Abstract: A method for delivering a stent graft includes the steps of moving lumens retaining a stent graft within a multi-lumen stent-graft-delivery catheter towards an implantation site to place the stent graft at a first position prior to reaching the implantation site. The delivery catheter has at least one interior lumen holding the stent graft. A handle assembly of the delivery catheter is activated to extend distally the at least one interior lumen towards the implantation site to thereby place the stent graft at a second position substantially within the implantation site while a lumen surrounding the at least one interior lumen of the delivery catheter remains substantially at the first position. The handle assembly is activated to proximally retract a sheath holding the stent graft to at least partially deploy the stent graft at the implantation site.

Abstract: A system for implanting a prosthesis includes a prosthesis delivery device having a handle with a longitudinal axis and a lumen control assembly an intermediate lumen connected to the lumen control assembly and having a distal end, a prosthesis sheath at the distal end of the intermediate lumen for holding therein a prosthesis to be implanted, and an outer lumen fixedly connected to the handle with respect to the longitudinal axis about the intermediate lumen. The lumen control assembly is operable to selectively move the intermediate lumen with the prosthesis sheath between a retracted position in which, when a prosthesis is disposed within the prosthesis sheath, both the prosthesis sheath and the prosthesis are disposed within the outer lumen and an extended position in which, when the prosthesis is disposed within the prosthesis sheath, a portion of the prosthesis sheath containing the prosthesis is disposed outside the outer lumen.

Abstract: An endoluminal prosthesis comprises a tubular member having a proximal opening and a distal opening providing a lumen through which body fluids may flow. The tubular member is constructed of a graft material. The tubular graft is formed of a first material such as a woven fiber or other suitable material for conducting fluid, and sections of a second material configured to extend or contract to permit the tubular graft to flex or straighten to conform to the anatomy in which it is deployed.

Abstract: A stent graft includes a stent graft material of cylindrical shape and tapered stent springs coupled to the stent graft material. Each stent spring includes a first stent cell and a second stent cell contiguous with the first stent cell. The first stent cell and the second stent cell are coupled. The second stent cell of each tapered stent spring is smaller than the first stent cell thereby defining a tapered shape to the tapered stent springs. The stent graft is placed in a curved segment of a tortuous body lumen and rotationally positioned such that the smallest stent cell of each tapered stent spring is placed at an inside radius of the curved segment.

Abstract: A stent graft includes a stent graft material of cylindrical shape and tapered stent springs coupled to the stent graft material. Each stent spring includes a first stent cell and a second stent cell contiguous with the first stent cell. The first stent cell and the second stent cell are coupled. The second stent cell of each tapered stent spring is smaller than the first stent cell thereby defining a tapered shape to the tapered stent springs. The stent graft is placed in a curved segment of a tortuous body lumen and rotationally positioned such that the smallest stent cell of each tapered stent spring is placed at an inside radius of the curved segment.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for aiding in support and repair of a thoracic aneurysm of the aortic arch. A stent graft provides a window therein, which enables blood to flow freely into branch vessels which would otherwise be occluded by the stent graft. Additionally, the stent portions of the stent graft are configured to minimize the risk of overexpansion, wherein stents are provided in the window portion.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for delivering and reducing the profile of a catheter for delivering a stent graft including integral branch connections. A configuration of a branch vessel stent graft, including a branch vessel connection connecting a very thin walled PTFE tubular branch to a woven polyester main body. The connection is made by using by overmolding the PTFE on a polymer ring, such as silicone. In another configuration, a main body portion includes branch portions where ends of the branch portions are connected to leads extending from a sheath of a stent graft compressed in a delivery catheter. The leads are routed into accessible branches of body lumens and act as pullwires to pull the branch portions into position in their respective branches as the delivery catheter is released to deploy the main body of the stent graft.

Abstract: A vascular repair device includes a tubular graft body having a central longitudinal axis and a structural framework having at least one stent connected to the graft body in a partially compressed state, the stent having substantially linear struts and apices between adjacent pairs of the struts, each of the apices being in the same plane as the adjacent pairs of the struts. Also provided is a vascular repair device where the stent defines a cross plane orthogonal to the longitudinal axis and has a cross profile having a polygonal shape parallel to the cross-sectional plane and viewed along said longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A method for implanting a prosthesis centrally within a curved lumen includes loading a prosthesis into a delivery sheath, advancing the sheath in a patient towards the curved lumen to place at least the proximal end of the prosthesis within the curved lumen, and centering the proximal end of the prosthesis and/or the distal end of the sheath within the curved lumen. In a first advancing step, the outer catheter containing the inner sheath is advanced together towards the curved lumen to a location proximal of the curved lumen and, in a second advancing step, the inner sheath containing the prosthesis is advanced into the curved lumen to place at least the proximal end within the curved lumen while the outer catheter substantially remains at the location. After centering, the proximal end of the prosthesis is deployed centered within the curved lumen.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a stent, includes the steps of providing a mandrel with an outer surface having a polygonal cross-sectional shape and a longitudinal axis, winding stent wire around the outer surface of the mandrel about the longitudinal axis into a desired final shape, the desired final shape being polygonal in an elevation orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, and forming a stent by setting the wound stent wire in the desired polygonal final shape. Also provided is a method for manufacturing a stent, including the steps of providing a mandrel with a multiple-sided outer surface and a longitudinal axis, winding a stent wire around the outer surface of the mandrel into a desired final shape substantially corresponding to a shape of the outer surface, and forming a stent by setting the wound stent wire into the desired final shape.

Abstract: A vascular repair device includes a tubular graft body having upstream and downstream ends, and an interior surface and a clasping stent partially attached to the interior surface. The clasping stent circumference defines upstream and downstream apices, and struts connecting respective adjacent apices. The struts each have upstream and downstream portions. The upstream portion of some of the struts is unattached from the interior surface and some of the upstream apices adjacent the unattached struts are also unattached. A crown stent can be attached circumferentially to the graft body adjacent the upstream end as a part of the support framework. The downstream apices and the downstream portion of the struts can be attached to the interior surface of the graft body with only some of the upstream halves and the upstream apices attached to the interior surface of the graft body.

Abstract: A method of implanting a prosthesis in a patient at a treatment site includes providing a prosthesis delivery system with an inner sheath and an outer sheath. The prosthesis is loaded inside the inner sheath. The inner sheath containing the prosthesis is loaded within the outer sheath. The outer sheath is advanced in a patient towards the treatment site up to a given position at a distance from the treatment site. While retaining the outer sheath in the given position, the inner sheath is advanced out from the outer sheath to the treatment site to align the prosthesis with the treatment site and the inner sheath is retracted to at least partially implant the prosthesis at the treatment site. Upon completion of prosthesis implantation, both of the inner and outer sheaths are retracted from the patient.

Abstract: An apex capture device for holding proximal apices of a stent to be implanted includes a distal capture portion to be fixedly connected to a distal end of a first hollow lumen. The distal capture portion has a longitudinal axis, a distal portion with a proximal end, and a stopper having a distal side disposed in a plane approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, being disposed at a proximal distance from the proximal end of the distal portion, and defining stopping surface portions. A proximal capture portion is to be fixedly connected to a distal end of a second lumen and having fingers extending toward the distal capture portion in a distal direction, the fingers defining an interior cavity shaped to receive the stopper therein.

Abstract: A delivery system for endovascularly delivering a prosthesis along a guidewire to a curved implantation site includes a delivery device having control handle and an inner lumen slidably disposed in the handle between a retracted position and an extended position. The inner lumen has a distal end and a tip at the distal end of the inner lumen. An intermediate lumen is slidably disposed about the inner lumen and has a distal end. A relatively flexible prosthesis sheath is connected to the distal end of the intermediate lumen and a relatively stiff outer lumen is axially fixedly connected to the handle about the intermediate lumen. The outer lumen has a length only long enough to be inserted in a patient's aorta no further than the patient's celiac axis.

Abstract: An endoluminal prosthesis comprises a tubular member having a proximal opening and a distal opening providing a lumen through which body fluids may flow. The tubular member is constructed of a graft material. The tubular graft is formed of a first material such as a woven fiber or other suitable material for conducting fluid, and sections of a second material configured to extend or contract to permit the tubular graft to flex or straighten to conform to the anatomy in which it is deployed.

Abstract: A delivery system and kit for endovascularly delivering a prosthesis along a guidewire to an curved implantation site includes a control handle having a handle body with a prosthesis movement control assembly movably disposed thereto. A proximal end of a catheter is connected to the control handle. A prosthesis delivery assembly is movably disposed in the catheter. The delivery assembly has a guidewire lumen slidably receiving therein the guidewire and having a curved distal end orienting the delivery assembly when passing through a curved vessel portion. A method for automatic endovascular alignment of the prosthesis includes loading it in the distal delivery assembly, positioning the guidewire into the curved implantation site, and threading the guidewire lumen over the guidewire with the delivery assembly and into the implantation site to at least approximately align the curved distal portion to a curve of the curved implantation site and, thereby, orient the prosthesis.

Abstract: A vascular repair device includes a tubular graft body and a structural framework having at least two stents connected to the graft body. Stents of the structural framework can each be respectively connected to graft body adjacent the proximal and ends and the support member is shorter than the separation distance therebetween to form a gimbal at least at one end. A first stent is connected along an entirety thereof and a second stent is connected at distal apices thereof. Distal apices of the second stent have radii of curvature smaller than proximal apices. A curved longitudinal support member can be connected to the graft body, the support member being substantially symmetrical with respect to the centerline. The support member can be connected to the graft body independent of the structural framework. At least one of the ends of the support member can have a curved longitudinal extremity.

Abstract: A stent graft includes a stent graft material of cylindrical shape and tapered stent springs coupled to the stent graft material. Each stent spring includes a first stent cell and a second stent cell contiguous with the first stent cell. The first stent cell and the second stent cell are coupled. The second stent cell of each tapered stent spring is smaller than the first stent cell thereby defining a tapered shape to the tapered stent springs. The stent graft is placed in a curved segment of a tortuous body lumen and rotationally positioned such that the smallest stent cell of each tapered stent spring is placed at an inside radius of the curved segment.

Abstract: Pumping apparatus for dispensing or otherwise metering precise and minute volumes (measured in microliters) of fluid (e.g. human blood) from a flexible conduit containing such fluid. According to a preferred embodiment, such apparatus includes a pinch valve for selectively captivating a certain volume of fluid in the conduit between the pinch valve and the conduit's outlet end, and a pinch pump for selectively expelling a predetermined portion of the captivated fluid through the conduit's outlet end. The pinch pump is located and adapted to pinch closed a predetermined length of the conduit's fluid passageway. Preferably, such length is adjustable to adjust the volume of fluid dispensed or metered, and the pinch pump is structured to assure that, during activation of the pinch pump, the captivated fluid is advanced towards the outlet end of the conduit.

Abstract: A liquid diluting and transfer valve has disc like valve elements provided with faces frictionally engaged. The valve further includes passageways for passing both sample liquid and rinse liquid and a continuous groove formed in one of the respective faces. This continuous groove effectively isolates the passageway openings to the faces and is capable of blocking passage of leakage material along the face to the periphery of the engaged face.