Devices and methods for fluid flow through body passages

Abstract

A device includes a first end portion, a second end portion, an intermediate portion between the first end portion and the second end portion, and a graft material coupled to at least the intermediate portion. The first end portion has a first end diameter. The second end portion has a second end diameter larger than the first end diameter. The intermediate portion tapers between the first end portion and the second end portion. A method of diverting fluid flow from a first passage to a second passage comprising deploying the device in a third passage between the first passage and the second passage, expanding the first end portion against sidewalls of the first passage, and expanding the second end portion against sidewalls of the second passage.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of diverting fluid flow from a first passage to a second passage, the method comprising:
 deploying a device in a third passage between the first passage and the second passage, the device comprising;
 a first end portion having a first end diameter; 
 a second end portion having a second end diameter larger than the first end diameter; 
 an intermediate portion between the first end portion and the second end portion, the intermediate portion tapering between the first end portion and the second end portion; and 
 a graft material coupled to at least the intermediate portion; 
   expanding the first end portion against sidewalls of the first passage; and   expanding the second end portion against sidewalls of the second passage.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first passage is an artery and the second passage is a vein. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first passage is a coronary artery and the second passage is a coronary vein. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first passage is a peripheral artery and the second passage is a peripheral vein. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising dilating the third passage. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein dilating the third passage comprises expanding the intermediate portion. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first passage is substantially parallel to the second passage. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate portion is conformable to an “S” shape. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein expanding the first end portion and the second end portion comprises allowing self-expansion of the first end portion and the second end portion. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein expanding the first end portion and the second end portion comprises balloon expanding at least one of the first end portion and the second end portion. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein expanding one of the first end portion and the second end portion comprises allowing self-expansion of the one of the first end portion and the second end portion and wherein expanding the other of the first end portion and the second end portion comprises balloon expanding the other of the first end portion and the second end portion. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising expanding the intermediate portion. 
     
     
         13 . A device comprising:
 a first end portion having a first end diameter;   a second end portion having a second end diameter smaller than the first end diameter;   an intermediate portion between the first end portion and the second end portion, the intermediate portion tapering between the first end portion and the second end portion; and   a graft material coupled to at least the intermediate portion.   
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the first end portion and the second end portion is substantially cylindrical. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the first end portion is substantially cylindrical and the second end portion is substantially cylindrical. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the first end portion tapers between the first end diameter and the intermediate portion, or wherein the second end portion tapers between the second end diameter and the intermediate portion. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the first end portion tapers between the first end diameter and the intermediate portion and the second end portion tapers between the second end diameter and the intermediate portion. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the first end portion comprises a first type of material, the second end portion comprises a second type of material, and the intermediate portion comprises a third type of material. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the first type of material comprises a first cut material, the second type of material comprises a second cut material, and the third type of material comprises filaments. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 19 , wherein the first cut material comprises a chromium cobalt alloy, the second cut material comprises nitinol, and the filaments comprises nitinol. 
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the first type of material comprises a cut material, the second type of material comprises the cut material, and the third type of material comprises filaments. 
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 21 , wherein the cut material comprises nitinol and the filaments comprises nitinol. 
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the first end portion, the second end portion, the intermediate portion, and the graft material comprises a bioabsorbable material. 
     
     
         24 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein at least some of the graft material is outside the intermediate portion, at least some of the graft material is inside the intermediate portion, or at least some of the graft material is embedded within the intermediate portion. 
     
     
         25 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the device is capable of maintaining fluid flow between a first passage in which the first end portion is anchored and a second passage in which the second end portion is anchored. 
     
     
         26 . The device of  claim 25 , wherein the first passage is substantially parallel to the second passage. 
     
     
         27 . The device of  claim 25 , wherein the intermediate portion is conformable to an “S” shape. 
     
     
         28 . A device comprising:
 a first end portion comprising a first material;   a second end portion comprising a second material different than the first material;   an intermediate portion between the first end portion and the second end portion; and   a graft material coupled to at least the intermediate portion.   
     
     
         29 . The device of  claim 28 , wherein the first material comprises nitinol and the second material comprises chromium cobalt. 
     
     
         30 . The device of  claim 28 , wherein the first material comprises nitinol and the second material comprises stainless steel. 
     
     
         31 . The device of  claim 28 , wherein the first end portion comprises cut struts and the second end portion comprises filaments. 
     
     
         32 . The device of  claim 28 , wherein the first end portion comprises cut struts and the second end portion comprises cut struts. 
     
     
         33 . The device of  claim 28 , wherein the first material comprises an alloy and the first end portion comprises struts or filaments having a first thickness, and wherein the second material comprises the alloy and the second end potion comprises struts or filaments having a second thickness different than the first thickness. 
     
     
         34 . The device of  claim 28 , wherein the intermediate portion comprises a third material. 
     
     
         35 . The device of  claim 34 , wherein the third material comprises nitinol. 
     
     
         36 . The device of  claim 35 , wherein the intermediate portion comprises filaments. 
     
     
         37 . The device of  claim 35 , wherein the intermediate portion comprises cut struts. 
     
     
         38 . The device of  claim 28 , wherein at least one of the first end portion and the second end portion is substantially cylindrical. 
     
     
         39 . The device of  claim 28 , wherein at least one of the first end portion, the second end portion, the intermediate portion, and the graft material comprises a bioabsorbable material. 
     
     
         40 . The device of  claim 28 , wherein at least some of the graft material is outside the intermediate portion, at least some of the graft material is inside the intermediate portion, or at least some of the graft material is embedded within the intermediate portion. 
     
     
         41 . The device of  claim 28 , wherein the graft material is coupled to at least one of the first end portion and the second end portion. 
     
     
         42 . The device of  claim 28 , wherein the device is capable of maintaining fluid flow between a first passage in which the first end portion is anchored and a second passage in which the second end portion is anchored. 
     
     
         43 . The device of  claim 42 , wherein the first passage is substantially parallel to the second passage. 
     
     
         44 . The device of  claim 42 , wherein the intermediate portion is conformable to an “S” shape. 
     
     
         45 . A device comprising:
 a support structure comprising
 a first end portion; 
 a second end portion; 
 an intermediate portion between the first end portion and the second end portion, at least one of the first end portion, the second end portion, and the intermediate portion being comprising cut struts and at least one of the first end portion, the second end portion, and the intermediate portion comprising filaments; and 
   a graft material coupled to at least the intermediate portion.   
     
     
         46 . The device of  claim 45 , wherein the first end portion and the second end portion comprise cut struts and the intermediate portion comprises filaments. 
     
     
         47 . The device of  claim 45 , wherein at least some of the graft material is outside the intermediate portion, at least some of the graft material is inside the intermediate portion, or at least some of the graft material is embedded within the intermediate portion. 
     
     
         48 . The device of  claim 45 , wherein the graft material is coupled to at least one of the first end portion and the second end portion. 
     
     
         49 . The device of  claim 45 , wherein the device is capable of maintaining fluid flow between a first passage in which the first end portion is anchored and a second passage in which the second end portion is anchored. 
     
     
         50 . The device of  claim 49 , wherein the first passage is substantially parallel to the second passage. 
     
     
         51 . The device of  claim 49 , wherein the intermediate portion is conformable to an “S” shape.