EXPANSIBLE ENDOLUMINAL PROSTHESES

摘要

The present invention provides controlled expansion endoluminal prostheses and methods for their deployment and expansion. The present stent-grafts (10) generally comprise a radially expansible tubular frame (12) and a plastically expansible liner (74) on the frame. Either the frame (12) or the liner (74) includes a reinforcing element (96) which limits expansion of the stent-graft (10) at a predetermined expanded size. In some embodiments, the reinforcing element (96) restrains the frame (12), for example, by limiting the circumferential diagonals of perforations on a perforate frame structure (12). Generally, however, the reinforcing element (96) is included in the liner (74) as circumferentially oriented yarn (22). A particularly advantageous liner (74) includes composite circumferential yarns (130) having in-expansible fibers (134) wrapped around an expansible fiber (132), such as a partially oriented yarn, PTFE, or the like.