# US 10,945,829 B1 · Stent/graft assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,945,829 B1 - Document ID: US10945829B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 17/132,606 - Filed: 2020-12-23 - Granted: 2021-03-16 - Earliest claimed: 2001-04-11 - Applicants: Andrew Kerr - Inventors: Andrew Kerr - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10945829B1 ## CPC - A61F 2/07: Stent-grafts - 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) - A61F 2/848: having means for fixation to the vessel wall, e.g. barbs - A61F 2/88: the wire-like elements formed as helical or spiral coils - A61F 2/89: the wire-like elements comprising two or more adjacent rings flexibly connected by separate members - A61F 2/90: characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure - A61F 2002/061: {provided with means for allowing access to secondary lumens} - A61F 2002/065: {Y-shaped blood vessels} - A61F 2002/067: {modular} - A61F 2002/075: {the stent being loosely attached to the graft material, e.g. by stitching} - A61F 2002/077: {having means to fill the space between stent-graft and aneurysm wall, e.g. a sleeve} - A61F 2002/826: {more than one stent being applied sequentially} - A61F 2002/828: {Means for connecting a plurality of stents allowing flexibility of the whole structure} - A61F 2002/8483: {Barbs} - A61F 2002/8486: {provided on at least one of the ends} - A61F 2002/91558: {connected peak to peak} - A61F 2002/91583: {by a bridge, whereby at least one of its ends is connected along the length of a strut between two consecutive apices within a band} - A61F 2220/0016: with sharp anchoring protrusions, e.g. barbs, pins, spikes - A61F 2220/005: using adhesives - A61F 2220/0058: soldered or brazed or welded - A61F 2220/0075: sutured, ligatured or stitched, retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable - A61F 2220/0083: using hook and loop-type fasteners - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) ## Abstract A stent/graft assembly includes a tubular graft connected in substantially end-to-end relationship with a generally tubular stent. Free ends of the stent and graft extend in opposite directions from the end-to-end connection during a pre-deployment orientation of the assembly. However, the graft is inverted during deployment so that free ends of the graft and the stent extend in substantially the same direction from the end-to-end connection in a post-deployment orientation. Thus, at least a portion of the stent is disposed within at least a portion of the graft in a post-deployment orientation of the assembly. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An endovascular stent/graft assembly for repairing a section of a blood vessel that has an aneurysm, the blood vessel having first and second relatively healthy sections adjacent and on opposite ends of the aneurysm, the assembly comprising: a substantially tubular stent having opposite first and second axial ends; a graft having opposite first axial and second axial ends and a flexible wall portion therebetween; a discrete annular element affixed at a location inside the graft and at a position substantially adjacent the first axial end of the graft; and a plurality of connecting members axially extending from circumferentially spaced apart locations on the discrete annular element, the connecting members having curved portions projecting beyond the first axial end of the graft and connected to circumferentially spaced apart locations at the first axial end of the stent to maintain a substantially end-to-end axial connection between the stent and the graft, wherein the substantially end-to-end axial connection comprises a gap between the stent and the graft that is less than a diameter of the stent, and the connecting members bridge the gap, wherein the curved portions of the connecting members extend beyond the first axial end of the graft a distance that does not exceed a distance from the first axial end of the graft to an end of the discrete annular element that is farthest from the first axial end of the graft, wherein the first axial end of the graft is sized and configured for directly contacting the first relatively healthy section of the blood vessel and the second axial end of the graft is sized and configured for directly contacting the second relatively healthy section of the blood vessel such that the flexible wall portion bridges said aneurysm of said blood vessel. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The endovascular stent/graft assembly of claim 1, wherein the curved portions of the connecting members define hooks connected to the stent. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The endovascular stent/graft assembly of claim 1, wherein the connecting members are incorporated into the graft. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The endovascular stent/graft assembly of claim 3, wherein the connecting members are woven into the graft. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The endovascular stent/graft assembly of claim 1, wherein the graft is a bifurcated graft. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The endovascular stent/graft assembly of claim 1, wherein the graft is a corrugated graft. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The endovascular stent/graft assembly of claim 1, wherein the connecting members comprise sutures. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The endovascular stent/graft assembly of claim 1, wherein the connecting members disposed at circumferentially spaced apart locations comprise at least one ring. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The endovascular stent/graft assembly of claim 1, wherein the connecting members provide one or more points of contact between the stent and the graft.