Temporary diameter reduction constraint arrangement for a stent graft in combination with a stent graft

A temporary diameter reduction constraint arrangement for a stent graft in combination with a stent graft, the stent graft having a proximal end and a distal end and comprising a biocompatible graft material tube and a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart self-expanding stents fastened thereto, including at least an end stent and a plurality of intermediate stents, the constraint arrangement comprising:

• an elongate receiver extending longitudinally within the graft material tube;
• a first wire extending longitudinally along the graft material tube in a first serpentine pattern;
• a second wire extending longitudinally along the graft material tube in a second serpentine pattern;
• and
• a plurality of loops of thread, each loop engaged with one or other of the first and second wires and engaged around a portion of the stent graft circumferentially spaced a selected distance away from its wire, and drawn tight and tied to itself to reduce the stent graft,
• wherein at least one of the first and second wires repeatedly loops over the receiver along a longitudinal length of the stent graft thereby securing the stent graft to the receiver.

A temporary diameter reduction constraint arrangement for a stent graft in combination with a stent graft, the stent graft having a proximal end and a distal end and comprising a biocompatible graft material tube and a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart self-expanding stents fastened thereto, including at least an end stent and a plurality of intermediate stents, each intermediate stent being a zig-zag stent comprising struts and bends forming peaks and valleys, the intermediate stents longitudinally spaced apart such that their respective peaks are substantially longitudinally aligned, the constraint arrangement comprising:

• an elongate receiver extending longitudinally within the graft material tube, the receiver comprising a tube having a through-bore;
• a first wire extending longitudinally along the graft material tube in a first serpentine pattern;
• a second wire extending longitudinally along the graft material tube in a second serpentine pattern, the first and second serpentine patterns crossing each other in a criss-cross lacing pattern;
• and
• a plurality of loops of thread, each loop engaged with one or other of the first and second wires and engaged around a portion of the stent graft circumferentially spaced a selected distance away from its wire, and drawn tight and tied to itself to reduce the stent graft,
• wherein at least one of the first and second wires repeatedly loops over the receiver along a longitudinal length of the stent graft thereby securing the stent graft to the receiver, the first and second wires repeatedly crossing each other within the graft material tube and the first and second wires lying predominately inside the graft material tube, and
• wherein the first and second wires repeatedly penetrate a tubular wall of the graft material tube from inside the graft material tube to outside the graft material tube and then penetrate the tubular wall back from outside the graft material tube to inside the graft material tube, thereby forming a plurality of external wire portions, the external wire portions disposed within a V, or an inverted V, formed between adjacent struts of one of the plurality of intermediate stents.