Stent/graft assembly

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.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional of application Ser. No. 10 / 299,882 which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09 / 961,825 and which, in turn, is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09 / 900,241.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The subject invention relates to a stent and graft assembly for treating vascular anomalies, such as aneurysms. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] Vascular anomalies are considered to include blood vessels that are damaged, weakened or otherwise impaired. The anomaly may include a local change in the cross-sectional dimensions of the blood vessel. For example, aneurysms include a local area where a blood vessel expands to a larger cross-sectional area due to disease, weakening or other damage. [0006] The aorta extends from the heart and through the abdomen. The abdominal aorta then feeds abdominal organs and the right and left iliac arteries that bring blood to the right and left legs...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0020] The endovascular graft assembly further comprises an internal stent to provide radial support for the tubular graft of the endovascular graft assembly. However, unlike prior art endovascular graft assemblies, the internal stent of the subject invention is deployed after the end-to-end assembly of the fixation device and tubular graft have been positioned properly across the aneurysm. The internal stent may be a balloon expandable stent or a self-expanding stent. However, the insertion of the internal stent after the insertion of the end-to-end assembly of the fixation device and tubular graft greatly facilitates the deployment of the entire endovascular stent / graft assembly to the proper location.

[0022] The endovascular graft assembly may comprise at least two fixation devices connected respectively to opposite ends of a tubular graft. The endovascular graft assembly may further comprise a plurality of tubular grafts connected respectively to opposite axial ends of fixation devices. The tubular graft and tubular fixation devices need not be all of identical cross-sectional sizes. Additionally, the assembly may comprise plural fixation devices connected axially to the legs or branches of a bifurcated or trifurcated graft, such as a graft having an inverted Y-shape. Furthermore, certain components of the assembly may be assembled intravascularly and intraoperatively. The end-to-end connection of a tubular fixation device and a tubular graft provides advantages over a graft that is at least partly coextensive with a tubular stent. In particular, the cross-sectional dimension of the preferred assembly is smaller than an assembly with the tubular graft and tubular stent at least partly coextensive with one another, and hence insertion is easier. However, the end-to-end axial connection of a tubular graft with a tubular fixation device has advantages that can be applied to a coextensive tubular graft and tubular stent. For example, one or more tubular grafts may be assembled preoperatively with one or more tubular stent. This assembly can include a single tubular graft with a single tubular stent inwardly therefrom, a tubular graft with a plurality of axially spaced tubular stents inwardly therefrom or an assembly with one or more tubular stents disposed between concentrically disposed inner and outer tubular grafts. Any of these tubular stent / graft assemblies can be connected in end-to-end relationship with a fixation device. Such an end-to-end combination would not achieve the small cross-section and easy insertion of the above reference preferred embodiment. However, the end-to-end connection of a fixation device and an assembly with a tubular graft and one or more tubular stents can achieve enhanced fixation and can prevent the assembly of the tubular graft and tubular stents from drifting in the blood vessel.

Problems solved by technology

The aorta is prone to aneurysms.

Aortic aneurysms that are not treated in a timely manner can lead to rupture, occlusion, infection or the production of emboli which can flow downstream and occlude a smaller blood vessel.

A ruptured aortic aneurysm typically is fatal due to a loss of the large volume of blood that flows through the abdominal aorta.

However, the coaxially and longitudinally coextensive arrangement of the stent and graft has resulted in a cross-sectionally large assembly.

A cross-sectionally large graft and stent assembly can be difficult to insert and deliver intravascularly to the damaged section of the blood vessel and may require surgery.

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