Abstract: A fitting device (104) for fitting a stent-graft (100) into a lumen of a patient includes a catheter (110), a cannula (112) reciprocably carried in the catheter (110) and a pair of gripper claws (106) in the cannula (112). The gripper claws (106) grip onto a stent (102) at the proximal end (128) of the stent-graft (100) which a suture loop (108) is tied to a stent (102) at an intermediate position along the stent graft (100). The stent-graft (100) can be curved by pulling the end-most stent (102) backwards, that is by retracting the cannula (112) into the catheter (110) while the gripper claws (106) grip onto the stent (102). The proximal end of the stent-graft (100) can also be adjusted position-wise by moving the cannula (112) into and out of the catheter (110). Thus, precise positioning and curving of the stent-graft (100) can be achieved.

Abstract: A stent for use in a medical procedure having opposing sets of curved apices, where the curved section of one set of apices has a radius of curvature that is greater than the curved section of the other set of apices. One or more such stents may be attached to a graft material for use in endovascular treatment of, for example, aneurysm, thoracic dissection, or other body vessel condition.

Abstract: An introducer (10) includes release wires (42?) that constrain at least one stent (4?) while the remainder of a stent graft (18) is expanded during deployment. By allowing the constrained stent (4?) to expand after an adjacent stent (4), the constrained stent (4?) overlaps with the interior of the adjacent stent (4) where the stent graft (18) is deployed within a curved body lumen (70).

Abstract: An introducer assembly for introducing a stent-graft (70) or other device into a vessel of a patient includes a pre-shaped curved cannula (60) made preferably of a shape memory material. The curved cannula can pull the proximal end (74) of the stent-graft (70) against the inner side wall of the vessel thereby to ensure a good leak free connection at this point. The assembly is particularly useful in deploying stent-grafts into the aortic arch.

Abstract: An introducer assembly includes a carrier element (10) provided with an elongate cannula or catheter (12) upon which a plurality of sleeves (20) are disposed. The sleeves (20) are located within a zone (18) at which a medical device (40) is carried. The sleeves (20) include restraining mechanisms, typically channels (30), for receiving respective trigger wires (42-44). The medical device (40) is radially constrained by the trigger wires (42-44), in combination with the sleeves (20). The sleeves (20) are initially provided as separate elements which are fitted onto the elongate carrier (12) in a number and at locations suitable for the medical device (40) to be located on the carrier element (2). The arrangement provides a simple and effective restraining structure which can be adapted for different medical devices (40) and an arrangement in which the medical device (40) is radially constrained from within.

Abstract: A rotationally-symmetric stent graft for deploying in a curved vessel has identical spaced stents along its length, with the stents being further apart in the region of the greatest curvature. The ends of the stents are parallel to each other and to the ends of the graft. The inter-stent spacing may vary along the entire length of the graft or only adjacent one end.

Abstract: An introducer assembly (100) including at its distal end a dilator tip (20) and an inner catheter for supporting an implantable medical device (1) for deployment, is provided with a plurality of strut elements (102, 202) extending from the dilator tip (20) to the proximal end of the medical device (1). The strut elements (102, 202) act to apply both a pulling and a pushing force against the proximal end of the medical device (1), having the effect of assisting in the correct positioning of the proximal end of the medical device in a patient's lumen, particularly where this is curved such as with the aortic arch. The strut elements (102, 202) form part of the introducer assembly and are removed from the patient following the deployment procedure. The device avoids the need for bare stents at the end of a stent graft.

Abstract: A stent-graft (100) is provided with a tightenable loop element (104) having a first end terminated in a slip knot or self-tightening knot (112) and a second end which is received in and can slide in the knot (112). The knot (112) is tied by a suture to the stent-graft (100) so as to be fixed thereto. The loop (104) is fitted to the stent-graft (100) in a manner as to pass between the inside to the outside of the graft material and in such a manner that controlled curvature of the stent-graft (100) is possible, in particular control of the overlapping of adjacent stents held within the zone of the loop (104). An introducer assembly is also disclosed which includes a control cannula (120) able to the fixed to the stent-graft (100) during the deployment procedure, as well as a mechanism of suture loops (150, 152) at the proximal end of the stent-graft (100) for retaining this in a constricted form during the process of curving the latter during the deployment process.

Abstract: A stent graft (40) for treating Type-A dissections in the ascending aorta (22) is provided with a plurality of diameter reducing suture loops (56-60) operable to constrain the stent graft during deployment thereof in a patient's aorta. The diameter reducing loops (56-60) allow the stent graft (40) to be partially deployed, in such a manner that its location can be precisely adjusted in the patient's lumen. In this manner, the stent graft can be placed just by the coronary arteries (26, 28) with confidence that these will not be blocked. The stent graft (40) is also provided with proximal and distal bare stents (44,52) for anchoring purposes.

Abstract: A stent graft (40) for treating Type-A dissections in the ascending aorta (22) is provided with a plurality of diameter-reducing suture loops (56-60) operable to constrain the stent graft during deployment thereof in a patient's aorta. The diameter-reducing loops (56-60) allow the stent graft (40) to be partially deployed, in such a manner that its location can be precisely adjusted in the patient's lumen. In this manner, the stent graft can be placed just by the coronary arteries (26, 28) with confidence that these will not be blocked. The stent graft (40) is also provided with proximal and distal bare stents (44,52) for anchoring purposes.

Abstract: A stent graft (40) for treating Type-A dissections in the ascending aorta (22) is provided with a plurality of diameter reducing suture loops (56-60) operable to constrain the stent graft during deployment thereof in a patient's aorta. The diameter reducing loops (56-60) allow the stent graft (40) to be partially deployed, in such a manner that its location can be precisely adjusted in the patient's lumen. In this manner, the stent graft can be placed just by the coronary arteries (26, 28) with confidence that these will not be blocked. The stent graft (40) is also provided with proximal and distal bare stents (44,52) for anchoring purposes.

Abstract: A stent graft (10) includes a tubular graft element (12) to which there are attached a plurality of stent rings (14). The stent rings (14) are formed of a plurality of stent struts (16) arranged in a zig-zag arrangement with alternating peaks (18) and valleys (20). The end-most stent (22) is located at the proximal end (24) of the graft tube (12). Between adjacent peaks (18) of the end-most stent (22), there is provided a series of bridging elements (28). These are preferably formed of Nitinol wire and to be substantially more flexible than the stent struts (14). The bridging elements (28) extend in the region of graft material between adjacent stent peaks (18) and are attached to the graft material, for example by suturing. The bridging elements (28) are substantially more flexible than the stent ring (22) and therefore impart little opening force on the graft material in comparison to the force produced by the stent ring (22).

Abstract: A stent for use in a medical procedure having opposing sets of curved apices, where the curved section of one set of apices has a radius of curvature that is greater than the curved section of the other set of apices. One or more such stents may be attached to a graft material for use in endovascular treatment of, for example, aneurysm, thoracic dissection, or other body vessel condition.

Abstract: A rotationally-symmetric stent graft for deploying in a curved vessel has identical spaced stents along its length, with the stents being further apart in the region of the greatest curvature. The ends of the stents are parallel to each other and to the ends of the graft. The inter-stent spacing may vary along the entire length of the graft or only adjacent one end.

Abstract: A stent graft (18) for deployment in a curved lumen such as the aortic or thoracic arch (130) comprises a constraining mechanism at its proximal end. A stent (4?) provided at the proximal end of the stent graft (18) includes loops of material (11) that co-operate with restraining wires (42) that extend between a central guide wire carrier (24) and a restraining wire cannula (8). The constraining mechanism acts to maintain the proximal stent (4?) constrained at three points around its circumference at both the proximal and distal ends of the proximal stent (4?). The proximal stent (4?) is thus allowed to expand after expansion of the remainder of the stent graft (18) during deployment. In an embodiment, the constraining mechanism acts to constrain two adjacent struts of the proximal stent (4?) at three points radially therearound, at the proximal end of the stent (4?) and at the distal end of the stent (4?).

Abstract: An introducer (10) includes release wires (42?) that constrain at least one stent (4?) whilst the remainder of a stent graft (18) is expanded during deployment. By allowing the constrained stent (4?) to expand after an adjacent stent (4), the constrained stent (4?) overlaps with the interior of the adjacent stent (4) where the stent graft (18) is deployed within a curved body lumen (70).

Abstract: A stent-graft (100) is provided with a tightenable loop element (104) having a first end terminated in a slip knot or self-tightening knot (112) and a second end which is received in and can slide in the knot (112). The knot (112) is tied by a suture to the stent-graft (100) so as to be fixed thereto. The loop (104) is fitted to the stent-graft (100) in a manner as to pass between the inside to the outside of the graft material and in such a manner that controlled curvature of the stent-graft (100) is possible, in particular control of the overlapping of adjacent stents held within the zone of the loop (104). An introducer assembly is also disclosed which includes a control cannula (120) able to the fixed to the stent-graft (100) during the deployment procedure, as well as a mechanism of suture loops (150, 152) at the proximal end of the stent-graft (100) for retaining this in a constricted form during the process of curving the latter during the deployment process.

Abstract: A fitting device (104) for fitting a stent-graft (100) into a lumen of a patient includes a catheter (110), a cannula (112) reciprocably carried in the catheter (110) and a pair of gripper claws (106) in the cannula (112). The gripper claws (106) grip onto a stent (102) at the proximal end (128) of the stent-graft (100) which a suture loop (108) is tied to a stent (102) at an intermediate position along the stent graft (100). The stent-graft (100) can be curved by pulling the end-most stent (102) backwards, that is by retracting the cannula (112) into the catheter (110) while the gripper claws (106) grip onto the stent (102). The proximal end of the stent-graft (100) can also be adjusted position-wise by moving the cannula (112) into and out of the catheter (110). Thus, precise positioning and curving of the stent-graft (100) can be achieved.

Abstract: An introducer assembly for introducing a stent-graft (70) or other device into a vessel of a patient includes a pre-shaped curved cannula (60) made preferably of a shape memory material. The curved cannula can pull the proximal end (74) of the stent-graft (70) against the inner side wall of the vessel thereby to ensure a good leak free connection at this point. The assembly is particularly useful in deploying stent-grafts into the aortic arch.