Stented vascular graft
AssigneeW. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
InventorsEdward H. Cully, Deenu Kanjickal, Bret J. Kilgrow, Larry J. Kovach, Timothy T. Stringer
Life of this patent
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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.
Claims20
A method of treating a patient, the method comprising:
- introducing a stent of an implantable prosthesis into a body conduit of a patient, the implantable prosthesis including a first tubular vascular graft that has a length, an inside diameter and two ends, the length including a first length portion and a second length portion that together make up the entire length of the implantable prosthesis, the second length portion having a greater length than the first length portion, the stent being secured coaxially over the first length portion of the first tubular vascular graft and having a length corresponding to the first length portion, and a second tubular vascular graft wherein the combination of the second tubular graft and the second length portion of the first tubular vascular graft does not coaxially cover the stent;
- and
- deploying the stent of the implantable prosthesis in the body conduit of the patient such that the second tubular vascular graft extends external to the body conduit.
A method of implanting a prosthesis, the method comprising:
- introducing a stent of an implantable prosthesis into a first body conduit of the patient, the implantable prosthesis having a first end, a second end, and an overall length and including a first tubular vascular graft defining a continuous inner lumen extending the overall length of the implantable prosthesis, the overall length including a first portion and a second portion, the second portion having a greater length than the first portion, the stent being coaxially secured about a first portion of the first tubular vascular graft, and a second tubular vascular graft secured about a second portion of the first tubular vascular graft without covering the stent;
- and
- deploying the stent in the first body conduit of the patient to secure the first end of the implantable prosthesis in the first body conduit.
A method of treating a patient, the method comprising:
- introducing a first stent of an implantable prosthesis into a first body conduit of a patient, the implantable prosthesis including:
- a first tubular vascular graft having a length, an inside diameter, a first end, and a second end, the length including first end length portion located at the first end of the first tubular vascular graft, a second end length portion located at the second end of the first tubular vascular graft, and a middle length portion extending between the first and second end length portions,
- a first stent secured coaxially over the first end length portion of the first tubular vascular graft,
- a second stent secured coaxially over the second end length portion of the first tubular vascular graft, and
- a second tubular vascular graft secured over the middle length portion of the first tubular vascular graft while not coaxially covering a substantial portion of the first and second stents with the second tubular vascular graft;
- deploying the first stent in the first body conduit;
- and
- introducing a second stent of an implantable prosthesis in a second body conduit of a patient;
- and
- deploying the second stent in the second body conduit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.