Introducer for deploying a stent graft in a curved lumen and stent graft therefor

An introducer system for deploying a stent graft in an at least partially curved lumen, the introducer comprising:

• a carrier comprising a tube of graft material and having an internal lumen, and a stent graft disposed over the carrier;
• the stent graft comprising a proximal stent at a proximal end of the stent graft and a distally adjacent stent;
• the proximal stent having a proximal end having an at least a partially constrained circumference and an expanded circumference and a distal end having an at least a partially constrained circumference and an expanded circumference;
• a first constraint constraining the proximal end of the proximal stent at the at least partially constrained circumference;
• a second constraint constraining the distal end of the proximal stent at the at least partially constrained circumference
• at least one filament that extends circumferentially about the distal end of the proximal stent for a plurality of lengths exterior to the stent graft and a plurality of lengths interior to the stent graft;
• and
• wherein the plurality of lengths interior to the stent graft comprise a plurality of loops within the internal lumen with each loop disposed at a distal apex between adjoining struts of the distal apex, and extending between the distal apex and the carrier such that the distal end of the proximal stent is pulled toward the carrier from the interior of the tube of graft material;
• wherein each of the plurality of loops are circumferentially spaced about the interior circumference and are releasably engaged with the carrier.

A stent graft for deployment in an at least partially curved lumen, including:

• a tube of graft material providing an inner lumen;
• a plurality of stents located longitudinally along the graft material, the plurality of stents comprising a proximal stent located at a proximal end of the stent graft and disposed entirely within the inner lumen of the graft material, the proximal stent having a proximal end and a distal end and proximal apices and distal apices;
• the plurality of stents having an expanded circumference and a constrained circumference;
• a first constraint engaging the proximal apices of the proximal stent, and configured to constrain the proximal end of the proximal stent at at least a partially constrained circumference;
• and
• a second constraint engaging the distal apices of the proximal stent to constrain the distal end of the proximal stent in an at least a partially constrained circumference while a portion of the stent graft distal to the proximal stent is at the expanded circumference, wherein the second constraint extends substantially the entire circumference of the distal end of the proximal stent;
• wherein the second constraint comprises at least one filament that extends partially circumferentially about an exterior of the tube of graft material, extends through the graft material, extends at least partially circumferentially about an interior circumference of the graft material, and forms a plurality of loops within the inner lumen circumferentially spaced about the interior circumference;
• wherein each of the loops is releasably engaged to the carrier;
• wherein each loop of the plurality of loops extends between struts that are adjacent the same apex, such that the distal end of the proximal stent is pulled toward the interior of the tube of graft material, and wherein the loops are spaced at equal intervals about the interior circumference of the stent graft.

An introducer for deploying a stent graft in a curved lumen, the introducer comprising:

• a stent graft having an internal lumen, and a carrier for the stent graft, the stent graft disposed over the carrier for the stent graft;
• the stent graft comprising a tube of graft material, a proximal stent at a proximal end of the stent graft entirely overlapping the graft material of the tube of graft material, and a distally adjacent stent, the proximal stent having a proximal end having a plurality of proximal apices and a distal end having a plurality of distal apices, wherein each of the proximal and distal ends of the proximal stent have an at least partially constrained circumference and an expanded circumference;
• wherein in the constrained circumference the proximal end of the stent is pulled to the carrier by a first set of loops at at least two points about the circumference at the proximal end;
• wherein in the constrained circumference, the distal end of the stent is at a partially constrained circumference such that the distal end of the proximal stent is pulled inwardly towards the carrier by at least one filament that extends about substantially the entire circumference of the stent graft such that first lengths of the at least one filament extend partially circumferentially about an exterior of the tube of graft material at a plurality of points and second lengths of the at least one filament extend through the graft material and at least partially circumferentially about an interior of the tube of graft material at a plurality of points to form a plurality of inwardly extending loops of filament within the internal lumen between the distal end of the proximal stent and the carrier such that the distal end of the proximal stent is pulled toward the carrier from the interior of the tube of graft material about the circumference;
• wherein each of the plurality of inwardly extending loops is releaseably engaged with the carrier;
• and
• wherein the proximal end of the proximal stent is configured to be expanded to the expanded circumference prior to the release of the distal end of the proximal stent to the expanded circumference.