Stent graft device for treating abdominal aortic aneurysms

Claim 1

A stent graft device for deployment within an aorta having a restricted section with an inner diameter and a bifurcation into iliac arteries each having an inner diameter measured at a first location, the inner diameter of said restricted section being smaller than a sum of the iliac inner diameters, the graft comprising a proximal main tubular portion to be retained within an upper portion of the aorta and having a first diameter and two tubular limbs depending from the proximal main tubular portion, each limb having a second diameter and a distal end portion for deployment inside an associated iliac artery against an inner surface of the iliac artery at the first location, the distal end portion defining a third diameter larger than the second diameter, wherein the sum of the two second diameters is less than the inner diameter of said restricted section and each tubular limb comprises a concave transition portion extending from the second diameter to the third diameter.

Claim 9

A method of treating an afflicted portion of an aorta, the method comprising the steps of: identifying an aorta having a restricted section with an inner diameter and having an inner surface bifurcation into iliac arteries each having an inner diameter measured at a first location and an inner surface, the aorta inner diameter being smaller than the sum of the iliac inner diameters, implanting a stent graft device comprising a proximal main tubular portion having a first diameter and two tubular limbs depending from the main tubular portion, each limb having a second diameter and a distal end portion, the distal end portion having a third diameter larger than the second diameter and, at a location such that: (i) said main proximal portion is disposed within an upper portion of the aorta; (ii) each of said tubular limbs is disposed inside an associated iliac artery; and (iii) the distal end portion is disposed within one of said iliac arteries and restricted from full expansion by the iliac artery inner surface at the first location, wherein the second diameters of each of said two tubular limbs are sufficiently small to allow both tubular limbs to be deployed side-by-side in a fully expanded state within the inner diameter of said restricted section without being constrained by the aorta inner surface and wherein each tubular limb comprises a concave transition portion extending from the second diameter to the third diameter.

Claim 10

A method of treating an afflicted portion of an aorta, the method comprising the steps of: identifying an aorta having a restricted section with an inner diameter and having an inner surface bifurcation into iliac arteries each having an inner diameter measured at a first location and an inner surface, the aorta inner diameter being smaller than the sum of the iliac inner diameters, implanting a stent graft device comprising a proximal main tubular portion having a first diameter and two tubular limbs depending from the main tubular portion, each limb having a second diameter and a distal end portion, the distal end portion having a third diameter larger than the second diameter and, at a location such that: (i) said main proximal portion is disposed within an upper portion of the aorta; (ii) each of said tubular limbs is disposed inside an associated iliac artery; and (iii) the distal end portion is disposed within one of said iliac arteries and restricted from full expansion by the iliac artery inner surface at the first location, wherein the second diameters of each of said two tubular limbs are sufficiently small to allow both tubular limbs to be deployed side-by-side in a fully expanded state within the inner diameter of said restricted section without being constrained by the aorta inner surface and wherein each tubular limb comprises a concave transition portion extending from the second diameter to the third diameter.