Stented Vascular Graft

• US 20090076587A1
• Filed: 09/13/2007
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates (W.L. Gore & Associates)
• Original Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates (W.L. Gore & Associates)
• Inventors: Stringer, Timothy T., Kanjickal, Deenu, Kilgrow, Bret J., Cully, Edward H., Kovach, Larry J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,906,081 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.130
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/06 Blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/064 with special features to facilitate anastomotic coupling anastomosis of natural blood vessels A61B17/11
• 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 2/852 Two or more distinct overlapping stents
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/86 Stents in a form characterised by the wire-like elements; Stents in the form characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
• 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 2/9522 Means for mounting a stent or stent-graft onto or into a placement instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/9525 using a funnel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/97 the outer sleeve being splittable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/065 Y-shaped blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/828 Means for connecting a plurality of stents allowing flexibility of the whole structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9511 the retaining means being filaments or wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0014 using shape memory or superelastic materials, e.g. nitinol
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0069 cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2240/001 Designing or manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0067 Means for introducing or releasing pharmaceutical products into the body
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49885 with coating before or during assembling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49901 Sequentially associating parts on stationary aligning means

Abstract

A vascular graft incorporating a stent into a portion of its length. While various materials may be used for the vascular graft, the graft is preferably an ePTFE graft. The stent is preferably a self-expanding stent, although it may alternatively be a balloon expandable stent. The vascular graft preferably has a continuous inner tubular liner that extends between the opposing ends of the graft and provides a continuous luminal surface for blood contact that is uninterrupted by seams or joints. The length portion of the graft that does not include the stent has a greater wall thickness than does the portion including the stent.

Claims

1. An implantable prosthesis having a length extending between opposing ends, comprising:

a first tubular element extending for the length of the prosthesis; and

a first stent coaxially affixed around a first length portion of the first tubular element; and

a second tubular element coaxially affixed around a second length portion of the first tubular element but not covering the first stent.

2. An implantable prosthesis according to claim 1 wherein one end of said second tubular element is located adjacent to one end of said first stent.

3. An implantable prosthesis according to claim 1 wherein said first tubular element provides an uninterrupted luminal surface extending for the length of the implantable endoprosthesis.

4. An implantable prosthesis according to claim 1 wherein said first stent is a self-expanding stent.

5. An implantable prosthesis according to claim 1 wherein said first stent is a balloon expandable stent.

6. An implantable prosthesis according to claim 1 wherein said prosthesis is provided with a therapeutic agent.

7. An implantable prosthesis according to claim 6 wherein said therapeutic agent comprises heparin.

8. An implantable prosthesis according to claim 6 wherein said therapeutic agent is provided over at least a portion of an inner surface of said prosthesis.

9. An implantable prosthesis according to claim 6 wherein said therapeutic agent is provided over at least a portion of an outer surface of said prosthesis.

10. An implantable prosthesis according to claim 9 wherein a therapeutic agent is provided over at least a portion of an inner surface of said prosthesis.

11. An implantable prosthesis according to claim 10 wherein the therapeutic agent that is provided over at least a portion of an inner surface of said prosthesis is different from the therapeutic agent that is provided over at least a portion of the outer surface.

12. An implantable prosthesis according to claim 1 wherein a second stent is affixed to a portion of said first tubular element.

13. An implantable prosthesis according to claim 1 wherein said first tubular element is branched and has at least three ends.

14. An implantable prosthesis according to claim 1 wherein said stent has a compacted state prior to deployment and a deployed state, and wherein said first tubular element is tapered, having inside diameters at each of the opposing ends that differ by at least 20% when said stent is in the deployed state without external diametrical constraint.

15. An implantable prosthesis according to claim 1 wherein said stent has a compacted state prior to deployment and a deployed state, and wherein said stent is provided with a constraining sheath in the compacted state.

16. An implantable prosthesis according to claim 15 wherein a portion of said constraining sheath is everted back over itself.

17. An implantable prosthesis according to claim 15 wherein at least a portion of said constraining sheath is corrugated.

18. An implantable prosthesis according to claim 15 wherein at least a portion of said constraining sheath is provided with a polymeric coating.

19. An implantable prosthesis according to claim 1 wherein said prosthesis is provided with a layer of elastomeric material between the first and second tubular elements.

20. An implantable prosthesis according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said opposing ends is a flared end.

21. An implantable prosthesis comprising a tubular element having a length extending between opposing ends of the prosthesis, said length including at least first and second length portions each having a wall thickness and having a stent affixed to said first length portion of the tubular element, wherein said second length portion does not include a stent and wherein the wall thickness of said second length portion is at least about 20% greater than the wall thickness of said first length portion.

22. An implantable prosthesis according to claim 21 wherein the tubular element extends continuously between the opposing ends of the prosthesis.

23. An implantable prosthesis according to claim 21 wherein the wall thickness of said second length portion is at least about 100% greater than the wall thickness of said first length portion.

24. An implantable prosthesis according to claim 21 wherein said stent is a self-expanding stent.

25. An implantable prosthesis according to claim 21 wherein said prosthesis is provided with a therapeutic agent.