| 摘要 |
A stent-graft (10) with increased longitudinal flexibility that is deployed within a body lumen for supporting the lumen and repairing luminal aneurysms . In a preferred embodiment, the stent-graft is located and expanded within a blood vessel to repair aortic aneurysms. The stent-graft is comprised of an expandable stent portion (20), an expandable graft portion (100) and at leas t one elongated rail (50). The stent portion and graft portion are moveable between the terminal ends of the rail(s) and relative to the rails so that i t can conform to the shape of a vessel in which it is deployed. The stent-graf t provides increased longitudinal flexibility within a vessel. Also, the stent - graft of the present invention does not kink after expansion, and thus, eliminates the potential for the graft portion occluding the blood flow lume n of the vessel in which it is deployed. Moreover, the wear on the graft is reduced and its longevity increased. |
