Asymmetric stent apparatus and method

• US 8,663,309 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2007
• Issued: 03/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Endologix
• Original Assignee: Trivascular Incorporated
• Inventors: Chobotov, Michael V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Isabella, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Woznicki, Jacqueline
• Application Number:
  US11/861,828
• Publication Number:
  US 20090082846A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,351 Days
• Field of Search: 623 134- 135, 623/1.14, 623/1.13
• 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 2/848 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 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 2/95 Instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts
• 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 2002/91558 connected peak to peak
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9511 the retaining means being filaments or wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0016 with sharp anchoring protrusions, e.g. barbs, pins, spikes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0013 Horseshoe-shaped, e.g. crescent-shaped, C-shaped, U-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped

Abstract

A stent-graft system comprising a graft member and a stent having a connection end interconnected with the graft member and a free end opposed thereto. The stent includes a plurality of struts extending between the connection end and the free end and at least two of the struts having different lengths such that the free end has a nonuniform profile. A method of securing at least one end of a stent-graft within a vessel is also provided.

Claims

1. A method of securing at least one end of a stent-graft within an angulated vessel of a patient, comprising:

positioning within the angulated vessel a stent-graft comprising;

a tubular graft member comprising at least one longitudinal lumen configured to confine a flow of fluid therethrough, and

a cylindrical stent including;

a connection end of the stent connected to an end of the tubular graft member,

a free end which is disposed axially opposite the connection end,

a plurality of struts extending between the connection end and the free end, and

a first pair of adjacent short struts diametrically opposed to a second pair of adjacent short struts, the short struts defining a distal most portion of the free end;

a first pair of adjacent long struts diametrically opposed to a second pair of adjacent long struts, the long struts defining a proximal most portion of the free end with the pairs of long struts being circumferentially offset approximately ninety degrees relative to the pairs of short struts;

positioning the stent-graft within the angulated vessel such that the cylindrical stent is disposed in an angulated portion of the angulated vessel; and

deploying the cylindrical stent within the angulated vessel such that the first pair of adjacent short struts is aligned with an inner radial curvature of the angulated vessel, the second pair of adjacent short struts is aligned with an outer radial curvature of the vessel, the first pair and second pair of adjacent long struts are aligned along respective sides of the angulated vessel and no long struts are aligned with the inner radial curvature or an outer radial curvature of the angulated vessel.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the angulated vessel is an abdominal aorta and positioning the stent-graft comprises positioning the stent-graft within the abdominal aorta.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein deploying the stent comprises self-expansion of the stent from a contracted state.