Abstract: Described is a removable shunt adapted for deployment along a brain-supplying artery into an aorta to supply blood to the artery during deployment of a stent-graft in the aorta, the removable shunt including a stiff segment that is stiff enough to remain at least partially open when between the aorta and the stent-graft and large enough to allow sufficient blood supply to the brain during the deployment of the stent-graft; and a mechanism for facilitating safe removal of the shunt from between the stent-graft and the aorta. Also described is a method of deploying a branch stent graft having a flaring portion in a blood vessel branching at a bifurcation from an aorta to connect to an aortic stent graft deployed in the aorta across the bifurcation, a branch stent-graft useful in the method, and a delivery system useful in the method.

Abstract: A catheter for crossing occlusions in vessels of a patient. The catheter has a main longitudinal axis, and includes: at least one open-bore type lumen with a distal end and a proximal end, interconnected by a main longitudinal axis, substantially parallel to the main longitudinal axis of the catheter; at least one guide-wire, accommodated within the lumen, reciprocally maneuvered along and around the main longitudinal axis of the lumen; at least one effecter having a distal end and a proximal end, the effecter having at least one active configuration and at least one inactive configuration, the proximal end of the effecter defines, in the active configuration, a volume throughout which the guide-wire penetrates the intima to perform reentry.

Abstract: Described is a method for deploying a stent-graft in the aorta, the method including positioning a shunt to go along a portion of a brain-supplying artery (BSA) into the aorta; deploying a stent-graft in the aorta along a portion of the shunt; and removing the shunt. Also described is a removable shunt adapted for deployment along a brain-supplying artery into an aorta to supply blood to the artery during deployment of a stent-graft in the aorta, the removable shunt including a stiff segment that is stiff enough to remain at least partially open when between the aorta and the stent-graft and large enough to allow sufficient blood supply to the brain during the deployment of the stent-graft; and a mechanism for facilitating safe removal of the shunt from between the stent-graft and the aorta.

Abstract: A method of deploying a stent graft in a blood vessel with at least one side branch vessel, comprising: (a) forming a blood flow conduit between the branch vessel and the blood vessel such that a vessel section of the conduit is axially located inside the blood vessel and a branch section is positioned inside the branch vessel; (b) deploying the stent graft inside the blood vessel so that blood flow into said at least one side branch is blocked by the stent graft and continues through the blood flow conduit; (c) forming an opening suitable for allowing blood flow between the blood vessel and the branch vessel; and (d) interrupting blood flow in the vessel section of the conduit.

Abstract: A catheter (1) adapted to cross occlusions in vessels of a patient. The catheter is having a proximal end reversibly insertable adjacent to the occlusion and a distal opposite end located outside the patient. When the pusher (10) in the OPEN configuration, it provides a preset void volume barriered by means of the pusher, the proximal end of the catheter and the inner surface of the vessel. The vacuum generating mechanism applies suction on the occlusion and on the inner surface of the vessel through the void volume, to collapse and fix the tissues around the pusher and to stabilize the pusher of the catheter so that the occlusion can be penetrated with a guide-wire (13).

Abstract: Described is a method for deploying a stent-graft in the aorta, the method including positioning a shunt to go along a portion of a brain-supplying artery (BSA) into the aorta; deploying a stent-graft in the aorta along a portion of the shunt; and removing the shunt. Also described is a removable shunt adapted for deployment along a brain-supplying artery into an aorta to supply blood to the artery during deployment of a stent-graft in the aorta, the removable shunt including a stiff segment that is stiff enough to remain at least partially open when between the aorta and the stent-graft and large enough to allow sufficient blood supply to the brain during the deployment of the stent-graft; and a mechanism for facilitating safe removal of the shunt from between the stent-graft and the aorta.