Mobile external coupling for branch vessel connection

• US 8,506,622 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2009
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Vascular, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Vascular, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Bruszewski, Walter, Boyle, Kevin, Mafi, Masoumeh
• Primary Examiner(s): Sweet, Thomas J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mathew, Seema
• Application Number:
  US12/425,628
• Publication Number:
  US 20100268319A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,579 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1.12, 623/1.16, 623/1.22, 623/1.35
• US Class Current: 623/1.35
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/88 the wire-like elements formed as helical or spiral coils forming a net-like or mesh-like structure A61F2/90
• 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 2/954 for placing stents or stent-grafts in a bifurcation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/061 provided with means for allowing access to secondary lumens
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/075 the stent being loosely attached to the graft material, e.g. by stitching
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30125 elliptical or oval
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30327 differing in diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30604 modular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9665 with additional retaining means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0008 elliptical or oval
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0039 differing in diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/006 modular

Abstract

An endovascular prosthesis includes a tubular body and a flexible springy mobile external coupling. The tubular body includes a graft material and stents coupled thereto with a forms a lumen therethrough. The mobile external coupling extends outwardly from the tubular body. The mobile external coupling includes a graft material and is generally frustoconically shaped. The mobile external coupling includes a base coupled to the tubular body, a top spaced from the tubular body, and a coupling lumen disposed between the base and the top, wherein the coupling lumen is in flow communication with the body lumen. A helically shaped stent may be coupled to the coupling graft material to make it flexible and springy.

Claims

1. An endovascular prosthesis comprising:

a tubular body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a body lumen disposed between the proximal and distal ends, the tubular body including a body graft material and a plurality of stents coupled to the body graft material; and

a mobile external coupling integral with the tubular body and including an extended configuration wherein the mobile external coupling extends outwardly from a side surface of the tubular body wherein the mobile external coupling is generally frustoconically shaped and includes a base coupled to the tubular body, a top spaced from the tubular body, and a coupling lumen disposed between the base and the top, wherein the coupling lumen is in flow communication with the body lumen and wherein the mobile external coupling includes a coupling graft material; and

a helically shaped stent coupled to the coupling graft material, wherein the mobile external coupling and the stent include a compressed configuration wherein the mobile external coupling and the stent are collapsed against an outside surface of the tubular body such that the mobile external coupling is disposed outside of the body lumen in the compressed configuration, and wherein the stent is configured to provide an outward force away from the tubular body such that the mobile external coupling pops out from the tubular body when released from a restraining force.

2. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the coupling graft material is an extension of the body graft material.

3. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the coupling graft is attached to the body graft material with sutures.

4. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the base is generally elliptical in shape and the top is generally circular in shape.

5. The prosthesis of claim 4, wherein the base includes a major axis that is in the range of 20-30 mm and a minor axis that is in the range of 15-20 mm.

6. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the top includes a diameter in the range of 6-9 mm.

7. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the helically shaped stent is formed from a shape memory material.

8. The prosthesis of claim 7, wherein the shape memory material is a nickel-titanium alloy.

15. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the mobile external coupling has a height of 10 to 15 millimeters.

9. A main prosthesis and a branch prosthesis assembly comprising:

a main prosthesis configured for placement in a main vessel, the main prosthesis including a tubular body and a mobile external coupling, the tubular body having a proximal end, a distal end, a body lumen disposed between the proximal and distal ends, and a body graft material, the mobile external coupling extending outwardly from a side surface of the tubular body and integral with the tubular body, and the mobile external coupling including a generally frustoconically shaped coupling graft material with a helically shaped stent coupled to the coupling graft material and including a coupling lumen in flow communication with the body lumen, wherein the stent is configured to provide an outward force away from the tubular body such that the mobile external coupling pops out from the tubular body when released from a restraining force maintaining the tubular body and mobile external coupling in a radially compressed configuration with the mobile external coupling collapsed against an outside surface of the tubular body such that the mobile external coupling is disposed outside of the body lumen in the compressed configuration; and

a branch prosthesis configured for placement in a branch vessel that extends from the main vessel, the branch prosthesis including an outer surface in contact with an inner surface of the mobile external coupling;

wherein the mobile external coupling includes a base attached to the tubular body and a top spaced from the tubular body, and wherein a distal portion of the mobile external coupling overlaps with a proximal portion of the branch prosthesis.

10. The assembly of claim 9, wherein the base is generally elliptical in shape and the top is generally circular in shape.

11. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the base includes a major axis that is in the range of 20-30 mm and a minor axis that is in the range of 15-20 mm.

12. The assembly of claim 9, wherein the top includes a diameter in the range of 6-9 mm.

13. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the helically shaped stent is formed from a shape memory material.

14. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the shape memory material is a nickel-titanium alloy.

16. The prosthesis of claim 9, wherein the mobile external coupling has a height of 10 to 15 millimeters.

17. A method for excluding an aneurysm at a target location near a junction of a main vessel and a branch vessel, comprising the steps of:

delivering a main prosthesis in a compressed configuration to the target location in the main vessel, wherein the main prosthesis includes a tubular body and a mobile external coupling integral with the tubular body, the tubular body having a proximal end, a distal end, a body lumen disposed between the proximal and distal ends, and a body graft material, wherein in the compressed configuration, the mobile external coupling is collapsed against an outside surface of the tubular body such that the mobile external coupling is disposed outside of the body lumen in the compressed configuration;

retracting a sleeve to expose the mobile external coupling such that the mobile external coupling extends outwardly from the tubular body;

aligning the mobile external coupling with the branch vessel; and

deploying the tubular body such that the tubular body expands from the compressed configuration to an expanded configuration,

wherein the tubular body is disposed in the main vessel and the mobile external coupling extends into the branch vessel, and wherein the mobile external coupling includes a generally frustoconically shaped coupling graft material, a helically shaped stent coupled to the coupling graft material such that the helically shaped stent provides an outward force to extend the mobile external coupling outwardly away from the tubular body, and a coupling lumen in flow communication with the body lumen.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

delivering a branch vessel prosthesis in a compressed configuration to the branch vessel; and

deploying the branch vessel prosthesis such that the branch vessel prosthesis radially expands to an expanded configuration and an outside surface of a portion of the branch vessel prosthesis is in contact with an inner surface of a portion of the mobile external coupling.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the mobile external coupling includes a base attached to the tubular body and a top spaced from the tubular body.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the base is generally elliptical in shape and the top is generally circular in shape.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the base includes a major axis that is in the range of 20-30 mm and a minor axis that is in the range of 15-20 mm.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the top includes a diameter in the range of 8-12 mm.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the helically shaped stent is formed from a shape memory material.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the shape memory material is a nickel-titanium alloy.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein main vessel is the aortic arch.