Interconnected leg extensions for an endoluminal prosthesis

• US 8,257,430 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2004
• Issued: 09/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cook Medical Technologies, LLC (Cook Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cook Medical Technologies, LLC (Cook Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Mead, Jason A.
• Primary Examiner(s): HOLWERDA, KATHLEEN SONNETT
• Application Number:
  US11/014,669
• Publication Number:
  US 20050177222A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,819 Days
• Field of Search: 623 111- 154, 606/194, 606/200
• 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 2/915 with bands having a meander structure, adjacent bands being connected to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/065 Y-shaped blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/067 modular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/075 the stent being loosely attached to the graft material, e.g. by stitching
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/828 Means for connecting a plurality of stents allowing flexibility of the whole structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91525 within the whole structure different bands showing different meander characteristics, e.g. frequency or amplitude
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91533 characterised by the phase between adjacent bands
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91575 connected peak to trough
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0076 multilayered, e.g. laminated structures
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0058 soldered or brazed or welded
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0075 sutured, ligatured or stitched, retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/005 Rosette-shaped, e.g. star-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0067 conical

Abstract

An endoluminal prosthesis includes two stent grafts with a flexible bridge extending between and connected to the stent grafts. The prosthesis can be part of a prosthesis assembly for treatment of branched vascular systems and can function as an interconnected leg extension prosthesis in combination with a main bifurcated prosthesis. In treating abdominal aortic aneurysms, the prosthesis can be deployed within both iliac arteries.

Claims

1. A modular endoluminal prosthesis comprising:

a primary prosthetic module comprising a graft and at least a first proximal opening and first and second distal openings defining a bifurcation; and

a secondary prosthetic module comprising a first stent graft having a first graft and at least one stent, a second stent graft having a second graft and at least one stent, and a flexible bridge having a first end attached to the first stent graft and a second end attached to the second stent graft;

where at least a portion of the first stent graft is disposed within and extends through the first distal opening of the primary prosthetic module and at least a portion of the second stent graft is disposed within and extends through the second distal opening of the primary prosthetic module; and

where the bridge is longitudinally flexible and expands within the primary prosthetic module from a first configuration to a second configuration, where the distance along the bridge between the first and second stent grafts is greater in the second configuration than in the first configuration so that the combined length of the first stent graft, second stent graft, and bridge, is greater in the second configuration than in the first configuration, and where the bridge spans the bifurcation.

2. The prosthesis of claim 1 where the bridge comprises a zig-zag or sinusoidal shape undulating along a longitudinal path between the first and second ends.

3. The prosthesis of claim 1 where the length of the bridge between the first and second stent grafts is greater than the distance along the bridge between the first and second stent grafts.

4. The prosthesis of claim 1 where, in the second configuration, the first stent graft is disposed at an acute angle to the second stent graft.

5. The prosthesis of claim 1 where, in the second configuration, the bridge is bent into an acute angle.

6. The prosthesis of claim 1 where the flexible bridge comprises at least one wire having a first end attached to the first stent graft, a second end attached to the second stent graft, and a zigzag or sinusoidal shape undulating along a longitudinal path between the first and second ends.

7. The prosthesis of claim 1 where the first stent graft has a different length than the second stent graft.

8. The prosthesis of claim 1 where the primary prosthetic module comprises a first distal leg and a second distal leg and where the first stent graft extends the first distal leg of the primary prosthetic module and the second stent graft extends the second distal leg of the primary prosthetic module.

9. The prosthesis of claim 8 where the first leg is longer than the second leg and the second stent graft is longer than the first stent graft.