BIOCOMPATIBLE ENDOPROSTHESES

摘要

A highly biocompatible vascular endoprosthesis designed to reduce the tendency to restenosis after treatment for vascular disease. The vascular endoprosthesis preferably comprises an array of cylindrical elements (4) arranged internally or externally and secured to a continuous tubular element (7). This composite device is described as an arrayed stent graft. The cylindrical elements are made of wire wound in zig-zag form and may be constructed of metal or other suitable material. The tubular element may be either knitted or woven textile, a thin walled polymer tube, a thin walled elastomeric tube or a composite of two or more of these or other compounds. All external surfaces of the stent graft are composed of biocompatible material consisting of a polymer having both non-thrombogenic and anti-thrombogenic properties on the same polymer backbone or, if required, only non-thrombogenic or only anti-thrombogenic properties as described in WO97/41164. In addition to use in the vascular system the device has applications in other body canals and vessels including biliary stenting and transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent shunting (TIPSS).