Prosthesis systems and methods sized and configured for the receipt and retention of fasteners

Abstract

Systems and methods introduce and deploy prosthesis into a blood vessel or hollow body organ. The prosthesis is secured in place by fasteners, and includes a region or regions specially sized and configured to receive and retain the fasteners.

1 . A prosthesis for a blood vessel or hollow body organ comprising a trunk including a prosthetic material and a scaffold that supports the prosthetic material to define a lumen within the trunk, the trunk including a main body region and a fastening region configured differently than the main body region for the receipt and retention in the second region of at least one fastener implanted into tissue by an external fastener attachment assembly.  
     
     
         2 . A prosthesis according to  claim 1 , wherein the fastening region comprises an end region of the trunk.  
     
     
         3 . A prosthesis according to  claim 2 , wherein the end region includes a stent ring sized and configured to provide a seal between the end region and adjoining tissue.  
     
     
         4 . A prosthesis according to  claim 1 , wherein the fastening region includes prosthetic material that is different than a prosthetic material in the main body region.  
     
     
         5 . A prosthesis according to  claim 4 , wherein the prosthetic material in the fastening region includes more layers than the prosthetic material in the main body region.  
     
     
         6 . A prosthesis according to  claim 4 , wherein the prosthetic material in the fastening region includes a prescribed weave pattern not present in the main body region.  
     
     
         7 . A prosthesis according to  claim 6 , wherein the prescribed weave pattern is denser that a weave pattern in the main body region.  
     
     
         8 . A prosthesis according to  claim 6 , wherein the prescribed weave pattern comprises an X-pattern.  
     
     
         9 . A prosthesis according to  claim 6 , wherein the prescribed weave pattern comprises a sinusoidal pattern.  
     
     
         10 . A prosthesis according to  claim 4 , wherein the prosthetic material in the fastening region includes a prescribed constituent not present in the main body region.  
     
     
         11 . A prosthesis according to  claim 10 , wherein the prescribed constituent is metallic.  
     
     
         12 . A prosthesis according to  claim 10 , wherein the prescribed constituent comprises a Kevlar™ material.  
     
     
         13 . A prosthesis according to  claim 10 , wherein the prescribed constituent comprises a Vectran™ material.  
     
     
         14 . A prosthesis according to  claim 10 , wherein the prescribed constituent is interwoven with material found in the main body region.  
     
     
         15 . A prosthesis according to  claim 1 , wherein the fastening region includes a scaffold configuration that is different than a scaffold configuration in the main body region.  
     
     
         16 . A prosthesis according to  claim 1 , wherein the scaffold includes self-expanding material.  
     
     
         17 . A prosthesis according to  claim 1 , wherein the scaffold includes a malleable material.  
     
     
         18 . A prosthesis according to  claim 1 , wherein the prosthetic material includes polyester.  
     
     
         19 . A prosthesis according to  claim 1 , wherein the prosthetic material includes ePTFE.  
     
     
         20 . A prosthesis according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least fastener comprises a helical fastener.  
     
     
         21 . A prosthesis according to  claim 1 , wherein the main body region includes a socket sized and configured to couple an auxiliary prosthesis structure to the trunk.  
     
     
         22 . A prosthesis system for a blood vessel or hollow body organ comprising a first prosthesis comprising a trunk including a prosthetic material and a scaffold that supports the prosthetic material to define a lumen within the trunk, the trunk including a main body region and a fastening region configured differently than the main body region for the receipt and retention in the second region of at least one fastener implanted into tissue by an external fastener attachment assembly, the main body region including a socket region, the prosthesis system further including an auxiliary prosthesis structure coupled to the socket region.  
     
     
         23 . A method for deploying a prosthesis in a tissue region in a blood vessel or hollow body organ comprising the steps of providing a prosthesis comprising a trunk including a prosthetic material and a scaffold that supports the prosthetic material to define a lumen within the trunk, the trunk including a main body region and a fastening region configured differently than the main body region for the receipt and retention in the second region of at least one fastener implanted into tissue by an external fastener attachment assembly, deploying the prosthesis in the tissue region, and implanting at least one fastener in the fastening region to secure the prosthesis in the tissue region.  
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 23 , further including the step of deploying an auxiliary prosthesis structure adjacent the prosthesis, and coupling the auxiliary prosthesis structure to the trunk.  
     
     
         25 . A method according to  claim 23 , wherein the prosthesis is deployed using an intra-vascular tool.  
     
     
         26 . A method according to  claim 25 , further including the step of deploying using an intra-vascular tool an auxiliary prosthesis structure adjacent the prosthesis, and coupling the auxiliary prosthesis structure to the trunk.  
     
     
         27 . A method according to  claim 23 , wherein the tissue region contains an aneurysm.