Reinforced vascular graft

• US 6,168,620 B1
• Filed: 02/16/2000
• Issued: 01/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Montefiore Hospital and Medical Center Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Montefiore Hospital and Medical Center Incorporated
• Inventors: Kerr, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jeffrey A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Robert, Eduardo C.
• Application Number:
  US09/505,237
• Time in Patent Office: 321 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1.13, 623/1.14, 623/1.27, 623/1.32, 623/1.44, 623/1.33, 623/23.7
• US Class Current: 623/1.13
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/95 Instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9511 the retaining means being filaments or wires

Abstract

An instrument is provided for supporting a tubular vascular graft during endovascular implantation and methods for use thereof. In one embodiment, the instrument is formed from two flexible guidewires bent to each define a loop and two straight portions. In a second embodiment, the instrument is formed from two flexible guidewires bent to define outwardly-biased tines, wherein, threads are sewn to portions of the vascular graft and connected to the tines. The instrument is collapsible due to the flexibility of the guidewires used to form the instrument. In an uncollapsed state, with a length of graft material being mounted to the instrument, the loops or tines may bias the graft into a semi-expanded state with a passage being defined through the graft. An unexpanded stent is introduced into the passage of the semi-expanded graft to both further expand the graft and provide reinforcement. A distensible device is also used with the preferred method of using the invention to accomplish full circumferential expansion of the graft and stent assembly and to facilitate removal of the instrument. In a further embodiment of the invention, a bent guidewire is provided which is securely connected to the graft to act as a guide thereof. Also, a series of concentrically disposed stents can be utilized with the invention.

Claims

1. A combination comprising:

a tubular graft having a longitudinal axis and a graft inner surface encircling said longitudinal axis, said graft inner surface defining an inner passage which extends through said graft;

a tubular first stent having first inner and outer surfaces, said first stent being disposed within said inner passage with said first outer surface engaging said graft inner surface; and

a second stent having second inner and outer surfaces, said second stent being disposed within said first stent with said first inner surface engaging said second outer surface, wherein said tubular graft, said first stent, and said second stent are concentrically disposed about said longitudinal axis.

2. A combination as in claim 1, wherein said first and second stents are self-expanding stents.