STENT/GRAFT ASSEMBLY

摘要

A stent/graft assembly includes a tubular graft connected in substantially end-to-end relationship with a generally tubular stent. Free ends of the stent and graft extend in opposite directions from the end-to-end connection during a pre-deployment orientation of the assembly. However, the graft is inverted during deployment so that free ends of the graft and the stent extend in substantially the same direction from the end-to-end connection in a post-deployment orientation. Thus, at least a portion of the stent is disposed within at least a portion of the graft in a post-deployment orientation of the assembly.

主权项

1. A stent/graft deployment method comprising:
providing a stent/graft assembly having a substantially tubular graft with opposite first and second ends and a stent affixed to the first end of the tubular graft; mounting said stent/graft assembly into an introducer sheath such that said second end of said tubular graft is releasably secured in proximity to an free end of said introducer sheath; guiding the free end of the introducer sheath to a selected location in a blood vessel; expanding the second end of the tubular graft circumferentially and into engagement with interior surface regions of said blood vessel; advancing said stent and said first end of said tubular graft through the second end of the tubular graft so that the tubular graft is turned substantially inside out; and expanding the stent circumferentially so that the stent urges the first end of the tubular graft circumferentially into engagement with the interior surface regions of said blood vessel at locations spaced from the introducer sheath.