Abstract: A stent may be inserted into a vessel in order to open and then maintain the patency of the vessel. The stent has a strut design that increases the overall fatigue resistance of the stent. Each strut is tapered to better distribute strain and thus increase fatigue resistance. In addition, some of the struts may comprise protrusions to increase the pushability of the stent during loading into a delivery device.

Abstract: An aneurysmal repair system that utilizes a modified apex and delivery device is designed for accurate endoprosthesis delivery and deployment. The modified apex utilizes segments that overlap and hold one another down as well as the fixation barbs attached thereto. The delivery device holds or secures at least one section of the apex and may be easily released by retraction of a hold down member.

Abstract: A stent attachment and deployment mechanism is utilized to prevent the distal end of an endoprosthesis comprising fixation barbs or other fixation mechanism from deploying prior to the remaining sections of the fixation device. With this stent attachment and deployment mechanism accurate deployment may be achieved.

Abstract: An aneurysmal repair system that utilizes a modified apex and delivery device is designed for accurate endoprosthesis delivery and deployment. The modified apex utilizes segments that overlap and hold one another down as well as the fixation barbs attached thereto. The delivery device holds or secures at least one section of the apex and may be easily released by retraction of a hold down member.

Abstract: A stent provides a folded strut section that provides both structural rigidity and reduction in foreshortening of the stent mechanism. A flexible section provides flexibility for delivery of the stent mechanism. In a second embodiment, flexible section columns are angled with respect to each other, and to the longitudinal axis of the stent. These relatively flexible sections are oppositely phased in order to negate any torsion along their length. In yet another embodiment, the flexible connector can take on an undulating shape (like an “N”), but such that the longitudinal axis of the connector is not parallel with the longitudinal axis of the stent. Finally, a new method is disclosed for making stents.

Abstract: An aneurysmal repair system that utilizes a weave modification to increase the durability of the graft material. An additional material is affixed to the graft material proximate the area where it is attached to the underlying stent structure. Alternatively, or in addition to, the additional material may be attached to the elements attaching the graft to the underlying stent structure.

Abstract: An aneurysmal repair system that utilizes a modified intraluminal scaffold apex and a delta stitch suture to secure graft material to the scaffold structure allows for no relative movement between the graft material and the scaffold structure. The absence of relative movement reduces the wear on the graft material.

Abstract: Medical devices, and in particular implantable medical devices, including self-expanding stents, may be coated to minimize or substantially eliminate a biological organism's reaction to the introduction of the medical device to the organism. The devices utilized to deliver the implantable medical devices may be modified to reduce the potential for damaging the implantable medical device during deployment.

Abstract: A bi-directional steerable guidewire having a deflectable distal tip which comprises a longitudinal hypotube and an interlocking spring coil attached to the distal end of the hypotube and also includes a longitudinally movable deflection member which is attached to the distal end of the spring coil and a tip retaining member which extends from the distal end of the hypotube to the distal end of the spring coil for providing very precise deflection of the distal tip.

Abstract: An endoprosthesis for repairing and treating abdominal aortic aneurysms. The endoprosthesis features an anchoring and sealing component and low profile bifurcated legs. A biocompatible graft material is secured to at least the bifurcated legs in order to provide two endoleg fluid flow lumens or conduits. The bifurcated legs have staggered stent elements that nest to contribute to the low profile nature of the device and additional longitudinal struts between pair of the staggered stent elements to increase the longitudinal stiffness of the bifurcated legs while maintaining the patency of the lumen created thereby.

Abstract: Balloon catheter designs are disclosed where the as-molded distal tip portion assumes a generally non-linear configuration. The non-linear tip configuration minimizes the gap between the wall of the catheter and the guidewire when the catheter passes over the guidewire when threaded through tortuous portions of the vasculature. The edge of the tip portion may be bias-cut angled with respect to the axis of the catheter to further reduce the gap. The disclosure also describes methods to use the catheter designs.

Abstract: An endoluminal prosthesis useful for treatment of an abdominal aortic aneurysm includes a main body portion and two leg portions. The main body portion includes a graft material coupled to stents. The stents include an upper supra renal stent and sealing stents. The sealing length between the top of the graft material and the bottom of the uppermost sealing stent is minimized while avoiding stent overlap or otherwise compromising the crimped profile by connecting the apexes of the supra renal and sealing stents with a tether that is free to slide within the apexes. In addition, a pleat is provided at the top of the graft material at the attachment of the suprarenal and upper sealing stents to improve sealing. The tether and pleat also redistribute the downward force from blood flow to minimize the force carried by the attachment sites between the stent and graft.

Abstract: A stent is provided for an endoprosthesis having a main body portion and two leg portions, particularly suitable for treatment of an abdominal aortic aneurism. The stent includes barbs that are twisted and shaped set to point radially outward. Each barb, as formed, points substantially perpendicular relative to the longitudinal axis of the stent, even when in a non-deployed configuration. The motion to move the barb into a deployed configuration for gripping tissue is a twisting motion which moves the barb from being substantially aligned with the circumference of the stent to extending radially outwards from the stent.

Abstract: An abdominal aortic aneurysm repair device having an access port may be utilized to percutaneously access the aneurismal sac without disturbing the repair. The access port has a self-sealing member for maintaining the port in the normally closed position. The insertion of a percutaneous device into the port opens the port.

Abstract: A catheter with proximal and distal ends having a spiral centering device attached near the catheter distal end. The spiral centering device has at least one spiral strut having a proximal end and a distal end. The spiral centering device resiliently tends to center the distal end portion of the catheter, steering the catheter away from the vessel wall during insertion through the vasculature and toward the treatment site. The spiral centering catheter may facilitate access to tortuous anatomy by preventing the distal catheter tip from catching on irregularities in the lumenal surface. If a stent is provided on the catheter, the spiral centering catheter may also facilitate uniform stent expansion by stabilizing the catheter during stent deployment.

Abstract: An endoprosthetic device for treating abdominal aortic aneurysms using suprarenal fixation. A stent ring is anchored in an area above the renal arties using self-flaring barbs that project during the nitinol expansion process. Sutures extend from the stent ring to an area below the renal arties to a bifurcated trunk portion comprising a nitinol fabric on a non-kinking frame. The bifurcated trunk is sealed proximal the iliac arteries and includes iliac leg holders having self-flaring retention struts for non-traumatic holding of iliac leg prosthetics. Suprarenal fixation and collapsible cells having retention projections and barbs that only flare during the nitinol expansion process assist in lowering the devices profile and sheathability for percutaneous delivery and may provide for recapturing the anchored device.

Abstract: A prosthetic stent graft including a trunk with a vascular graft bifurcated into two flow channels. The flow channels have a first taper angle, decreasing area along its length between the bifurcation point and an outlet. A leg section of the stent graft includes a tubular vascular graft. An inlet of the leg section has a deployed diameter at least about the same size or larger than a deployed diameter of the outlet of the flow channels. The leg section has its own taper angle, preferably less than or about equal to, and more preferably about equal to the taper angle of the flow channel. The deployed diameter of the leg section inlet is preferably about the same size or larger than the deployed diameter of the flow channels adjacent the bifurcation point of the trunk section, and the deployed diameter of flow channel outlets are preferably about the same size or smaller than the deployed diameter of the leg section at an equal distance from the leg section inlet as the outlet is from bifurcation point.

Abstract: Disclosed is a stent that has flexible connecting links that have a strut width as measured in a direction that is generally along the surface of the stent that is smaller than the wall thickness of the stent as measured in a radial direction from the stent's longitudinal axis. The strut width for a coronary stent should be less than 0.10 mm to provide good flexibility while the wall thickness should be greater than 0.10 mm to provide good stent radiopacity. Ideally the ratio of the width to the thickness should be less than 1.0 and preferably less than 0.08 mm and the nominal wall thickness would typically be 0.12 mm. The combination of thin strut width and thick wall thickness will allow the flexible link to easily lengthen and shorten for increased stent flexibility while making the link relatively stiff with respect to bulging inward into the lumen of the stent. This stiffness enhances the ability of the link to push outward against plaque in a coronary artery after the stent is deployed.

Abstract: A stent design is disclosed which has a flexible connector which has flexible arcs and flexible struts aligned similarly to the radial arcs and radial struts, such that the alignment of the flexible connector within the stent decreases the likelihood of the stent's catching on a non-smooth surface.

Abstract: A stent provides a folded strut section that provides both structural rigidity and reduction in foreshortening of the stent mechanism. A flexible section provides flexibility for delivery of the stent mechanism. In a second embodiment, flexible section columns are angled with respect to each other, and to the longitudinal axis of the stent. These relatively flexible sections are oppositely phased in order to negate any torsion along their length. In yet another embodiment, the flexible connector can take on an undulating shape (like an “N”), but such that the longitudinal axis of the connector is not parallel with the longitudinal axis of the stent. Finally, a new method is disclosed for making stents.