Abstract: A stent for supporting part of a blood vessel which stent includes a supporting portion around which or within which part of an intact blood vessel other than a graft can be placed so that the stent internally or externally supports that part and the supporting portion of the stent is of a shape and/or orientation whereby flow within the vessel is caused to follow a non-planar curve. By maintaining non-planar curvature in the vessel itself, favourable blood flow velocity patterns can be achieved through generation therein of “swirl” flow. Failures in such vessels through diseases such as thrombosis, atherosclerosis, intimal hyperplasia or through blockage, kinking or collapse, can be significantly reduced.

Abstract: A surgical cannula includes a generally hollow inlet portion which can receive a fluid flow and an angled outlet portion connected in fluid communication with the inlet portion. The outlet portion is disposed at an angle of less than 180 degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis of the inlet portion. The inlet portion is provided with a structure to impart a rotational component of flow to fluid before such fluid encounters the angled outlet portion.