Stent Graft Having a Flexible, Articulable, and Axially Compressible Branch Graft

Abstract

A stent graft and method for positioning and deploying the stent graft within a vessel system that includes a main vessel and a branch vessel emanating from the main vessel. The stent graft includes a tubular shaped main body formed from graft material, a branch opening (aperture) (ring) in the graft material of the main body whose position can be varied. A tubular shaped branch graft can extend from the main graft. A side wall of the main body may be configured as a series of connected annular corrugations or pleats, and coupled to the main body to define and provide variable positioning of its branch opening (aperture).

1 - 6 . (canceled) 
   
   
       7 : A flexible, articulable, and axially compressible branch graft comprising:
 a branch graft side wall formed with at least one series of connected pleats;   a branch graft fluid inlet at a first end of the branch graft; and   a branch graft fluid outlet at a second end of the branch opposite the first end of the branch graft.   
   
   
       8 : The branch graft of  claim 7  wherein the branch graft is cylindrically shaped. 
   
   
       9 : The branch graft of  claim 7  wherein the connected pleats of the branch graft side wall are annularly shaped and uniform. 
   
   
       10 : The branch graft of  claim 7  wherein the branch graft is frusto-conically shaped. 
   
   
       11 : The branch graft of  claim 7  wherein the connected pleats of the branch graft side wall are annularly shaped and diminish in diameter from the branch graft fluid inlet to the branch graft fluid outlet. 
   
   
       12 : The branch graft of  claim 7  wherein the branch graft side wall comprises:
 a series of connected uniform annularly shaped first pleats, the first pleats having a first diameter;   a series of connected uniform annularly shaped second pleats coupled to the series of first pleats, the second pleats having a second diameter wherein the second diameter is less than the first diameter; and   a series of connected uniform annularly shaped third pleats coupled to the series of second pleats, the third pleats having a third diameter wherein the third diameter is less than the second diameter.   
   
   
       13 : The branch graft of  claim 7  wherein the branch graft side wall comprises biocompatible graft material. 
   
   
       14 : A stent graft comprising:
 a main body having a main body side wall and defining an branch opening in the main body side wall; and   a flexible, articulable, and axially compressible branch graft comprising:   a branch graft side wall formed with at least one series of connected pleats;   a branch graft fluid inlet at a first end of the branch graft; and   a branch graft fluid outlet at a second end of the branch graft opposite the first end of the branch graft; and   wherein the branch graft is coupled to the main body at the branch opening of the main body and wherein the branch graft fluid inlet is in fluid communication with the branch opening of the main body.   
   
   
       15 : The stent graft of  claim 14  wherein the main body and the branch graft are cylindrically shaped. 
   
   
       16 : The stent graft of  claim 14  wherein the connected pleats of the branch graft side wall are annularly shaped and uniform. 
   
   
       17 : The stent graft of  claim 14  wherein the branch graft is frusto-conically shaped. 
   
   
       18 : The stent graft of  claim 14  wherein the connected pleats of the branch graft side wall are annularly shaped and diminish in diameter from the branch graft fluid inlet to the branch graft fluid outlet. 
   
   
       19 : The stent graft of  claim 14  wherein the branch graft side wall comprises:
 a series of connected uniform annularly shaped first pleats, the first pleats having a first diameter;   a series of connected uniform annularly shaped second pleats coupled to the series of first pleats, the second pleats having a second diameter wherein the second diameter is less than the first diameter; and   a series of connected uniform annularly shaped third pleats coupled to the series of second pleats, the third pleats having a third diameter wherein the third diameter is less than the second diameter.   
   
   
       20 : The stent graft of  claim 14  wherein the main body side wall and the branch graft side wall comprises biocompatible graft material. 
   
   
       21 : The stent graft of  claim 14  further comprising:
 a plurality of stent rings coupled to the main body; and   a bare spring element coupled to one of the plurality of stent rings.   
   
   
       22 : A method of using a stent graft comprising:
 providing a stent graft comprising:   a main body having a main body side wall and defining an branch opening in the main body side wall; and   a flexible, articulable, and axially compressible branch graft comprising:   a branch graft side wall formed with at least one series of connected pleats;   a branch graft fluid inlet at a first end of the branch graft; and   a branch graft fluid outlet at a second end of the branch graft opposite the first end of the branch graft;   wherein the branch graft is coupled to the main body at the branch opening of the main body and wherein the branch graft fluid inlet is in fluid communication with the branch opening of the main body;   compressing the stent graft;   inserting the stent graft into a vessel system having a main vessel and a branch vessel emanating from the main vessel at a branch point;   advancing the stent graft within the main vessel toward the branch point;   determining an axial position of the branch graft within the main body relative to a vessel ostium leading into the branch vessel from the main vessel;   re-positioning the stent graft to main axially align the branch graft with the vessel ostium;   determining a rotational position of the branch graft within the main body relative to the vessel ostium;   re-positioning the stent graft to rotationally align the branch graft with the vessel ostium;   radially expanding the main body within the main vessel; and   axially expanding the branch graft within the branch vessel.   
   
   
       23 : The method of  claim 22  wherein the main body and the branch graft are cylindrically shaped. 
   
   
       24 : The method of  claim 22  wherein the connected pleats of the branch graft side wall are annularly shaped and uniform. 
   
   
       25 : The method of  claim 22  wherein the branch graft is frusto-conically shaped. 
   
   
       26 : The method of  claim 22  wherein the connected pleats of the branch graft side wall are annularly shaped and diminish in diameter from the branch graft fluid inlet to the branch graft fluid outlet. 
   
   
       27 : The method of  claim 22  wherein the branch graft side wall comprises:
 a series of connected uniform annularly shaped first pleats, the first pleats having a first diameter;   a series of connected uniform annularly shaped second pleats coupled to the series of first pleats, the second pleats having a second diameter wherein the second diameter is less than the first diameter; and   a series of connected uniform annularly shaped third pleats coupled to the series of second pleats, the third pleats having a third diameter wherein the third diameter is less than the second diameter.   
   
   
       28 : The method of  claim 22  wherein the main body side wall and the branch graft side wall comprises biocompatible graft material. 
   
   
       29 : The method of  claim 22  wherein the stent graft further comprises:
 a plurality of stent rings coupled to the main body; and   a bare spring element coupled to one of the plurality of stent rings.   
   
   
       30 : A stent graft comprising:
 a main graft material; and   a fenestration assembly defining an aperture, the fenestration assembly comprising:   pleats comprising an outer pleat and an inner pleat within the outer pleat, the outer pleat being attached to the main graft material, the inner pleat defining the aperture.   
   
   
       31 : The stent graft of  claim 30  wherein the pleats comprise ring structures. 
   
   
       32 : The stent graft of  claim 30  wherein the pleats are one within another. 
   
   
       33 : The stent graft of  claim 32  wherein the pleats are of decreasing diameter. 
   
   
       34 : The stent graft of  claim 33  wherein the pleats diminish in diameter from the outer pleat to the inner pleat. 
   
   
       35 : The stent graft of  claim 32  wherein the pleats comprise concentric ring structures. 
   
   
       36 : The stent graft of  claim 30  wherein the main graft defines a cylindrical surface, the pleats lying upon the cylindrical surface. 
   
   
       37 : The stent graft of  claim 30  further comprising a securement member for securing the fenestration assembly within a branch vessel. 
   
   
       38 : The stent graft of  claim 37  wherein the securement member comprises a stent. 
   
   
       39 : A method of using a stent graft comprising:
 compressing the stent graft;   inserting the stent graft into a vessel system having a main vessel and a branch vessel emanating from the main vessel at a branch point;   advancing the stent graft within the main vessel toward the branch point;   determining an axial position of a fenestration assembly of the stent graft to a vessel ostium leading into the branch vessel from the main vessel, the fenestration assembly comprising pleats one within another, an inner pleat of the pleats defining an aperture;   re-positioning the stent graft to main axially align the fenestration assembly with the vessel ostium;   determining a rotational position of the fenestration assembly relative to the vessel ostium;   re-positioning the stent graft to rotationally align the fenestration assembly with the vessel ostium;   radially expanding the main body within the main vessel; and   axially expanding the fenestration assembly within the branch vessel.   
   
   
       40 : The method of  claim 39  further comprising anchoring the fenestration assembly within the branch vessel with a securement member. 
   
   
       41 : The method of  claim 39  wherein the fenestration assembly is aligned with the vessel ostium when the vessel ostium is aligned with an area defined by the fenestration assembly. 
   
   
       42 : The method of  claim 41  wherein the vessel ostium has a first diameter less than a second diameter of the fenestration assembly.