Intraluminal stent for attaching a graft

摘要

A grant-and-stent combination is disclosed for deploying by an intravascular delivery system at the site of an aneurysm, the combination being expandable from a first diameter to a second, larger diameter to hold open and press the graft against regions of the body lumen just proximal and distal to the aneurysm. The combination is characterized by one or more stents that are flexible due to independently expandable and interconnected cylindrical elements, which provide sufficient radial strength to the combination when the graft-and-stent are being attached to the vessel, but which nonetheless afford sufficient resiliency to allow a great degree of expansion at a rapid rate when the combination is being deployed. Attachment elements in the form of hooks are provided to securely affix the ends of the stent extending distally and proximally of the graft after expansion to the walls of the vessel just distally and proximally of the aneurysm.