Sealing apparatus and methods of use

Abstract

A system for treating an aneurysm comprises at least a first double-walled filling structure having an outer wall and an inner wall and the filling structure is adapted to be filled with a hardenable fluid filling medium so that the outer wall conforms to the inside surface of the aneurysm and the inner surface forms a generally tubular lumen to provide blood flow. The first filling structure comprises a sealing feature which forms a fluid seal between the filling structure and the aneurysm or an adjacent endograft when the filling structure is filled with the hardenable fluid filling medium, thereby minimizing or preventing blood flow downstream of the seal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for treating an aneurysm, said system comprising:
 at least a first double-walled filling structure having an outer wall and an inner wall, wherein the filling structure is adapted to be filled with a hardenable fluid filling medium so that the outer wall conforms to the inside surface of the aneurysm and the inner surface forms a generally tubular lumen to provide blood flow; and   a sealing feature, the sealing feature forming a fluid seal between the filling structure and the aneurysm or an adjacent endograft when the filling structure is filled with the hardenable fluid filling medium, thereby minimizing or preventing blood flow downstream of the seal.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sealing feature is disposed in a neck of the aneurysm and/or disposed upstream of the aneurysm. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sealing feature comprises an annular cuff disposed at least partially about the first filling structure. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the annular cuff is disposed about a neck region of the filling structure. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the sealing feature comprises a thrombogenic material. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the thrombogenic material is selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, polycarbonate, polyester, ePTFE, polyolefin, parylene, gelatin and silicone. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the thrombogenic material comprises a thrombogenic drug. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sealing feature comprises a frame coupled with an inside surface of the filling structure. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the frame comprises a resilient frame biased to flex radially outward so as to facilitate outward expansion of the filling structure during deployment. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the frame comprises any number of resilient metals and/or resilient polymers. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first filling structure has a main body with a main body width and the sealing feature comprises a narrow neck region coupled with the main body, the narrow neck region having a width less than the main body width. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the narrow neck region width is approximately 2% to approximately 20% of the main body width. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sealing feature comprises a tapered shoulder region on an upper portion of the filling structure. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the tapered region flares inwardly from the upper portion of the first filling structure to a lower portion of the first filling structure. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first filling structure comprises an upper layer of material and a lower layer of material, wherein at least a portion of the upper layer is fixedly coupled with at least a portion of the lower layer of material,
 wherein the sealing feature comprises an upper filling region formed by a seal defining the upper filling region and a lower filling region of the filling structure, the upper and lower filling regions in fluid communication with one another.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the upper filling region holds a smaller volume of filling medium than the lower filling region. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sealing feature comprises an arm in fluid communication with the region filled with the hardenable filling medium. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sealing feature comprises a cape or winged region, the cape or winged region flaring radially outward from the first double-walled filling structure. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sealing feature comprises a band extending circumferentially around the tubular lumen. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sealing feature comprises an enlarged head region and a tapered lower region of the first filling structure, the tapered region flaring radially outward as the distance from the head region increases.