Intraluminal stent graft

• US 8,197,532 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2010
• Issued: 06/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates (W.L. Gore & Associates)
• Original Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates (W.L. Gore & Associates)
• Inventors: Lewis, James D., Myers, David J., House, Wayne D.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRUONG, KEVIN THAO
• Application Number:
  US12/781,400
• Publication Number:
  US 20100212809A1
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: 606191-198, 623/1.11, 623/1.13, 623/1.15, 623/1.23, 623/1.25, 623/1.36, 623/1.46
• US Class Current: 623/1.13
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/82 Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents stent-grafts for tubular structures of the body other than blood vessels A61F2/04; stent-grafts for blood vessels A61F2/07; instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts A61F2/95; for closing wounds, or holding wounds closed A61B17/04 - A61B17/115; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/90 characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/072 Encapsulated stents, e.g. wire or whole stent embedded in lining
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/075 the stent being loosely attached to the graft material, e.g. by stitching
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0014 using shape memory or superelastic materials, e.g. nitinol
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2240/001 Designing or manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/10 Macromolecular materials
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 27/18 Homopolymers or copolymers or tetrafluoroethene
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1005 by inward collapsing of portion of hollow body
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1033 Flexible sheet to cylinder lamina
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4998 Combined manufacture including applying or shaping of fluent material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49982 Coating

Abstract

A method of making a tubular intraluminal graft in the form of a tubular diametrically adjustable stent having a tubular covering of porous expanded polytetrafluoroethylene which is less than 0.10 mm thick. The covering may be on the exterior surface of the stent, or on the interior surface of the stent, or both. The covering may be affixed to the stent by an adhesive which is preferably fluorinated ethylene propylene.

Claims

1. A method of making a tubular intraluminal graft comprising:

a) selecting at least one tubular, diametrically adjustable stent having an exterior surface, a luminal surface and a wall;

b) affixing a tubular covering to a surface selected from the exterior surface, the luminal surface and both the exterior and luminal surfaces of the tubular, diametrically adjustable stent, said covering being less than 0.10 mm thick and said tubular covering having an exterior surface, a luminal surface and a seam extending from the exterior surface through to the luminal surface of the tubular covering.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the tubular diametrically adjustable stent is a self-expanding stent.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the tubular diametrically adjustable stent is a Nitinol stent.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the tubular covering is of porous expanded PTFE.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the step of affixing the tubular covering comprises adhesively affixing the tubular covering of porous expanded polytetrafluoroethylene to the tubular diametrically adjustable stent.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the step of adhesively affixing the tubular covering is to the luminal surface of the tubular diametrically adjustable stent.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of affixing the tubular covering is to the exterior surface of the tubular diametrically adjustable stent.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the step of affixing the tubular covering comprises suturing the tubular diametrically adjustable stent to the tubular covering.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the step of suturing comprises suturing the tubular diametrically adjustable stent to a longitudinal end of the tubular covering.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of affixing the tubular covering is to the luminal surface of the tubular diametrically adjustable stent.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the step of affixing the tubular covering comprises suturing the tubular diametrically adjustable stent to the tubular covering.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the step of suturing comprises suturing the tubular diametrically adjustable stent to a longitudinal end of the tubular covering.

13. A method according to claim 1, further comprising collapsing the tubular, diametrically adjustable stent from an enlarged diameter to a collapsed diameter.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein said enlarged diameter is at least 1.5 times the collapsed diameter.