VASCULAR GRAFT

摘要

A graft (36) is used to supply blood to one or more coronary artery branches. The graft (36) is also usable as a peripheral re-vascularization prothesis to supply blood to other desired blood vessels. The graft (36) has an elongated tubular body (37) providing a continuous passage (40) for carrying blood from a high-pressure blood supply attached to the inlet end (41) of the graft (36) to a blood receiver attached to the outlet end (42) of the graft (36). One or more openings along the length of the body (37) allow blood to flow into the coronary artery or other blood requiring vessels. The graft (36) can also be constructed with no openings along the length of the tubular graft body (37). The flow and pressure of the blood in the passages are controlled by a restriction (44) providing a restricted passage (48) located remote from the inlet end (41) of the tubular body (37). Biological material such as proteins or tissue such as endothelial cells are applied to the graft (36) to improve the performance of the graft (36). In one embodiment, the restriction (44) is reinforced with a sleeve (17) to help hold the junction to the blood receiver in an open and unrestricted shape.