Methods of implanting covered stents with side branch

A method of implanting a first and second graft within the carotid arteries comprising:

• inserting a first guidewire into a common carotid artery and extending into an internal carotid artery to guide a first stent having a first graft to a target region of the common carotid artery;
• inserting a second guidewire into the common carotid artery and extending into an external carotid artery to guide a second stent having a second graft having a retaining flange to the external carotid artery;
• subsequent to inserting the first and second guidewires inserting the first stent and first graft over the first guidewire to a stenosed region in the carotid artery to enable the first stent and first graft to expand against the stenosed region, the first graft extending into the internal common artery past the juncture of the common carotid artery and the external carotid artery;
• and
• inserting the second stent with the second graft over the second guidewire to the external carotid artery to enable the second stent and second graft to expand against the wall of the external carotid artery, thereby maintaining flow between the common carotid artery and the external carotid artery, wherein the step of inserting the second stent and graft comprises the step of inserting the second stent and graft through the first stent and graft, and the retaining flange of the second graft retaining a portion of the second graft and stent within the first graft and stent.

A method of implanting a bifurcated stent within first and second vessel regions extending at an angle with respect to each other, the method comprising:

• inserting a first guidewire to guide a first stent and first graft portion to the first vessel region;
• inserting a second guidewire to guide a second stent and second graft portion to a second vessel region;
• inserting over the first and second guidewires a delivery catheter containing the first and second stent and graft portions and containing first and second delivery sheaths having coaxial portions, to the vessel regions so the first delivery sheath extends into the first vessel region and the second delivery sheath extends into the second vessel region;
• and
• subsequently removing the delivery catheter to expose the first and second delivery sheaths to enable the first stent and graft portion to expand against the wall of the first vessel and to enable the second stent and graft portion to expand against the wall of the second vessel.

A method of implanting a bifurcated stent with associated grafts within first and second vessel regions extending at an angle with respect to each other, the bifurcated stent having a first portion and a second portion extending at an angle to the first portion, the method comprising:

• inserting a first guidewire to guide the first stent portion with an associated first graft to the first vessel region;
• inserting a second guidewire to guide the second stent portion with an associated second graft to the second vessel region;
• providing a second delivery sheath within the first delivery sheath;
• subsequent to insertion of the first and second guidewires inserting together the first delivery sheath containing the first stent portion with the associated first graft over the first guidewire to the first vessel region and the second delivery sheath containing the second stent portion with the associated second graft over the second guidewire to the second vessel region;
• subsequent to positioning of the first and second delivery sheaths in the first and second vessel regions, removing the first delivery sheath to enable the first stent portion with the associated first graft to expand against the wall of the first vessel region;
• and
• subsequent to removal of the first sheath, removing the second delivery sheath to enable the second stent portion with the associated second graft to expand against the wall of the second vessel region and fluidly communicate with the first stent and associated graft.

A method of implanting within the carotid arteries a bifurcated graft having a first graft portion and a second graft portion, the method comprising:

• inserting a first guidewire into a common carotid artery and extending into an internal carotid artery to guide a first graft portion into the internal carotid artery;
• inserting a second guidewire into the common carotid artery and extending into an external carotid artery to guide the second graft portion to the external carotid artery;
• and
• inserting together the first and second graft portions over the first and second guidewires, respectively, so the first graft portion extends into the internal common artery past the juncture of the common carotid artery and the external carotid artery and the second graft portion extends into the external carotid artery to enable the second stent graft portion to expand against the wall of the external carotid artery, thereby maintaining flow between the common carotid artery and the external carotid artery, the second graft portion being positioned within the first graft portion during delivery of the first graft to the common carotid artery.