Stented vascular graft

• US 9,295,542 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2014
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• 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: Cully, Edward H., Kanjickal, Deenu, Kilgrow, Bret J., Kovach, Larry J., Stringer, Timothy T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shi, Katherine M
• Assistant Examiner(s): MENDOZA, MICHAEL G
• Application Number:
  US14/559,095
• Publication Number:
  US 20150082604A1
• Time in Patent Office: 482 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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. A method of making an implantable prosthesis comprising:

a) providing a first tubular vascular graft having a length, an inside diameter and two ends, said length including a first length portion located at one end of the first tubular vascular graft and a second length portion extending for the remainder of the length of the graft excluding the first length portion, wherein the second length portion has a greater length than the first length portion;

b) fitting a mandrel into the length of the first tubular vascular graft;

c) fitting a stent coaxially over the first length portion of the first tubular vascular graft;

d) fitting a second tubular vascular graft coaxially over the second length portion of the first tubular vascular graft while not coaxially covering a substantial portion of the stent with the second tubular vascular graft; and

e) removing the resulting construct from the mandrel.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising securing the stent and the second tubular vascular graft to the first tubular vascular graft following the steps of fitting those respective components coaxially over the first tubular vascular graft.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the securing is accomplished by the use of helically wrapped tape.

4. The method according to claim 2 wherein the securing is accomplished by the use of heat.

5. The method according to claim 2 wherein the securing is accomplished by the use of heat and helically wrapped tape.

6. The method according to claim 3 wherein the tape comprises ePTFE.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the tape further comprises an adhesive.

8. The method according to claim 6 wherein the tape further comprises fluorinated ethylene propylene.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the tubular vascular grafts comprise ePTFE.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the tubular vascular grafts is provided with a coating of a therapeutic agent.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein the therapeutic agent comprises heparin.

12. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first tubular vascular graft is provided with a luminal surface coating of a therapeutic agent.

13. The method according to claim 10 wherein the therapeutic agent comprises heparin.

14. A method of making an implantable prosthesis comprising:

a. providing a first tubular vascular graft having a length, an inside diameter and at least two ends, said length including an end length portion located at each end of the first tubular vascular graft and a middle length portion extending between the at least two end length portions, wherein the middle length portion has a greater length than combined lengths of the end length portions;

b. fitting a mandrel into the length of the first tubular vascular graft;

c. fitting a stent coaxially over each of at least two end length portions of the first tubular vascular graft;

d. fitting a second tubular vascular graft over the middle length portion of the first tubular vascular graft while not coaxially covering a substantial portion of the stents with the second tubular vascular graft; and

e. removing the resulting construct from the mandrel.

15. The method according to claim 14 further comprising securing the stent and the second tubular vascular graft to the first tubular vascular graft following the steps of fitting those respective components coaxially over the first tubular vascular graft.

16. The method according to claim 15 wherein the securing is accomplished by the use of helically wrapped tape.

17. The method according to claim 16 wherein the tape comprises ePTFE.

18. The method according to claim 14 wherein the tubular vascular grafts comprise ePTFE.

19. The method according to claim 14 wherein the implantable prosthesis has at least 3 ends.