Stent/graft assembly

• US 20070118208A1
• Filed: 01/19/2007
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Andrew Kerr
• Original Assignee: Andrew Kerr
• Inventors: Kerr, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US11/655,315
• Publication Number:
  US 20070118208A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.130
• 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 2/88 the wire-like elements formed as helical or spiral coils forming a net-like or mesh-like structure A61F2/90
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/90 characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/061 provided with means for allowing access to secondary lumens
• 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 2002/077 having means to fill the space between stent-graft and aneurysm wall, e.g. a sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/828 Means for connecting a plurality of stents allowing flexibility of the whole structure

Abstract

A stent/graft assembly includes a tubular graft having an upstream end, a downstream end and a tubular passage between the ends. The assembly also includes a tubular stent having an upstream end, a downstream end and a tubular passage. The upstream end of the tubular graft is affixed in substantially end-to-end relationship with the downstream end of the tubular stent. The affixation may employ sutures, bonding, hooks or the like. The end-to-end connection may also require a slight overlapping to ensure an adequate affixation. The end-to-end disposition of the tubular graft and tubular stent reduces the cross-sectional profile of the stent/graft assembly. One or more wires may extend from the tubular stent through the tubular graft for anchoring near the downstream end of the tubular graft. The wire prevents axial collapsing of the tubular graft and provide radial support for the tubular graft.

Claims

1. An endovascular stent/graft assembly for repairing a damaged section of a blood vessel, said blood vessel having a first relatively healthy section upstream of and adjacent to the damaged section of the blood vessel and second and third relatively healthy sections branched from one another and downstream of the damaged section of the blood vessel, said assembly comprising:

a stent means for directly contacting said first relatively healthy section of said blood vessel, said stent means being substantially tubular and having opposite upstream and downstream ends; and

a substantially tubular graft means having an upstream end section for directly contacting the first relatively healthy section of the blood vessel, the upstream end of the substantially tubular graft being fixedly connected with the downstream end of the stent means for achieving a substantially end-to-end connection, said graft means further having a downstream end section having at least two branches disposed for contacting the second and third relatively healthy sections of said blood vessel downstream of the damaged section of the blood vessel, such that portions of said graft means between said upstream and said downstream ends bridge said damaged section of said blood vessel.

2. The endovascular stent/graft assembly of claim 1, wherein the substantially end-to-end connection of said tubular graft means and said stent means is an end-to-end connection with no overlap.

3. The endovascular stent/graft assembly of claim 1, wherein said substantially end-to-end connection of said substantially tubular graft means and said stent means defines a small axial space therebetween.

4. The endovascular stent/graft assembly of claim 3, further comprising wires extending between the substantially tubular graft means and the stent means for maintaining a fixed spaced relationship therebetween.

5. An endovascular stent/graft assembly for repairing a damaged section of a first blood vessel, said first blood vessel having upstream and downstream relatively healthy sections adjacent and on opposite upstream and downstream ends of said damaged section, at least one branched blood vessel communicating with the first blood vessel, said assembly comprising:

a stent means for directly contacting said upstream relatively healthy section of said first blood vessel, said stent means being substantially tubular and having opposite upstream and downstream ends; and

a substantially tubular graft means having an upstream end for contacting said upstream relatively healthy section of said first blood vessel, said upstream end of said tubular graft means being fixedly connected with said down stream end of said stent means for achieving a substantially end-to-end connection, said graft means further having a downstream end section for directly contacting said downstream relatively healthy section of said first blood vessel, such that portions of said graft means between said upstream and downstream ends thereof bridge said damaged section of said first blood vessel, said graft means further comprising at least a first branch communicating with portions of said tubular graft means between said upstream and downstream ends thereof and communicating with said branched blood vessel.

6. The endovascular stent/graft assembly of claim 5, wherein the substantially end-to-end connection of said tubular graft means and said stent means is an end-to-end connection with no overlap.

7. The endovascular stent/graft assembly of claim 5, wherein said substantially end-to-end connection of said substantially tubular graft means and said stent means defines a small axial space therebetween.