Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
75 words
A method of installing a vascular graft comprising the steps of: inserting the graft intraluminially to an operative site; positioning the graft across a damaged portion of a blood vessel; expanding a flange of the graft into a vessel to form a raised portion on an exterior surface of the vessel; and applying surgical clips to the raised portion such that vessel tissue is compressed about the flange to capture the graft within the vessel.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
75 words
A method of installing a vascular graft comprising the steps of: inserting the graft intraluminially to an operative site; positioning the graft across a damaged portion of a blood vessel; expanding a flange of the graft into a vessel to form a raised portion on an exterior surface of the vessel; and applying surgical clips to the raised portion such that vessel tissue is compressed about the flange to capture the graft within the vessel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of applying the surgical clips comprises deforming legs of the clip about the vessel tissue without penetrating the tissue.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
72 words
The method as recited in claim 2 further comprising the steps of: providing a flange on a second end portion of the graft, expanding the flange of the second end portion into a vessel forming a raised portion on an exterior surface of the vessel; and atraumatically applying surgical clips to the raised portion such that vessel tissue is sandwiched and compressed about the flange to capture the graft within the vessel.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of expanding the flange is performed using a balloon catheter.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of expanding the flange comprises advancing a pusher to contact and cam the flange outwardly.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the graft further comprises a second end portion, the second end portion having a first leg and a second leg and the step of inserting the graft comprises placing the legs in arteries of a bifurcated vessel portion.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method as recited in claim 6 wherein the vessel is the aorta and the first and second arteries are iliac arteries.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
70 words
The method as recited in claim 6 wherein the first leg has a flanged end and further comprising the steps of: expanding the flanged end of the first leg into the vessel forming a raised portion on an exterior surface of the vessel; and atraumatically applying surgical clips to the raised portion such that vessel tissue is sandwiched and compressed about the flange to capture the graft within the vessel.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method as recited in claim 6 wherein the step of expanding the flanged end of the first leg is performed using a balloon catheter.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
70 words
The method as recited in claim 8 wherein the second leg has a flanged end and further comprising the steps of: expanding the flanged end of the second leg into a vessel forming a raised portion on an exterior surface of the vessel; and atraumatically applying surgical clips to the raised portion such that vessel tissue is sandwiched and compressed about the flange to capture the graft within the vessel.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method as recited in claim 10 wherein the step of expanding the flanged end of the second leg is performed using a balloon catheter.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
114 words
A vascular graft system comprising: a tubular body having a first end portion, a second end portion and an exterior surface, the first end portion having a flange extending radially thereabout for engaging an uninterrupted inner wall of a vessel to create a radially expanded portion of the vessel adjacent to the first end portion; the second end portion having a flange extending radially thereabout for engaging an uninterrupted inner wall of a vessel to create a radially expanded portion of the vessel adjacent to the second end portion, a plurality of atraumatic surgical clips configured to engage an outer surface of the vessel adjacent the flanges of the first and second end portions.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
114 words
A vascular graft system comprising: a tubular body having a first end portion, a second end portion and an exterior surface, the first end portion having a flange extending radially thereabout for engaging an uninterrupted inner wall of a vessel to create a radially expanded portion of the vessel adjacent to the first end portion; the second end portion having a flange extending radially thereabout for engaging an uninterrupted inner wall of a vessel to create a radially expanded portion of the vessel adjacent to the second end portion, a plurality of atraumatic surgical clips configured to engage an outer surface of the vessel adjacent the flanges of the first and second end portions.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
41 words
A vascular graft system as recited in claim 12, wherein the second end portion includes two tubular legs, each of the legs defining a bore in fluid communication with a bore defined within the body, and each leg having a flange.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
86 words
A vascular graft system comprising a tubular body having first end portion, a second end portion and an exterior surface, the first end portion having a flange extending radially thereabout for distending a vessel wall to create a radially expanded portion of the vessel wall; wherein the second end portion is remote from the first end portion, the second end portion having a flange and a plurality of surgical clips configured to radially engage the expanded portion of the vessel wall adjacent the first end portion.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
86 words
A vascular graft system comprising a tubular body having first end portion, a second end portion and an exterior surface, the first end portion having a flange extending radially thereabout for distending a vessel wall to create a radially expanded portion of the vessel wall; wherein the second end portion is remote from the first end portion, the second end portion having a flange and a plurality of surgical clips configured to radially engage the expanded portion of the vessel wall adjacent the first end portion.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
A vascular graft system as recited in claim 14, further comprising a plurality of spaced apart flanges formed on the exterior surface of the graft.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
A vascular graft system as recited in claim 14, wherein the plurality of surgical clips are atraumatic.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
110 words
A vascular graft system comprising a tubular body having a first end portion, a second end portion and an exterior surface, the first end portion having a flange extending radially threabout for distending a vessel wall to create a radially expanded portion of the vessel wall wherein the second end portion is remote from the first end portion, the second end portion having two tubular legs, each of the legs defining a bore, and the main body defining a bore in communication with the bores of the legs; and a plurality of surgical clips configured to radially engage the expanded portion of the vessel wall adjacent the first end portion.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
110 words
A vascular graft system comprising a tubular body having a first end portion, a second end portion and an exterior surface, the first end portion having a flange extending radially threabout for distending a vessel wall to create a radially expanded portion of the vessel wall wherein the second end portion is remote from the first end portion, the second end portion having two tubular legs, each of the legs defining a bore, and the main body defining a bore in communication with the bores of the legs; and a plurality of surgical clips configured to radially engage the expanded portion of the vessel wall adjacent the first end portion.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
20 words
A vascular graft system as recited in claim 13 wherein at least one of the legs has a flanged portion.