Aneurysm repair apparatus and method

Claim 5

The method for repairing inside the body a damaged section of a blood vessel as defined in claim 1, wherein: a. the damaged section is an infra-renal abdominal aortic aneurysm; b. the incision is made in one of the femoral arteries; and c. the occlusion catheter is opened upstream of the aneurysm but downstream of the renal arteries.

Claim 6

The method for repairing inside the body a damaged section of a blood vessel as defined in claim 3, wherein: a. the graft is adhered to the aorta downstream of the renal arteries but upstream of the aneurysm, and downstream of the aneurysm, but upstream of the iliac arteries.

Claim 7

The method for repairing inside the body a damaged section of a blood vessel as defined in claim 3, wherein: a. the graft extends into the iliac arteries and is fenestrated to permit flow of blood to both iliac arteries; and b. the graft is adhered to the aorta downstream of the renal arteries but upstream of the aneurysm, to the aorta downstream of the aneurysm, but upstream of the iliac arteries, and to one of the iliac arteries downstream of the bifurcation of the aorta into the iliac arteries.

Claim 8

The method for repairing inside the body a damaged section of a blood vessel as defined in claim 3, wherein: a. the graft extends into the iliac arteries and is fenestrated to permit flow of blood to both iliac arteries; and b. the graft is adhered to the aorta downstream of the renal arteries but upstream of the aneurysm, and to one of the iliac arteries downstream of the bifurcation of the aorta into the iliac arteries.

Claim 9

The method for repairing inside the body a damaged section of a blood vessel as defined in claim 1, further comprising: a. covering temporarily the outer periphery of the graft with a protective sleeve which is withdrawn after feeding of the graft in the vessel to expose the outer periphery of the graft for contact to the vessel by the second catheter.

Claim 10

Apparatus for repairing within the body a damaged section of a blood vessel, comprising: a. an occlusion catheter for insertion into the blood vessel at an incision downstream of the damaged section; b. an expandable and collapsible, nonporous stopper at the proximal end of the occlusion catheter which is expanded upstream of the damaged section to block the flow of blood through the vessel; c. a generally tubular prosthetic graft of a length longer than the damaged section of the vessel; d. a second catheter, covered by the graft and having a portion expandable in diameter, for insertion of the graft into the vessel; e. an adhesive applied to the outer periphery of the graft; and f. means for expanding the portion of the second catheter to effect contact and adhesion of the outer periphery of the graft to healthy portions of the vessel.

Claim 11

Apparatus for repairing within the body a damaged section of a blood vessel, comprising: a. an occlusion catheter for insertion into the blood vessel at an incision downstream of the damaged section; b. an expandable and collapsible, nonporous stopper at the proximal end of the occlusion catheter which is expanded upstream of the damaged section to block the flow of blood through the vessel; c. a generally tubular prosthetic graft of a length longer than the damaged section of the vessel; d. a second catheter, covered by the graft and having a portion expandable in diameter, for insertion of the graft into the vessel; e. an adhesive applied to the outer periphery of the graft; and f. means for expanding the portion of the second catheter to effect contact and adhesion of the outer periphery of the graft to healthy portions of the vessel.

Claim 12

The apparatus for repairing within the body a damaged section of a blood vessel as defined in claim 8, wherein said stopper includes: a. a forward ring member; b. a rearward ring member fixed to the proximal end of the occlusion catheter; c. a plurality of radially extended rib members hingedly attached at their inner ends to the forward ring member; d. a plurality of support members each hingedly attached at its inner end to the rearward ring member and at its forward end to one of the plurality of rib members; e. a nonporous cover over the forward ring member and the plurality of rib members; f. a helical spring located between the forward and rearward ring members; and g. a control cord attached to the center of the cover and extended along the central axis of the occlusion catheter and outwardly from the distal end of the occlusion catheter, which cord is pulled to compress the spring and expand the transverse diameter of the stopper, and which cord is released to permit the spring to extend to collapse the stopper.

Claim 13

The apparatus for repairing within the body a damaged section of a blood vessel as defined in claim 9, wherein: a. the control cord is hollow and communicates from the distal end of the occlusion catheter to a plurality of dye ports for the emission of dye upstream and downstream of the cover.

Claim 14

Apparatus for repairing within the body an infra-renal abdominal aortic aneurysm, comprising: a. an occlusion catheter for insertion into an incision in the femoral artery; b. an expandable and collapsable, nonporous stopper at the proximal end of the occlusion catheter, which stopper is expanded within the aorta upstream of the aneurysm but downstream of the renal arteries to block the flow of blood through the aneurysm and the femoral arteries but not through the renal arteries; c. a generally tubular prosthetic graft of double-woven Dacron having a length greater than that of the aneurysm; d. an adhesive applied to the outer periphery of the graft; e. a collapsed balloon catheter which temporarily receives as a sleeve the graft and which is inserted into the femoral artery and aorta about the occlusion catheter; f. a protective sleeve which temporarily covers the graft during insertion into the aorta; and g. compressed gas to inflate the balloon catheter to contact and adhere to healthy sections of the aorta on either side of the aneurysm sections of the graft exposed by withdrawal of the protective sleeve.

Claim 15

Apparatus for repairing within the body an infra-renal abdominal aortic aneurysm, comprising: a. an occlusion catheter for insertion into an incision in the femoral artery; b. an expandable and collapsable, nonporous stopper at the proximal end of the occlusion catheter, which stopper is expanded within the aorta upstream of the aneurysm but downstream of the renal arteries to block the flow of blood through the aneurysm and the femoral arteries but not through the renal arteries; c. a generally tubular prosthetic graft of double-woven Dacron having a length greater than that of the aneurysm; d. an adhesive applied to the outer periphery of the graft; e. a collapsed balloon catheter which temporarily receives as a sleeve the graft and which is inserted into the femoral artery and aorta about the occlusion catheter; f. a protective sleeve which temporarily covers the graft during insertion into the aorta; and g. compressed gas to inflate the balloon catheter to contact and adhere to healthy sections of the aorta on either side of the aneurysm sections of the graft exposed by withdrawal of the protective sleeve.