| Expandable intraluminal graft -> Monitor Keywords |
|
|
  Expandable intraluminal graftRelated Patent Categories: Prosthesis (i.e., Artificial Body Members), Parts Thereof, Or Aids And Accessories Therefor, Arterial Prosthesis (i.e., Blood Vessel), Stent Structure, Having Multiple Connected BodiesExpandable intraluminal graft description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060149353, Expandable intraluminal graft. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] This application is a continuation of Ser. No. 10/449,558, filed May 30, 2003, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 10/062,869, filed Jan. 31, 2002, now abandoned, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 09/287,444, filed Apr. 7, 1999, now abandoned, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 07/980,667, filed Nov. 24, 1992, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,902,332, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 07/657,296, filed Feb. 19, 1991, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,195,984, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 07/253,115, filed Oct. 4, 1988, now abandoned. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The invention relates to an expandable intraluminal graft for use within a body passageway or duct and, more particularly, expandable intraluminal vascular grafts which are particularly useful for repairing blood vessels narrowed or occluded by disease; and a method and apparatus for implanting expandable intraluminal grafts. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART [0003] Intraluminal endovascular grafting has been demonstrated by experimentation to present a possible alternative to conventional vascular surgery. Intraluminal endovascular grafting involves the percutaneous insertion into a blood vessel of a tubular prosthetic graft and its delivery via a catheter to the desired location within the vascular system. Advantages of this method over conventional vascular surgery include obviating the need for surgically exposing, incising, removing, replacing, or bypassing the defective blood vessel. [0004] Structures which have previously been used as intraluminal vascular grafts have included coiled stainless steel springs; helically wound coil springs manufactured from an expandable heat-sensitive material; and expanding stainless steel stents formed of stainless steel wire in a zig-zag pattern. In general, the foregoing structures have one major disadvantage in common. Insofar as these structures must be delivered to the desired location within a given body passageway in a collapsed state, in order to pass through the body passageway, there is no effective control over the final, expanded configuration of each structure. For example, the expansion of a particular coiled spring-type graft is predetermined by the spring constant and modulus of elasticity of the particular material utilized to manufacture the coiled spring structure. These same factors predetermine the amount of expansion of collapsed stents formed of stainless steel wire in a zig-zag pattern. In the case of intraluminal grafts, or prostheses, formed of a heat sensitive material which expands upon heating, the amount of expansion is likewise predetermined by the heat expansion characteristics of the particular alloy utilized in the manufacture of the intraluminal graft. [0005] Thus, once the foregoing types of intraluminal grafts are expanded at the desired location within a body passageway, such as within an artery or vein, the expanded size of the graft cannot be changed. If the diameter of the desired body passageway has been miscalculated, an undersized graft might not expand enough to contact the interior surface of the body passageway, so as to be secured thereto. It may then migrate away from the desired location within the body passageway. Likewise, an oversized graft might expand to such an extent that the spring force, or expansion force, exerted by the graft upon the body passageway could cause rupturing of the body passageway. Further, the constant outwardly radiating force exerted upon the interior surface of the body passageway can cause erosion of the internal surface, or intima, of the artery or body passageway. [0006] Another alternative to conventional vascular surgery has been percutaneous balloon dilation of elastic vascular stenoses, or blockages, through use of a catheter mounted angioplasty balloon. In this procedure, the angioplasty balloon is inflated within the stenosed vessel, or body passageway, in order to shear and disrupt the wall components of the vessel to obtain an enlarged lumen. With respect to arterial atheroscleerotic lesions, the relatively incompressible plaque remains unaltered, while the more elastic medial and adventitial layers of the body passageway stretch around the plaque. This process produces dissection, or a splitting and tearing, of the body passageway wall layers, wherein the intima, or internal surface of the artery or body passageway, suffers fissuring. This dissection forms a "flap" of underlying tissue which may reduce the blood flow through the lumen, or block the lumen. Typically, the distending intraluminal pressure within the body passageway can hold the disrupted layer or flap, in place. If the intimal flap created by the balloon dilation procedure is not maintained in place against the expanded intima, the intimal flap can fold down into the lumen and close off the lumen, or may even become detached and enter the body passageway. When the intimal flap closes off the body passageway, immediate surgery is necessary to correct this problem. [0007] Although the balloon dilation procedure is typically conducted in the catheterization lab of a hospital, because of the foregoing problem, it is always necessary to have a surgeon on call should the intimal flap block the blood vessel or body passageway. Further, because of the possibility of the intimal flap tearing away from the blood vessel and blocking the lumen, balloon dilations cannot be performed upon certain critical body passageways, such as the left main coronary artery, which leads into the heart. If an intimal flap formed by a balloon dilation procedure abruptly comes down and closes off a critical body passageway, such as the left main coronary artery, the patient could die before any surgical procedures could be performed. [0008] Additional disadvantages associated with balloon dilation of elastic vascular stenoses is that many fail because of elastic recoil of the stenotic lesion. This usually occurs due to a high fibrocollagenous content in the lesion and is sometimes due to certain mechanical characteristics of the area to be dilated. Thus, although the body passageway may initially be successfully expanded by a balloon dilation procedure, subsequent, early restenosis can occur due to the recoil of the body passageway wall which decreases the size of the previously expanded lumen of the body passageway. For example, stenoses of the renal artery at the ostium are known to be refractory to balloon dilation because the dilating forces are applied to the aortic wall rather than to the renal artery itself. Vascular stenoses caused by neointimal fibrosis, such as those seen in dialysis-access fistulas, have proved to be difficult to dilate, requiring high dilating pressures and larger balloon diameters. Similar difficulties have been observed in angioplasties of graft-artery anastomotic strictures and postendarterectomy recurrent stenoses. Percutaneous angioplasty of Takayasu arteritis and neurofibromatosis arterial stenoses may show poor initial response and recurrence which is believed due to the fibrotic nature of these lesions. [0009] For repairing blood vessels narrowed or occluded by disease, or repairing other body passageways, the length of the body passageway which requires repair, as by the insertion of a tubular prosthetic graft, may present problems if the length of the required graft cannot negotiate the curves or bends of the body passageway through which the graft is passed by the catheter. In other words, in many instances, it is necessary to support a length of tissue within a body passageway by a graft, wherein the length of the required graft exceeds the length of a graft which can be readily delivered via a catheter to the desired location within the vascular system. Some grafts do not have the requisite ability to bend so as to negotiate the curves and bends present within the vascular system, particularly prostheses or grafts which are relatively rigid and resist bending with respect to their longitudinal axes. [0010] Accordingly, prior to the development of the present invention, there has been no expandable intraluminal vascular graft for expanding the lumen of a body passageway, which: prevents recurrence of stenoses in the body passageway; can be utilized for critical body passageways, such as the left main coronary artery of a patient's heart; prevents recoil of the body passageway wall; allows the intraluminal graft to be expanded to a variable size to prevent migration of the graft away from the desired location and prevents rupturing and/or erosion of the body passageway by the expanded graft; permits tissue of an elongated section of a body passageway to be supported by an elongated graft; and provides the necessary flexibility to negotiate the bends and curves in the vascular system. Therefore, the art has sought an expandable intraluminal vascular graft which: prevents recurrence of stenoses in the body passageway; is believed to be able to be utilized in critical body passageways, such as the left main coronary artery of the heart; prevents recoil of the body passageway; can be expanded to a variable size within the body passageway to prevent migration of the graft away from the desired location and to prevent rupturing and/or erosion of the body passageway by the expanded graft; permits tissue of an elongated section of a body passageway to be supported by an elongated graft; and provides the necessary flexibility to negotiate the bends and curves in the vascular system. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0011] In accordance with the invention, the foregoing advantages have been achieved by the present expandable intraluminal vascular graft. The present invention includes a plurality of thin-walled tubular members, each having first and second ends and a wall surface disposed between the first and second ends, the wall surface having a substantially uniform thickness and a plurality of slots formed therein, the slots being disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of each tubular member; a single connector member being disposed between adjacent tubular members to flexibly connect adjacent tubular members, the single connector member being disposed in a substantially parallel relationship with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tubular members and coplanar with each tubular member; each tubular member having a first diameter which permits intraluminal delivery of the tubular members into a body passageway having a lumen; and the tubular members having a second, expanded and deformed diameter, upon the application from the interior of the tubular members of a radially, outwardly extending force, which second diameter is variable and dependent upon the amount of force applied to the tubular members, whereby the tubular members may be expanded and deformed to expand the lumen of the body passageway. [0012] A further feature of the present invention is that the single connector member may be a thin-walled, elongate bar member, coplanar with adjacent tubular members. An additional feature of the present invention is that a first connector member may be disposed between the second end of a first tubular member and the first end of a second tubular member; a second connector member may be disposed between the second end of the second tubular member and the first end of a third tubular member; the first and second connector members being angularly offset from one another with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tubular members. [0013] The expandable intraluminal vascular graft of the present invention, when compared with previously proposed prior art intraluminal grafts, has the advantages of: preventing recurrence of stenoses; is believed to permit implantation of grafts in critical body passageways, such as in the left main coronary artery of the heart; prevents recoil of the body passageway; prevents erosion of the body passageway by the expanded graft; permits expansion of the graft to a variable size dependent upon conditions within the body passageway; permits tissue of an elongated section of a body passageway to be supported by an elongated graft; and provides the necessary flexibility to negotiate the bends and curves in tortuous body passageways, such as the vascular system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF TILE DRAWINGS [0014] In the drawings: [0015] FIG. 1A is a perspective view of an expandable intraluminal vascular graft, or prosthesis for a body passageway, having a first diameter which permits delivery of the graft, or prosthesis, into a body passageway; [0016] FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the graft, or prosthesis, of FIG. 1A, in its expanded configuration when disposed within a body passageway; [0017] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the prosthesis taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1B; [0018] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus for intraluminally reinforcing a body passageway, or for expanding the lumen of a body passageway, illustrating a prosthesis, or intraluminal vascular graft, in the configuration shown in FIG. 1A; [0019] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus for intraluminally reinforcing a body passageway, or for expanding the lumen of a body passageway, with the graft, or prosthesis, in the configurations shown in FIG. 1B; [0020] FIGS. 5 and 6 are perspective views of prostheses for a body passageway, with the grafts, or prostheses, having a coating thereon; Continue reading about Expandable intraluminal graft... Full patent description for Expandable intraluminal graft Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Expandable intraluminal graft patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Expandable intraluminal graft or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Bearing structure Next Patent Application: Expandable medical device for delivery of beneficial agent Industry Class: Prosthesis (i.e., artificial body members), parts thereof, or aids and accessories therefor ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Expandable intraluminal graft patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.42316 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Medical: Surgery , Surgery(2) , Surgery(3) , Drug , Drug(2) , Prosthesis , Dentistry |
||
