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AssigneeCook Medical Technologies LLC
InventorsSteven J. Charlebois, William Kurt Dierking, Matthew S. Huser, Keith Milner, Jichao Sun
Estimating the term…
The present embodiments provide an endoluminal prosthesis, such as a stent-graft, having a relatively low delivery profile. In one embodiment, the prosthesis comprises a membrane, and at least one stent having contracted and expanded states, where the stent is coupled to the membrane and maintains patency in the expanded state. The prosthesis further may comprise selectively oriented axial and/or circumferential fibers arranged at predetermined locations along the length and circumference of the prosthesis. An increased population density of the circumferential and/or axial fibers may be provided in areas in which the at least one stent portion is attached to the membrane, or in areas of higher physiological loads imposed upon the endoluminal prosthesis. Selectively orienting axial fibers and circumferential fibers at predetermined locations along the length and circumference of the prosthesis, but not continuously along the entire prosthesis, significantly reduces delivery profile due to the reduction in graft material.
1-40. (canceled)
An endoluminal prosthesis, comprising:
The endoluminal prosthesis of claim 1 where the first spacing is at least three times greater than the second spacing.
The endoluminal prosthesis of claim 1 where at least one stent is coupled to the membrane using sutures only in at least one of the bundled regions.
The endoluminal prosthesis of claim 3 where the stent comprises a zig-zag shape having proximal and distal apices, where at least one of the proximal apices of the stent is secured to the membrane at a proximal bundled region, and where at least one of the distal apices of the stent is secured to the membrane at a distal bundled region, where the proximal and distal bundled regions are separated by at least one non-bundled region.
The endoluminal prosthesis of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of axial fibers extending in a direction that is generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the endoluminal prosthesis.
The endoluminal prosthesis of claim 5, where the plurality of axial fibers overlap with at least one bundled region of circumferential fibers at intersections, and where at least one portion of a stent is secured to the membrane at one of the intersections.
The endoluminal prosthesis of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of angled axial fibers, where at least one of the plurality of angled axial fibers is offset to form first and second segments that are disposed at non-parallel angles relative to a longitudinal axis of the endoluminal prosthesis.
The endoluminal prosthesis of claim 7, where one of the plurality of angled axial fibers is looped around an apex of at least one stent, such that the first and second segments extend in a proximal to distal direction away from the apex of the at least one stent.
An endoluminal prosthesis, comprising:
The endoluminal prosthesis of claim 9 where at least one stent is coupled to the membrane at an intersection where the at least one axial fiber and the first adjacent axial fiber meet at least one of the circumferential fibers.
The endoluminal prosthesis of claim 9 where the plurality of circumferential fibers form at least one bundled region in which at least two adjacent circumferential fibers are separated by a first spacing, and form at least one non-bundled region in which at least another two adjacent circumferential fibers are separated by a second spacing, where the first spacing is less than the second spacing.
The endoluminal prosthesis of claim 11 where at least one stent is coupled to the membrane using sutures only in the at least one bundled region of the stent.
The endoluminal prosthesis of claim 11 where the at least one bundled region is provided in areas of higher physiological loads imposed upon the endoluminal prosthesis.
An endoluminal prosthesis, comprising:
The endoluminal prosthesis of claim 14 where the first spacing is at least three times greater than the second spacing.
The endoluminal prosthesis of claim 14 where at least one stent is coupled to the membrane using sutures only in at least one of the bundled regions.
The endoluminal prosthesis of claim 16 where the stent comprises a zig-zag shape having proximal and distal apices, where at least one of the proximal apices of the stent is secured to the membrane at a proximal bundled region, and where at least one of the distal apices of the stent is secured to the membrane at a distal bundled region, where the proximal and distal bundled regions are separated by at least one non-bundled region.
The endoluminal prosthesis of claim 14, further comprising a plurality of axial fibers extending in a direction that is generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the endoluminal prosthesis.
The endoluminal prosthesis of claim 18, where the plurality of axial fibers overlap with at least one bundled region of circumferential fibers at intersections, and where at least one portion of the stent is secured to the membrane at one of the intersections.
The endoluminal prosthesis of claim 14, further comprising a plurality of angled axial fibers, where at least one of the plurality of angled axial fibers is offset to form first and second segments that are disposed at non-parallel angles relative to a longitudinal axis of the endoluminal prosthesis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.