Assembly of stent grafts

摘要

A method of assembling of a stent graft (20) including temporarily diameter reduction arrangements to enable partial release of a stent graft to assist with positioning before complete release. The diameter reduction arrangement includes a release wire (72) and flexible threads (74, 80) extending to struts (76) of a self expanding stent (70) either side of the release wire and being pulled tight. Removal of the release wire enables full expansion of the self expanding stent.

主权项

1. A temporary diameter reduction constraint arrangement for a stent graft in combination with a stent graft,
the stent graft comprising a tube of biocompatible graft material forming a tubular body having a diameter and a plurality of self expanding stents fastened thereto along the length of the tube of biocompatable graft material, the plurality of stents including a first stent at one end of the tube, a second stent at the other end of the tube, and at least one intermediate stent between the first and second stents, the constraint arrangement comprising at least one release wire extending longitudinally along the graft material tube, the at least one release wire being stitched into and along the length of the tubular body with at least one stitch of the release wire being exposed to the outside of the tubular body in the region of the intermediate stent, the constraint arrangement further comprising at least one loop of thread extending at least partially circumferentially about the tubular body and with one end of the at least one loop engaged around the at least one stitch of the release wire and another end of the loop engaged around a portion of the stent graft circumferentially spaced a selected distance away from the release wire to at least partially gather the material of the graft and reduce the overall diameter of the stent graft.