Abstract: A stent graft (1) including a tubular wall (3) with at least one fenestration (40) including a peripheral (37) reinforcement around at least part of the fenestration. There can also be a tubular extension (15). The side arm includes a stent (19) and a cover (17) and extends from and is in fluid communication with the fenestration and the stent graft. The stent may be a self expanding stent. The ring and/or tubular extension provides better support and sealing for an extension arm. The fenestration (40) can be circular or if towards the ends of the stent graft may be in the form of a U-shape (50) with an open end.

Abstract: An endovascular stent graft assembly (10) for use with abdominal aorta aneurysms (70) and having a main stent graft body (12) and a separate attachment graft tube (14) that extends proximally therefrom having the proximal attachment stent (50) thereon for infrarenal attachment of the assembly (10) to the aorta (74). A distal end portion (44) of the attachment graft tube (14) underlies the proximal end portion (30) of the main stent graft body (12) and presses outwardly there against forming a friction fit, at an overlapping region (64). The main stent graft body (12) has an ipsilateral leg (22) and a contralateral stump (24) at the bifurcation (26). After deployment of the attachment graft tube (14), the contralateral leg (16) is deployed at the contralateral stump to complete the stent graft assembly (10).

Abstract: A stent graft (2) for treatment of an emergency rupture of, for instance, the aorta adjacent the aortic bifurcation. The stent graft comprising a tubular body (8) with a bifurcation (10) in the tubular body defining a first long leg (12) and a second short leg (14). The second leg has a valve arrangement (18) to prevent fluid flow through the second leg from the stent graft. The valve can be opened from external of the stent graft for the placement of a leg extension stent graft (90) therethrough.

Abstract: An ovum collection device (20) includes a handle (4) and a collection needle (3) extending from the handle. The collection needle has a sharpened tip (44) for insertion into a follicle of an ovary. A collection duct (5) in fluid communication with the collection needle extends from the handle to a collection bottle (6). A heating arrangement (14) is used to maintain the collection needle at a selected temperature to prevent damage to an oocyte. The heating arrangement may be associated with a needle guide (72) on an ultrasonic probe such as a transvaginal ultrasonic probe (70).

Abstract: An emergency transection intervention device has an elongated catheter (4) with a movable nose cone dilator (8) temporarily closing off the first end of the elongate catheter, a haemostatic seal (6) on a second end of the catheter and closing off the second end of the elongate catheter. First and second inflatable balloons (12, 14) are spaced apart on the elongate catheter, and there is an aperture (16) in the elongate catheter between the balloons and the haemostatic seal. The emergency transection intervention device can be deployed into a blood vessel of the human or animal body, during an emergency procedure for instance, with the balloons positioned either side of a damaged portion of the vessel and the balloons inflated such that a region of the vessel between the balloons is isolated. The nose cone dilator can then be advanced to allow blood flow through the elongate catheter and exit through the aperture in the elongate catheter to bypass the damaged portion of the vessel during repair.

Abstract: A stent arrangement (12) and a stent graft (2) for curved lumens of the body. The stent graft has a tubular body (4) of a graft material, at least a portion of which may be arcuate to define an inner curved side (4b) and an outer curved side (4a) at least when deployed into the curved vessel. The stent graft has a plurality of self expanding stents (10, 12, 13) affixed thereto with a greater distance (11a) between the stents on the outer curved side than on the inner curved side. The stents can be normal, tapered on one or both ends or skewed. When mounted onto a deployment device a twist (152, 154) may be provided in the graft material between adjacent stents to nest the stents.

Abstract: An endoluminal stent graft deployment system incorporating an anchor wire system for temporary anchoring of a stent graft on a delivery device. The anchor wire system has an anchor wire extending from the distal end of the device and releasably retained to the portion of the stent graft by a releasable retention system. The releasable retention system includes a bead on the proximal end of the anchor wire and an anchor release wire which has fastening arrangement to retain the release wire distally of the bead. The anchor release wire extends to a distal end of the deployment system so that the anchor wire release wire can be withdrawn thereby releasing the anchor wire.

Abstract: A device for use in culturing a cell is provided. The device comprises at least one cell culture chamber and a fluid reservoir. The cell culture chamber has a tapered side wall and is in fluid connection with the fluid reservoir via a fluid path which is connected to the culture chamber via an aperture in the culture chamber. The aperture is smaller than the diameter of the cell to be cultured such that the cell is maintained within the cell culture chamber.

Abstract: A leg extension (10) for a stent grafting system to connect between an aortic graft and an iliac graft. The leg extension is a tubular body (12) of a biocompatible graft material with self-expanding stents connected along the length of the tubular body and the tubular body having a distal end with a connection region. The connection region has a flared stent defining an external frusto-conical surface to provide a connection arrangement to engage within an internally flared portion of an iliac graft.

Abstract: A stent graft introducer has a nose cone dilator (8) and a distally opening capsule (18) on the nose cone dilator, a balloon guide (2, 30) extending into the capsule and affixed therein. Upon completion of deployment of a stent graft, a balloon catheter (96) including an inflatable balloon (98) thereon can be advanced over the balloon guide at least partially into the nose cone whereby the balloon can be inflated therein to provide a smooth transition from the nose cone to a delivery sheath (10) for retraction of the nose cone dilator through the deployed stent graft. The balloon guide can be a separate wire (30).

Abstract: A stent graft (10) is retained on an introducer (38) by retention of an exposed stent (16) of the stent graft to the introducer with trigger wires (44). The introducer has a trigger wire catheter (40) and four trigger wires and each trigger wire extending in a loop from the trigger wire catheter. The stent graft has a tubular body (12) of a graft material and an exposed stent joined to and extending from one end of the tubular body. The exposed stent is a self expanding Z stent with struts (20) and bends (22, 28, 30) between them. A pair of struts and a bend between define an apex a selected apex distance away from the tubular body. Adjacent apices of the exposed stent are different apex distances from the tubular body so that they stack under the trigger wires in an neat fashion. Distally extending barbs (26) on alternate struts of the exposed stent are spaced selected distances from their respective apices to prevent tangling during deployment.

Abstract: A multi-port stent graft delivery device (2) has an annular access lumen (26) between a delivery catheter (24) and a main sheath (6), at least one indwelling access sheath (28, 30) within the access lumen, and an indwelling guide wire (36, 38) within the or each access sheath and a stent graft (16) retained in the delivery device. Upon deployment of the stent graft into the vasculature of a patient the indwelling guide wire can be used to facilitate stabilisation of the access sheath during cathertisation of a side branch and deployment of a side arm covered or uncovered stent therein through the advanced access sheath. A manifold associated (4) with a handle provides a plurality of access ports (41, 43). A docking balloon may also be used.

Abstract: An endoluminal prosthesis system for a branched body lumen comprises a branch vessel prosthesis. The branch vessel prosthesis is deployable within a branch vessel body lumen and comprises a stent having a generally tubular body portion, a flareable proximal end portion, and a coupling portion disposed intermediate the body portion and the flareable portion. The coupling portion is preferably more crush-resistant than the body portion.

Abstract: A prosthesis assembly for deployment in an aorta to span an aortic aneurysm. The prosthesis assembly has at least first and second members (2,4) with an end portion (12) of one member (2) to be joined to an end portion (24) of the other member (4) when in and when expanded within a lumen of a patient. Each member (2,4) has a stent arrangement (10,25) associated with a graft arrangement (8,26). The end portion of one member has at least part of its stent arrangement on the inner surface of its graft arrangement and the end portion of the other member has at least part of its stent arrangement on the inner surface of its graft arrangement. Advantageously two stents are overlapped. The joining portions of the first and second members can have the same diameter.

Abstract: A stent graft introducer (1) which includes a handle arrangement which by telescopic movement of a slide or slide portions (104, 106) into a handle portion (100) causes controlled sequential deployment of a stent graft (14). Stops (218, 217, 218, 219) ensure actions are carried out in a selected order. A sheath (116) of the introducer is fixed to a slide portion such that with retraction of the slide portion the sheath is withdrawn from a stent graft retained on the introducer and at a selected position trigger wires retaining the stent graft onto the introducer are also released. Interconnections between the slides and the handle are provided to prevent relative rotation and re-extension after full retraction.

Abstract: A stent graft introducer actuation assembly (1) having a fixed handle (3) and at least one sliding handle (5, 7), the sliding handle or handles telescoping within the fixed handle, and a winch arrangement (9) to retract the sliding handle into the fixed handle. There may be provided arrangements to give a mechanical advantage to the winch arrangement.

Abstract: A stent graft (40) has a tubular body with a first bifurcation (54) with first and second legs (50, 52) extending from the bifurcation. One of the legs (52) has a further bifurcation (62) to define a side arm. The stent graft can be deployed into the vasculature of a patient with the tubular body being in an aorta of the patient, a first leg extending down an iliac artery, a second leg being directed towards a contralateral iliac artery and the side arm directed to an internal artery of one of the iliac arteries.

Abstract: A medical grasping device (1) has an elongate control member (9) with a grasping member (17) proximal to its distal tip. An outer sheath (3) with a passageway therethrough surrounds the elongate control member and is relatively movable with respect to the control member. A control assembly (2) disposed at a proximal end of said outer sheath has a fixed handle (5) and a sliding handle (7) and the proximal end of the elongate control member is fixed to the sliding handle to move the control member. The grasping member (17) has a plurality of pre-formed wire loops (50, 52, 54, 56) which self-deploy transversely upon emerging from said distal end of said outer sheath. Each wire loop is fastened to substantially opposite sides of the elongate control member so that each of said wire loops is substantially semi-circular upon full deployment and the respective ends (27, 29) of each wire loop extend substantially in opposite directions from the elongate control member.

Abstract: An introduction arrangement for a fenestrated or branched stent graft (13) intended for deployment into the lumen of a vessel having a blind vessel extending from it. The introducer (1) has a distal end intended to remain outside a patient in use and a proximal end with a nose cone dilator (11) and an arrangement to retain the branched stent graft distally of the nose cone dilator. A sheath (15) on the introducer extends over the branched stent graft to the nose cone dilator. An indwelling catheter (21) extends from the distal end of the introducer and enters the fenestration or side arm and through to the nose cone dilator, the indwelling catheter has a guide wire (29) extending through it. The guide wire can be extended beyond the nose cone dilator in use before the sheath is withdrawn from the branched stent graft so that it can be snared from the contra-lateral artery.

Abstract: A stent graft (10) has a tubular body (12) of a biocompatible material and at least one fenestration (18, 20). The or each fenestration has a tubular side branch stitched into it with a portion of the tubular side branch extending within the tubular body and a portion of the tubular side branch extending exteriorly of the tubular body. The stitching by which the tubular side branch is mounted into the fenestration extends circumferentially and diagonally from one end of the tubular side branch to the other such that the tubular side branch extends from the tubular body at an angle thereto. The tubular side branch has a resilient ring around at least one and preferably both ends thereof and a self expanding stent in between them. The tubular side branch can have a circumferential linear portion (46) at an inner end to engage against the inner wall (58) of the tubular body.