Double-Walled Stent System

Claim 2

1 . A stent system for use within a body lumen, the system comprising: an interior stent component having a proximal end, a distal end, and a generally tubular cylindrical body defining a central flow lumen therethrough; an exterior stent component including a plurality of longitudinally-extending connectors radially positioned around the tubular body of the interior stent component; and means for securing the exterior stent component to the interior stent component in a non-fixed, sliding relationship, wherein the longitudinally-extending connectors of the exterior stent component are configured to bow radially outward against a vessel wall of the body lumen and the interior stent component is radially positioned within the longitudinally-extending connectors of the exterior stent component when the stent system is in a radially expanded configuration.

Claim 3

2 . The stent system of claim 1 , wherein means for securing include at least one hook disposed on the outer surface of the interior stent component, wherein the hook defines a receptacle for receiving a longitudinally-extending connector.

Claim 4

3 . The stent system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one hook includes a strand of material having a first end and a second end, the first and second ends being connected to the interior stent component to define the receptacle.

Claim 5

4 . The stent system of claim 2 , wherein a filament is woven around a circumference of the interior stent component to define a plurality of hooks.

Claim 6

5 . The stent system of claim 1 , wherein means for securing include a portion of each longitudinally-extending connector woven through openings in the interior stent component.

Claim 7

6 . The stent system of claim 5 , wherein the interior stent component includes a plurality of adjacent stent struts aligned so as to form the tubular cylindrical body of the interior stent component, and a proximal portion of each of the longitudinally-extending connectors is woven through the opening between the plurality of adjacent stent struts at the proximal end of the interior stent component and a distal portion of each of the longitudinally-extending connectors is woven through the opening between the plurality of adjacent stent struts at the distal end of the interior stent component.

Claim 8

7 . The stent system of claim 1 , wherein a proximal end of each longitudinally-extending connector extends proximal to a proximal end of the interior stent component and a distal end of each longitudinally-extending connector extends distal to a distal end of the interior stent component.

Claim 9

8 . The stent system of claim 7 , wherein the interior stent component is longitudinally centered between the proximal and distal ends of the longitudinally-extending connectors.

Claim 10

9 . The stent system of claim 1 , wherein each longitudinally-extending connector is a band having a first end and a second end, wherein the first and second ends of the band are slightly curved in a radially outward direction.

Claim 11

10 . The stent system of claim 1 , wherein the longitudinally-extending connectors are self-expanding.

Claim 12

11 . The stent system of claim 1 , wherein in the radially expanded configuration the longitudinally-extending connectors of the exterior stent component undergo greater radial expansion than the interior stent component such that the interior stent component makes little to no contact with a wall of the body lumen.

Claim 13

12 . The stent system of claim 1 , wherein the longitudinally-extending connectors extend generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the exterior stent component.

Claim 14

13 . The stent system of claim 1 , further comprising: a valve located within the central flow lumen of the interior stent component, wherein nonporous graft material covers at least a portion of the interior stent component.

Claim 15

14 . A stent system for use within a body lumen, the system comprising: an interior stent component having a proximal end, a distal end, and a generally tubular cylindrical body defining a central flow lumen therethrough, the interior stent component including a plurality of hooks disposed around a circumference of the proximal end and the distal end of the interior stent component, wherein each hook defines a receptacle; and an exterior stent component including a plurality of longitudinally-extending connectors radially positioned around the tubular body of the interior stent component, wherein each of the longitudinally-extending connectors is disposed through one of receptacles at the proximal end and one of the receptacles at the distal end of the interior stent component such that the exterior stent component is secured to the interior stent component in a non-fixed, sliding relationship, wherein the longitudinally-extending connectors of the exterior stent component are configured to bow radially outward against a vessel wall of the body lumen and the interior stent component is radially positioned within the longitudinally-extending connectors of the exterior stent component when the stent system is in a radially expanded configuration.

Claim 16

14 . A stent system for use within a body lumen, the system comprising: an interior stent component having a proximal end, a distal end, and a generally tubular cylindrical body defining a central flow lumen therethrough, the interior stent component including a plurality of hooks disposed around a circumference of the proximal end and the distal end of the interior stent component, wherein each hook defines a receptacle; and an exterior stent component including a plurality of longitudinally-extending connectors radially positioned around the tubular body of the interior stent component, wherein each of the longitudinally-extending connectors is disposed through one of receptacles at the proximal end and one of the receptacles at the distal end of the interior stent component such that the exterior stent component is secured to the interior stent component in a non-fixed, sliding relationship, wherein the longitudinally-extending connectors of the exterior stent component are configured to bow radially outward against a vessel wall of the body lumen and the interior stent component is radially positioned within the longitudinally-extending connectors of the exterior stent component when the stent system is in a radially expanded configuration.

Claim 17

15 . The stent system of claim 14 , wherein each hook includes a strand of material having a first end and a second end, the first and second ends being connected to the interior stent component to define the receptacle.

Claim 18

16 . The stent system of claim 14 , wherein a filament is woven around the circumference of the interior stent component to define the plurality of hooks.

Claim 19

17 . The stent system of claim 14 , wherein each longitudinally-extending connector is a band having a first end and a second end, wherein the first and second ends of the band are slightly curved in a radially outward direction.

Claim 20

18 . The stent system of claim 14 , wherein the longitudinally-extending connectors are self-expanding.

Claim 21

19 . The stent system of claim 14 , wherein in the radially expanded configuration the longitudinally-extending connectors of the exterior stent component undergo greater radial expansion than the interior stent component such that the interior stent component makes little to no contact with a wall of the body lumen.

Claim 22

20 . A stent system for use within a body lumen, the system comprising: an interior stent component having a proximal end, a distal end, and a generally tubular cylindrical body defining a central flow lumen therethrough, wherein the interior stent component includes a plurality of adjacent stent struts aligned so as to form the tubular cylindrical body of the interior stent component; and an exterior stent component including a plurality of longitudinally-extending connectors radially positioned around the tubular body of the interior stent component, wherein a proximal portion of each of the longitudinally-extending connectors is woven through an opening between the plurality of adjacent stent struts at the proximal end of the interior stent component and a distal portion of each of the longitudinally-extending connectors is woven through an opening between the plurality of adjacent stent struts at the distal end of the interior stent component such that the exterior stent component is secured to the interior stent component in a non-fixed, sliding relationship, wherein the longitudinally-extending connectors of the exterior stent component are configured to bow radially outward against a vessel wall of the body lumen and the interior stent component is radially positioned within the longitudinally-extending connectors of the exterior stent component when the stent system is in a radially expanded configuration.

Claim 23

20 . A stent system for use within a body lumen, the system comprising: an interior stent component having a proximal end, a distal end, and a generally tubular cylindrical body defining a central flow lumen therethrough, wherein the interior stent component includes a plurality of adjacent stent struts aligned so as to form the tubular cylindrical body of the interior stent component; and an exterior stent component including a plurality of longitudinally-extending connectors radially positioned around the tubular body of the interior stent component, wherein a proximal portion of each of the longitudinally-extending connectors is woven through an opening between the plurality of adjacent stent struts at the proximal end of the interior stent component and a distal portion of each of the longitudinally-extending connectors is woven through an opening between the plurality of adjacent stent struts at the distal end of the interior stent component such that the exterior stent component is secured to the interior stent component in a non-fixed, sliding relationship, wherein the longitudinally-extending connectors of the exterior stent component are configured to bow radially outward against a vessel wall of the body lumen and the interior stent component is radially positioned within the longitudinally-extending connectors of the exterior stent component when the stent system is in a radially expanded configuration.