Prosthetic repair of body passages

A prosthesis for insertion into a body passage comprising an annular resilient spring element and a flexible, tubular graft attached to said element, said element having an undeformed diameter greater than the diameter of said graft.

A vascular prosthesis for repairing a diseased first vessel comprising:

• a folded, resilient, annular ring having a first pair of loops extending in one direction, and a second pair of loops extending in the opposite direction, said first and second pairs of loops connected together, and
• a tubular graft connected to said ring, said graft arranged to extend along the length of said first vessel, said first pair of loops arranged to extend at least partially past the point where a second vessel intersects said first vessel, one of said second pair of loops defining an opening to permit communication between said first and second vessels, at least partially past said prosthesis.

A prosthesis for insertion within a body passage comprising:

• a first prosthesis section including a resiliently deformable annular spring element and a tubular graft, said tubular graft having a pair of free ends, said annular spring element connected to one of said free ends;
• and
• a second prosthesis section arranged to engage the interior of said first prosthesis section in common axial alignment therewith, said second prosthesis section including a resiliently deformable annular spring element adapted to engage an internal surface of said tubular graft of said first prosthesis section so as to adjust the resulting length of the prosthesis.

A prosthesis for insertion into a body passage comprising at least two annular resilient spring elements and a flexible tubular graft attached to each of said elements and a rigid member longitudinally connecting said elements, said member being less flexible than said graft.

A method for inserting a prosthesis into a body passage, comprising the steps of:

• inserting a pair of tubular prostheses together into a body passage;
• and
• telescopically adjusting the position of one of said prostheses within the other of said prostheses.