Branch Vessel Graft Method and Delivery System

A main stent-graft and branch graft deployment delivery system, comprising:

• a main stent-graft having a branch graft opening formed at a first location in the main stent-graft, the branch graft opening including a port member;
• a retractable primary sheath containing said main stent-graft in a first constrained diameter configuration;
• an outer tube within the retractable primary sheath and within the main stent-graft;
• an inner tube within the outer tube, wherein the inner tube and the outer tube both axially move relative to the retractable primary sheath and to each other;
• a cap coupled to a distal end of the inner tube and configured to retain at least a portion of a proximal area of the main stent-graft in a radially compressed configuration;
• and
• a tubular branch graft having a lumen extending longitudinally therethrough, and said branch graft being advanceable through the branch graft port member and further comprising a snap connector member being associated with the proximal end of the branch graft, said snap connector member being configured to frictionally engage the port member as the proximal end of the branch graft is brought into approximation with the branch graft opening of the primary graft, said engagement of the snap connector to the port member being operative to form a connection between the proximal end of the branch graft and the primary graft.

A main stent-graft and branch graft deployment delivery system, comprising:

• a retractable primary sheath;
• an outer tube within the retractable primary sheath;
• an inner tube within the outer tube, wherein the inner tube can move axially relative to the outer tube;
• a cap coupled to a distal end of the inner tube;
• a retention mechanism attached to the outer tube for retaining a proximal area of a main stent-graft in a constrained diameter configuration while remaining within the cap while still enabling axial and radial movement of the stent-graft;
• a tubular branch graft having a lumen extending longitudinally therethrough, said branch graft being advanceable through a branch graft port member in a branch opening in the main stent-graft and further comprising a snap connector member being associated with the proximal end of the branch graft, said snap connector member being configured to frictionally engage the port member as the proximal end of the branch graft is brought into approximation with the branch opening of the main-stent graft, said engagement of the snap connector to the port member being operative to form a connection between the proximal end of the branch graft and the main stent-graft graft.

A method for deployment of a main stent-graft and a branch graft, comprising the steps of:

• constraining a proximal area of a stent-graft radially under a cap while at least partially deploying a remaining portion of the main stent-graft;
• adjusting at least one of the axial and radial positions of the main stent-graft after the partial deployment the remaining portion;
• and
• releasing the proximal area of the main stent-graft by minimal controlled coaxial movement between the cap and a tube retaining the main stent-graft within the cap.

A method for deployment of a main stent-graft and a branch graft, comprising the steps of:

• constraining a proximal area of the main stent-graft radially under a cap while partially deploying a remaining portion of the main stent-graft, wherein the main stent-graft further includes at least one substantially flush branch vessel port;
• adjusting at least one of the axial and radial positions of the stent-graft after the partial deployment the remaining portion to align the substantially flush branch vessel port with a branch vessel;
• and
• releasing the proximal area of the stent-graft by minimal controlled coaxial movement between the cap and a tube retaining the stent-graft within the cap.