further comprises threading the second guide suture through the guide aperture with the guide suture; and

the method further comprises;

guiding the fixation tool head along the second guide suture to a second fixation point; and

fastening the graft material to the body lumen wall at the second fixation point.

28. A stent graft fixation system for stent graft fixation to a fixation point in a body lumen wall, the system comprising:

a stent graft having graft material and a guide suture joined to the graft material, the guide suture being joined to the graft material before the stent graft is deployed in a body lumen;

means for fastening the graft material to the body lumen wall;

means for delivering the fastening means along the guide suture to the fixation point; and

means for deploying the fastening means at the fixation point.