Vascular Prosthesis and Methods of Use

Abstract

An implantable vascular prosthesis is provided for use in a wide range of applications wherein at least first and second helical sections having alternating directions of rotation are coupled to one another. The alternating helical section includes a first and second helical portions each having a flange and having adjacent ends joined directly to one another to define an apex. Each helical portion has a widened flange portion adjacent to the apex, the widened flange portions extending into a space between the helical portions. The prosthesis is configured to conform to a vessel wall without substantially remodeling the vessel, and permits accurate deployment in a vessel without shifting or foreshortening.

1 . A method of deploying a vascular prosthesis, comprising:
 advancing a guidewire to a diseased vessel segment;   advancing a delivery system having a vascular prosthesis loaded therein over the guidewire to the diseased vessel segment, the vascular prosthesis including an alternating helical section, the alternating helical section comprising a first helical portion including a flange and a second helical portion including a flange, the first and second helical portions having adjacent ends joined directly to one another to define an apex, each of the first and second helical portions comprising a widened flange portion adjacent to the apex, the widened flange portions extending into a space between the first and second helical portions, the first helical portion having a direction of rotation opposite to that of the second helical portion, and the vascular prosthesis being wound onto a catheter body of the delivery system when the vascular prosthesis is in a contracted configuration;   retracting an outer sheath of the delivery system proximally to expose the alternating helical section, the alternating helical section expanding to a deployed configuration;   overlapping a portion of the apex by the widened flange portions during at least a portion of a treatment range between the radially contracted and expanded states; and   retracting the delivery system from the vessel.   
     
     
         2 . The method of deploying a vascular prosthesis of  claim 1 , wherein the vascular prosthesis further comprises an anchor section coupled to an end of the alternating helical section, the method further comprising retracting the outer sheath proximally to allow the anchor section to expand to a deployed configuration prior to retracting the delivery system from the vessel.