Radially adjustable stent graft delivery system and method of use

A method for treating an aortic aneurysm of a patient, comprising the steps of:

• a) implanting a stent graft of a stent graft delivery system to an arterial aneurysm of a patient, the stent graft delivery system including,
• i) a stent graft having a luminal graft component that includes an outside surface, an inside surface, a proximal open end, a distal open end, and defining a lumen, and a plurality of stents extending longitudinally along the luminal wall,
• ii) a control rod extending longitudinally along the luminal graft component, wherein the control rod extends along the outside surface of the stent graft, and
• iii) at least one ligature traversing at least one of the radially self-expanding stents, and controllably and releasably fixed to the control rod, wherein the stent traversed by the ligature is radially self-expanding and includes struts that define apices, wherein the ligature traverses the struts of the stent, wherein the ligature passes through the luminal graft component and traverses the struts of the stent at portions of the ligature that are on the opposite side of the luminal graft component from the struts, whereby the radial constriction of the stent by the control rod is inherently reversible, and whereby control of the ligature at the control rod radially constricts the traversed stent;
• b) positioning the stent graft at the aneurysm site by controlling the ligature to radially constrict the traversed by the at least one ligature stent;
• and
• c) releasing the ligature from the control rod, thereby releasing the stent graft and treating the arterial aneurysm