Expandable intraluminal graft and apparatus for implanting an expandable intraluminal graft

Claim 1

An expandable intraluminal vascular graft, or prosthesis (70) comprising: a least one thin-walled tubular member (71) having first and second ends (72, 73) and a wall surface disposed between the first and second ends, the wall surface having a substantially uniform thickness and a plurality of slots (82) formed therein, the slots (82) being disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said tubular member (71); the tubular member (71) having a first diameter which permits intraluminal delivery of the tubular members into a body passageway (80) having a lumen (81); and the tubular member having a second, expanded and deformed diameter, upon the application from the interior of the tubular member of a radially, outwardly extending force, which second diameter is variable and dependent upon the amount of force applied to the tubular member (71) whereby the tubular member (71) may be expanded and deformed to expand the lumen of the body passageway, characterised in that the vascular graft or prosthesis (70) comprises a plurality tubular members (71) and at least one connector member (100) being disposed between adjacent tubular members to flexibly connect adjacent tubular members.

Claim 6

An apparatus far intraluminally reinforcing or expanding the luminen of a body passageway, comprising a prosthesis or vascular graft (70) having at least one expandable and deformable, thin-walled tubular member (71) having first and second ends (72, 73) and a wall surface disposed between the first and second ends (72, 73), the wall surface having a plurality of slots (82) formed therein, the slots (82) being disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tubular members (71) a catheter (83), having an expandable, inflatable portion (84) associated therewith and including means for mounting and retaining the expandable, thin-walled tubular prosthesis or vascular graft (70) on the expandable, inflatable portion (84), whereby upon inflation of the expandable, inflatable portion of the catheter (83) the member (71) is expanded and deformed radially outwardly into contact with the body passageway (80) characterised in that the apparatus comprises a plurality of thin-walled tubular members (71) and at least one connector member (100) being disposed between adjacent tubular members (71) to flexibly connect adjacent tubular members (71).

Claim 7

An apparatus far intraluminally reinforcing or expanding the luminen of a body passageway, comprising a prosthesis or vascular graft (70) having at least one expandable and deformable, thin-walled tubular member (71) having first and second ends (72, 73) and a wall surface disposed between the first and second ends (72, 73), the wall surface having a plurality of slots (82) formed therein, the slots (82) being disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tubular members (71) a catheter (83), having an expandable, inflatable portion (84) associated therewith and including means for mounting and retaining the expandable, thin-walled tubular prosthesis or vascular graft (70) on the expandable, inflatable portion (84), whereby upon inflation of the expandable, inflatable portion of the catheter (83) the member (71) is expanded and deformed radially outwardly into contact with the body passageway (80) characterised in that the apparatus comprises a plurality of thin-walled tubular members (71) and at least one connector member (100) being disposed between adjacent tubular members (71) to flexibly connect adjacent tubular members (71).