Prosthesis for repairing a blood vessel and method

Abstract

A prosthesis for repairing a blood vessel, wherein the prosthesis is inserted intraluminally and fixed in the vessel so as to isolate a diseased section thereof and maintain the flow of blood from the vessel to collateral vessels involved in the diseased section, and the prosthesis comprises a stent support and a flexible fabric liner of woven material comprising a plurality of concentric layers, wherein each of said layers has a very open fabric web which allows the passage of blood flow through the layers during the installation of the prosthesis but which allows the sealing of layers once the prosthesis is installed. A method is also provided for safe installation of the prosthesis.

I claim: 
     
         1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A method of implanting a prosthesis for repairing a patient's main blood vessel having at least one collateral blood vessels branching therefrom, the method comprising:
 providing a) a main prosthesis comprising:   i) an expandable support for firmly affixing into said main blood vessel and along a diseased section of the main blood vessel, and   ii) a liner made of a fabric material comprised of a plurality of concentric layers, wherein each layer provides a web that is open enough to allow the blood flow passing therethrough, and the layers are overlapped all together to form a wall of the main prosthesis defining labyrinthine interstices capable of being open during a controlled period of time for at least the installation and implantation of the main prosthesis, which interstices are sealed by the fibrin of the patient's blood after said period of time has elapsed, wherein said interstices formed by the web of each one of the overlapping layers are capable of being opened by a non-cutting element passing through the interstices to form at least one passage through the wall formed by the plurality of concentric layers,   providing b) at least one interconnecting prosthesis for installation through said at least one passage through the wall formed by the plurality of concentric layers, with the interconnecting prosthesis being installed to seal into said at least one passage against said wall formed by the plurality of layers, and into and against a wall of the at least one collateral vessels involved in the diseased section, the interconnecting prosthesis interconnecting an interior of the main prosthesis with said at least one collateral vessels,   installing said main prosthesis via endovascular way, using a first guide, in the main blood vessel, with the prosthesis being positioned so as to extend along said diseased section of the main blood vessel, wherein said at least one collateral vessels, that must be connected, arise from said diseased section, and   installing said at least one interconnecting prosthesis in any place of the wall of the main prosthesis that is detected in front of said at least one collateral vessels to be connected,   wherein said step of installing said at least one interconnecting prosthesis comprises forming said passage through the wall formed by the plurality of concentric layers, through said interstices, by displacing strands and fibers of the webs, and passing the interconnecting prosthesis mounted on an expanding balloon through said passage, and implanting the interconnecting prosthesis into said at least one collateral vessel to establish a fluid communication between an interior of the main prosthesis and the at least one collateral vessel, and   wherein the main prosthesis and said at least one interconnecting prosthesis are installed during a controlled period of time where the labyrinthine interstices remains open to permit the patient's blood passing therethrough.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said step of installing the at least one interconnecting prosthesis further comprises:
 advancing on said first guide a first introducer having a retracting end,   removing said first guide and bending the retracting end of the first introducer to locate the retracting end in front of an ostium of the at least one collateral vessel to be connected, which ostium is located on the other side of the wall of the main prosthesis,   advancing a second guide into said first introducer and passing said second guide through said labyrinthine interstices formed between webs of said plurality of layers of the wall of the main prosthesis to form a passage through said wall,   entering said second guide into said at least one collateral vessel to be connected,   introducing a catheter balloon via said first introducer, with the catheter balloon being mounted on said second guide, and passing the catheter balloon through said passage formed in the wall of the main prosthesis, through said interstices, and displacing strands and fibers of the webs,   inflating said catheter balloon to a diameter smaller than a diameter of the at least one collateral vessel to be connected, so as to enlarge said passage from side to side of the wall of the main prosthesis,   deflating and removing said catheter balloon,   introducing along the first introducer, a second introducer with dilator, mounted on said second guide, passing the second introducer through said passage, enlarged by said catheter balloon, and positioning the second introducer with dilator within the at least one collateral vessel to be connected,   removing the dilator from the second introducer,   introducing, into the second introducer and onto said second guide, said interconnecting prosthesis mounted on the expanding balloon,   positioning the interconnecting prosthesis in the desired location,   sliding the second introducer backwards and leaving the interconnecting prosthesis in position within said passage formed in the wall of the main prosthesis and into the at least one collateral vessel to be connected,   inflating the expanding balloon with the interconnecting prosthesis mounted thereon, deploying the interconnecting prosthesis, dilating said passage formed in said wall of the main prosthesis and impacting the interconnecting prosthesis within the at least one collateral vessel to be connected, thus interconnecting the interior of the main prosthesis with the at least one collateral vessel to establish said fluid communication between an interior of said main prosthesis and the connected collateral vessel,   deflating said expanding balloon,   removing the expanding balloon from the second introducer,   removing the second introducer,   removing the second guide, and   allowing said interstices to be sealed by the fibrin of the patient's blood after said controlled period of time has elapsed.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said step of installing the at least one interconnecting prosthesis further comprises:
 advancing on said first guide a first introducer having a retracting end,   removing said first guide and bending the retracting end of the first introducer to locate the retracting end in front of an ostium of the at least one collateral vessel to be connected, which ostium is located on the other side of the wall of the main prosthesis,   advancing a second guide into said first introducer and passing said second guide through said labyrinthine interstices formed between webs of said plurality of layers of the wall of the main prosthesis to form a passage through said wall,   entering said second guide into the at least one collateral vessel to be connected,   introducing along the first introducer, a second introducer with dilator, mounted on said second guide, passing the second introducer through said passage formed in the wall of the main prosthesis, through said interstices, and positioning the second introducer with dilator within the collateral vessel to be connected,   removing the dilator from the second introducer,   introducing, into the second introducer and onto said second guide, said interconnecting prosthesis mounted on said expanding balloon,   positioning the interconnecting prosthesis in the desired location,   sliding the second introducer backwards and leaving the interconnecting prosthesis in position within said passage formed in the wall of the main prosthesis and into the at least one collateral vessel to be connected,   inflating the expanding balloon with the interconnecting prosthesis mounted thereon, deploying the interconnecting prosthesis, dilating said passage formed in said wall of the main prosthesis and impacting the interconnecting prosthesis within the at least one collateral vessel to be connected, thus interconnecting the interior of the main prosthesis with the at least one collateral vessel to establish said fluid communication between an interior of said main prosthesis and the connected collateral vessel,   deflating said expanding balloon,   removing the expanding balloon from the second introducer,   removing the second introducer,   removing the second guide, and   allowing said interstices to be sealed by the fibrin of the patient's blood after said controlled period of time has elapsed.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said step of installing the at least one interconnecting prosthesis further comprises:
 advancing on said first guide a first introducer having a retracting end,   removing said first guide and bending the retracting end of the first introducer to locate the retracting end in front of an ostium of the at least one collateral vessel to be connected, which ostium is located on the other side of the wall of the main prosthesis,   introducing and advancing, along and inside said first introducer, a second introducer with dilator and, exerting a slight rotation on an axis of the second introducer and pushing forward, passing the second introducer through said labyrinthine interstices formed between webs of the plurality of layers forming the wall of the main prosthesis, to form a passage through the wall, and positioning the second introducer with dilator within the at least one collateral vessel to be connected,   positioning, through the dilator of the second introducer, a second guide within the at least one collateral vessel to be connected,   removing the dilator from the second introducer,   introducing, into the second introducer and onto said second guide, said interconnecting prosthesis mounted on said expanding balloon,   positioning the interconnecting prosthesis in the desired location,   sliding the second introducer backwards and leaving the interconnecting prosthesis in position within said passage formed in the wall of the main prosthesis and into the at least one collateral vessel to be connected,   inflating the expanding balloon with the interconnecting prosthesis mounted thereon, deploying the interconnecting prosthesis, dilating said passage formed in said wall of the main prosthesis and impacting the interconnecting prosthesis within the at least one collateral vessel to be connected, thus interconnecting the interior of the main prosthesis with the at least one collateral vessel to establish said fluid communication between an interior of said main prosthesis and the connected collateral vessel,   deflating said expanding balloon,   removing the expanding balloon from the second introducer,   removing the second introducer,   removing the second guide, and   allowing said interstices to be sealed by the fibrin of the patient's blood after said controlled period of time has elapsed.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein before installing said at least one interconnecting prosthesis, the at least one collateral vessel to be connected is located by angiography. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein a plurality of said at least one interconnecting prosthesis is connected to the main prosthesis and a blood flow is maintained flowing through the plurality of layers forming the wall of the main prosthesis at least up to finishing the connection of all said plurality of interconnecting prosthesis. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the step of:
 Interrupting, after the controlled period of time has elapsed, any administration of said anticoagulant agent to the patient and permitting the fibrin of the blood flow to deposit in and seal the wall of the main prosthesis to completely isolate the diseased section from the blood flow.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein an anticoagulant agent is administered to the patient during said controlled period of time.