Stent-graft with rails

Abstract

A stent-graft with increased longitudinal flexibility that is deployed within a body lumen for supporting the lumen and repairing luminal aneurysms. In a preferred embodiment, the stent-graft is located and expanded within a blood vessel to repair aortic aneurysms. The stent-graft is comprised of an expandable stent portion, an expandable graft portion and at least one elongated rail. The stent portion and graft portion are moveable between the terminal ends of the rail(s) and relative to the rails so that it can conform to the shape of a vessel in which it is deployed. The stent-graft provides increased longitudinal flexibility within a vessel. Also, the stent-graft of the present invention does not kink after expansion, and thus, eliminates the potential for the graft portion occluding the blood flow lumen of the vessel in which it is deployed. Moreover, the wear on the graft is reduced and its longevity increased.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims the benefit of and incorporates by reference U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 403,361 filed on Aug. 15, 2002.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to a stent-graft for use as a prosthetic within a body lumen to support the lumen, and particularly, to a stent-graft having improved longitudinal structural flexibility and graft wear that can be used within a body to support a lumen. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] It is generally known to insert a resiliently expandable stent into a body lumen, such as a blood vessel, to provide radial hoop support within the lumen in the treatment of atherosclerotic stenosis and other conditions. For example, it is generally known to open a blocked cardiac blood vessel by conventional methods (e.g., balloon angioplasty or laser ablation) and to keep that blood vessel open using an expandable stent. [0004] Stents are tubular structures formed of biocompatible material...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010] The present invention relates to a stent-graft with increased longitudinal flexibility relative to conventional stent-grafts. Longitudinal flexibility as used herein relates to the flexibility of the stent-graft structure (or portions thereof) to move relative to its major, longitudinal axis of extension. The stent-graft is deployed within a body lumen for supporting the lumen and repairing luminal aneurysms. In a preferred embodiment, the stent-graft is located and expanded within a blood vessel to repair aortic aneurysms.

[0011] In an embodiment, the stent-graft can be comprised of an expandable stent portion, an expandable graft portion and at least one elongated rail. The stent portion and graft portion are moveable between the terminal ends of the rail(s) and relative to the rails so that the stent-graft can conform to the shape of a vessel in which it is deployed. Additionally, longitudinally adjacent circumferential support elements of the stent portion can be secured together by at least one bridging element. Alternatively, each circumferential support elements can be free of a connection to a longitudinally adjacent circumferential support element. The use of the rail(s) and the bridging elements allows the support elements to separate as needed, assume the outer radius of a vessel bend and shorten to assume an inner radius of a vessel bend. The stent-graft eliminates the poor longitudinal flexibility associated with conventional stent-grafts. As a result, the stent-graft of the present invention provides greater resistance to kinking after expansion, and thus, eliminates the potenti

Problems solved by technology

This is partially because PTFE is extremely biocompatible causing little or no immunogenic reaction when placed within the human body.

However, such a stent-graft tends to be rather inflexible.

As a result, these stent-grafts may not effectively seal the intended aneurysm(s) within the blood vessel in which the stent-graft is deployed.

For example, poor longitudinal flexibility of the stent-graft can lead to kinking of the graft portion and the ultimate occlusion of the flow lumen.

Additional disadvantageous of conventional stent-grafts can include graft wear on the stent portion, blood leakage through suture holes in the graft portion that receive the sutures that anchor the graft portion to the stent portion and labor intensive manufacturing processes.

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