CURVE FORMING APPARATUS AND CURVABLE STENT GRAFT

摘要

A stent graft delivery arrangement for a stent graft (50) has a proximal end to be deployed into a patient in use and a distal end to remain outside the patient. The stent graft (50) is a tubular body of a biocompatible graft material with a plurality of self expanding stents (54). The stent graft is releasably retained onto the delivery device (132) towards the proximal end thereof. A curve forming arrangement (56) on the stent graft is arranged to curve a portion of the stent graft towards its proximal end. A pulling arrangement (58) extends along the delivery device. The pulling arrangement releasably engages the curve forming arrangement such that pulling on the pulling arrangement causes the a curve forming arrangement on the stent graft to form a curve in a portion of the stent graft towards the proximal end. The pulling arrangement can be subsequently released leaving the curve forming apparatus in place on the stent graft and the portion of the stent graft towards the proximal end thereof being laterally curved. The curve forming arrangement can comprise a suture thread. A gripping arrangement engages the suture thread between the second position and the third position to prevent re-extension of the suture thread after retraction thereof. The gripping arrangement can be a slip knot (107).