Patent US20020002397A1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US20020002397A1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Kink resistant stent-graft
Assignee: W.L. Gore and Associates Inc
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Filing: 2001-06-26
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2021-06-26
Abstract
Abstract A stent-graft including a stent member having an inner surface and an outer surface, a generally tubular graft member and a coupling member that couples the stent member to the graft member. The coupling member, which is the preferred embodiment is in the form of a ribbon, covers only a portion of the inner or outer surface of the stent member and secures the stent member and graft member to one another. Alternatively, the coupling member can be described as interconnecting less than entirely the inner or outer surface of the graft member to the stent member. With this construction, regions of the stent member do not interfere with the coupling member. Shear stresses between the stent member and the coupling member and the risk of tearing the graft or coupling member or delamination therebetween may be reduced as compared to a fully enveloped stent member. This construction also provides improved flexibility and kink resistance.
Inventors
- 👤 Gerald Martin
- 👤 Lilip Lau
- 👤 Scott Stonebrook
- 👤 Sharon Lam
- 👤 Troy Thornton
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 06:43
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/04; A61F2/06; A61F2/07; A61F2/82; A61F2/844; A61F2/86; A61F2/88; A61F2/95; A61F2/89; A61F2/90; A61F2002/075; A61F2002/9505; A61F2002/9511; A61F2/962; A61F2/966; A61F2002/9665; A61F2210/00; A61F2210/0014; A61F2210/0019; A61F2220/00; A61F2220/0025; A61F2220/0075; A61F2220/0091; A61F2230/00; A61F2230/0002; A61F2230/0028; A61F2230/0041; A61F2230/006; A61F2230/0063; A61F2230/0073; A61F2230/0078; A61F2250/00; A61F2250/0058; A61F2250/0096; A61F2250/0098
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 46
Claim 1
Independent Claim
52 words
1 . A stent-graft comprising: a stent member having an inner surface and an outer surface; a generally tubular graft member; and a ribbon covering only a portion of at least one of the inner and outer surfaces of said member and securing the stent member and graft member to one another.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
52 words
1 . A stent-graft comprising: a stent member having an inner surface and an outer surface; a generally tubular graft member; and a ribbon covering only a portion of at least one of the inner and outer surfaces of said member and securing the stent member and graft member to one another.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
2 . The stent-graft of claim 1 wherein said stent member comprises a tubular member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
3 . The stent-graft of claim 2 wherein said stent member comprises multiple tubular members.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
4 . The stent-graft of claim 1 wherein said stent member comprises a first member having undulations and being arranged in a helical configuration with multiple turns.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
5 . The stent-graft of claim 4 wherein said ribbon is arranged in a helical configuration with multiple turns, each turn being spaced from an adjacent turn.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
6 . The stent-graft of claim 5 wherein said spacing between said turns is uniform.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
7 . The stent-graft of claim 5 wherein said ribbon covers a portion of said undulations.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
8 . The stent-graft of claim 5 wherein said ribbon is interwoven into at least one of said undulations.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
9 . The stent-graft of claim 5 further including a linking member threaded between adjacent turns to maintain undulations in adjacent turns generally in-phase with one another.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
10 . The stent-graft of claim 9 wherein a number of said undulations are configured to permit therein unrestrained movement of an undulation generally in-phase therewith.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
11 . The stent-graft of claim 5 wherein a group of said undulations forms a sinusoidal curve.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
12 . The stent-graft of claim 5 wherein said ribbon has a width less than or equal to about two-thirds the average amplitude, measured peak-to-peak, of one of said undulations.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
13 . The stent-graft of claim 12 wherein said ribbon has a width less than or equal to about three-fourths the average amplitude, measured peak-to-peak, of one of said undulations.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
14 . The stent-graft of claim 1 wherein said graft member has an average thickness of less than or equal to about 0.006 inch.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
15 . The stent-graft of claim 14 wherein said ribbon has an average thickness of less than or equal to about 0.005 inch.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
15 words
16 . The stent-graft of claim 1 wherein said graft member comprises porous expanded polytetrafluoroethylene.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
14 words
17 . The stent-graft of claim 16 wherein said ribbon comprises porous expanded polytetrafluorethylene.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
18 . The stent-graft of claim 1 wherein said graft member comprises radiopaque fibers.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
13 words
19 . The stent-graft of claim 1 wherein said stent member comprises nitinol.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
17 words
20 . The stent-graft of claim 1 wherein said ribbon is adhesively bonded to said graft member.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
20 words
21 . The stent-graft of claim 1 wherein said ribbon has a generally flat portion that faces said graft member.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
65 words
22 . A stent-graft comprising: a stent member having an inner surface and an outer surface; a generally tubular graft member having an inner and an outer surface, one of said stent and graft members surrounding at least a portion of the other; and a ribbon interconnecting less than entirely one of said inner and outer surfaces of said graft member to said stent member.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
65 words
22 . A stent-graft comprising: a stent member having an inner surface and an outer surface; a generally tubular graft member having an inner and an outer surface, one of said stent and graft members surrounding at least a portion of the other; and a ribbon interconnecting less than entirely one of said inner and outer surfaces of said graft member to said stent member.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
30 words
23 . The stent-graft of claim 22 wherein said ribbon is arranged to include multiple helical turns, at least one of said turns being spaced from a turn adjacent thereto.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
20 words
24 . The stent-graft of claim 22 wherein said ribbon has a generally flat portion that faces said graft member.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
31 words
25 . The stent-graft of claim 22 wherein said stent member is tubular, said stent and graft member are generally coaxial, and said graft member is disposed in said stent member.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
98 words
26 . A stent-graft comprising: a stent member having an inner surface and an outer surface, said stent member including a first member and a second member, said first member being arranged in a helical configuration with multiple helical turns, said second member coupling adjacent helical turns; a generally tubular graft member having an inner surface and an outer surface, one of said stent and graft members surrounding at least a portion of the other; and a coupling member coupling less than entirely one of said inner and outer surfaces of said graft member to said stent member.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
98 words
26 . A stent-graft comprising: a stent member having an inner surface and an outer surface, said stent member including a first member and a second member, said first member being arranged in a helical configuration with multiple helical turns, said second member coupling adjacent helical turns; a generally tubular graft member having an inner surface and an outer surface, one of said stent and graft members surrounding at least a portion of the other; and a coupling member coupling less than entirely one of said inner and outer surfaces of said graft member to said stent member.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
49 words
27 . The stent-graft of claim 26 wherein said first member includes multiple undulations, each having an apex, said coupling member is helically arranged and spaced from said apexes to form therewith respective openings, said apexes being configured to permit unrestrained movement of said second member within said openings.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
119 words
28 . A stent-graft comprising: a generally tubular stent member having inner and outer circumferences, said stent member including a first member and second member, said first member being arranged, in a helical configuration with multiple helical turns and having multiple undulations, each undulation having an apex, said second member being threaded through adjacent apexes in adjacent turns to maintain undulations in adjacent turns generally in-phase with one another; a generally flat ribbon helically arranged and disposed to contact at least one of said inner and outer circumferences of said stent member and forming multiple windings spaced from one another; and a generally tubular graft member disposed within said stent member portions of which are secured to said ribbon.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
119 words
28 . A stent-graft comprising: a generally tubular stent member having inner and outer circumferences, said stent member including a first member and second member, said first member being arranged, in a helical configuration with multiple helical turns and having multiple undulations, each undulation having an apex, said second member being threaded through adjacent apexes in adjacent turns to maintain undulations in adjacent turns generally in-phase with one another; a generally flat ribbon helically arranged and disposed to contact at least one of said inner and outer circumferences of said stent member and forming multiple windings spaced from one another; and a generally tubular graft member disposed within said stent member portions of which are secured to said ribbon.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
38 words
29 . The stent-graft of claim 28 wherein said helically wound ribbon is generally spaced from said apexes and forms therewith respective openings, said apexes being configured to permit unrestrained movement of said second member within said openings.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
93 words
30 . A method of deploying a stent-graft comprising the steps of: placing a first end of a variable length stent-graft having an inner graft member, an outer, helically wound stent coupled to said graft member by a helically wound ribbon with spaced apart turns, at a first site in a mammal; moving the second end of the stent-graft toward a second site in a mammal; lengthening the stent-graft if the second end does not reach the second site; and shortening of the stent-graft if the second end extends beyond the second site.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
93 words
30 . A method of deploying a stent-graft comprising the steps of: placing a first end of a variable length stent-graft having an inner graft member, an outer, helically wound stent coupled to said graft member by a helically wound ribbon with spaced apart turns, at a first site in a mammal; moving the second end of the stent-graft toward a second site in a mammal; lengthening the stent-graft if the second end does not reach the second site; and shortening of the stent-graft if the second end extends beyond the second site.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
49 words
31 . A process for making a stent graft comprising: (a) placing a graft around a mandrel; (b) positioning a stent having undulations around said graft; and (c) covering a portion of said stent and graft with a coupling member having a flat surface, to form a stent-graft assembly.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
49 words
31 . A process for making a stent graft comprising: (a) placing a graft around a mandrel; (b) positioning a stent having undulations around said graft; and (c) covering a portion of said stent and graft with a coupling member having a flat surface, to form a stent-graft assembly.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
25 words
32 . The process according to claim 31 further comprising the step of: (a1) prior to step (a), placing a cushioning layer around the mandrel.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
36 words
33 . The process according to claim 31 , wherein said covering step comprises helically wrapping the coupling member around the stent whereby adjacent turns of the helically wrapper coupling member are spaced from one another.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
36 words
34 . The process according to claim 32 , wherein said covering step comprises helically wrapping the coupling member around the stent whereby adjacent turns of the helically wrapper coupling member are spaced from one another.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
21 words
35 . The process according to claim 32 wherein the coupling member is bonded to an outer surface of the graft.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
28 words
36 . The process according to claim 31 further comprising the step of: (d) placing a sheath around the assembly of step (c) to form a compressed assembly.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
29 words
37 . The process according to claim 35 further comprising the step of: (e) heating the tensioned assembly of step (d) to bond the coupling member to the graft.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
38 words
38 . The process according to claim 34 further comprising: (d) placing a tubular sheath having a longitudinal slit around the assembly of step (c); and (e) helically wrapping a film around the sheath to compress the assembly.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
18 words
39 . The processing according to claim 36 wherein the sheath includes a helical wrapping of PTFE film.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
22 words
40 . The stent-graft of claim 16 wherein one side of said ribbon has a coating of a fluorinated ethylene propylene polymer.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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