Internal graft prosthesis and delivery system

A tubular graft for treating aneurysm within a major artery wherein branch arteries extend from the major artery in close proximity of the aneurysm and a system for placing the graft within an artery, said graft being fabricated of a resilient material and adapted to reduce in diameter upon elongation, said graft and system comprising:

• a first elongate substantially fluid impermeable portion adapted to be positioned over the aneurysm so as to shield the aneurysm from blood flow through the major artery;
• a second elongate substantially fluid permeable portion contiguous with the first portion, said second portion being adapted to extend over the branch arteries when the first portion is positioned over the aneurysm, said second portion engageable against the major artery surrounding the branch arteries to affix the position of the graft when deployed;
• elongate placement means extending longitudinally of the graft to carry the graft through the body passage;
• flexible lines securing opposite ends of the tubular graft means to the placement means;
• means to move said lines to selectively elongate the graft means;
• and,
• means to selectively release the flexible lines from the placement means.

A method of treating an aneurysm within a major artery wherein branch arteries extend from the major artery in close promimity of the aneurysm, said method comprising:

• providing a tubular craft of an outside diameter closely approximating the internal diameter of the major artery and a length exceeding that of the aneurysm, said graft being fabricated of a resilient material and adapted to reduce in diameter upon elongation and having:
• a first elongate substantially fluid impermeable portion;
• and,
• a second elongate substantially fluid permeable portion contiguous with the first portion;
• elongating the graft to reduce its outside diameter to less than the internal diameter of the major artery;
• passing the graft into the major artery and over the aneurysm;
• positioning the graft and relaxing its elongation to expand the first portion into a condition covering the aneurysm and the second portion into a condition covering at least some of the branch arteries;
• affixing the graft within the major artery by engaging the major artery with the second portion adjacent the at least some of the branch arteries;
• extending first and second elongate members along the graft for longitudinal movement relative to one another and the graft;
• securing a first end of the graft to an attachment point on said first elongate member and a second end of the graft to an attachment point on said second elongate member;
• and
• moving said members longitudinally relative to one another to move the attachment points apart and, thereby, elongate the graft;
• moving said elongate members longitudinally relative to one another to move the attachment points together and, thereby, relax elongation of the graft and permit the graft to expand resiliently into engagement with the passage;
• and
• disconnecting the graft from the elongate members and removing the members from the passage.

A method for treating an aneurysm within a major artery, wherein a branch artery extends from the major artery at a branch intersection, the intersection in close proximity of the aneurysm, the method comprising:

• introducing a tubular vascular graft into the major artery while the graft is in a small diameter configuration, the graft comprising a plurality of filaments which define a perforates tubular frame, the filaments extending along a substantially fluid impermeable axial portion of the graft and along a fluid permeable axial portion of the graft;
• positioning the fluid impermeable portion of the graft within the major artery in axial alignment with the aneurysm and with the fluid permeable portion in axial alignment with the intersection;
• and
• radially expanding the frame so that the filaments along the fluid permeable portion radially engage the major artery surrounding the branch artery to anchor the graft within the major artery, the fluid permeable portion of the graft covering the branch artery such that bloodflow between the major artery and the branch artery passes through the expanded fluid permeable portion, the expanded fluid impermeable portion isolating the aneurysm from bloodflow through the major artery.