US6039749A — Method and apparatus for deploying non-circular s…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 40 words

A stent having a non circular cross-section when expanded, comprising: a tubular wall defining a curved edge and an alignment edge; and an orientation marker positioned on said tubular wall with a predetermined rotational relationship relative to said alignment edge.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 40 words

A stent having a non circular cross-section when expanded, comprising: a tubular wall defining a curved edge and an alignment edge; and an orientation marker positioned on said tubular wall with a predetermined rotational relationship relative to said alignment edge.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 14 words

The stent as in claim 1, wherein said stent self-expands to the non-circular cross-section.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 16 words

The stent as in claim 1, wherein the non-circular cross-section is a generally "D" shaped configuration.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 27 words

The stent as in claim 1, wherein said curved edge is shaped to engage a body lumen and said alignment edge is shaped to engage another stent.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 17 words

The stent as in claim 1, wherein said stent is attached to a segment of graft material.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 58 words

The stent as in claim 5, wherein said stent has a proximal end and a distal end, said graft material having an end cut on a bias, said end being attached to said stent such that said graft material extends substantially between said proximal and distal ends along said alignment edge, yet only partially along said curved edge.

Claim 8

Independent Claim 121 words

A method for endoluminally excluding an aortic aneurysm in a patient's vascular system, comprising the steps of: advancing through each branch of the patient's femoral and iliac system a a respective graftstent complex, each graftstent complex comprising a first stent and a graft; aligning said first stents relative to each other in a common region of normal aortic tissue on one side of the aneurysm; and deploying each of said aligned first stents in the common region by applying a circumferentially non-uniform force from within each stent which expands it into a non-circular shape, said expanded stents being generally symmetric to one another, whereby blood in a patient's vascular system flows through said respective graftstent complexes and thereby excludes the aneurysm.

Claim 9

Independent Claim 121 words

A method for endoluminally excluding an aortic aneurysm in a patient's vascular system, comprising the steps of: advancing through each branch of the patient's femoral and iliac system a a respective graftstent complex, each graftstent complex comprising a first stent and a graft; aligning said first stents relative to each other in a common region of normal aortic tissue on one side of the aneurysm; and deploying each of said aligned first stents in the common region by applying a circumferentially non-uniform force from within each stent which expands it into a non-circular shape, said expanded stents being generally symmetric to one another, whereby blood in a patient's vascular system flows through said respective graftstent complexes and thereby excludes the aneurysm.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method as in claim 7, wherein each stent is expanded into a non-circular shape solely by applying a force within each stent.

Claim 11

Independent Claim 37 words

A system, comprising: a stent; an elongated catheter; and means, connected to the catheter which supports said stent thereabout, for expanding said stent to a non-circular shape in the absence of a force external to said stent.

Claim 12

Independent Claim 37 words

A system, comprising: a stent; an elongated catheter; and means, connected to the catheter which supports said stent thereabout, for expanding said stent to a non-circular shape in the absence of a force external to said stent.

Claim 13

Independent Claim 68 words

A system, comprising: an elongated catheter defining an inflation lumen therein; and an inflatable balloon affixed to said catheter, said balloon being preshaped to have a generally "D" shaped cross-section when inflated to the deployment size, a stent positioned over said balloon; whereby inflation of said balloon to the deployment size with the stent thereover causes the stent to expand from the delivery size to a non-circular shape.

Claim 14

Independent Claim 68 words

A system, comprising: an elongated catheter defining an inflation lumen therein; and an inflatable balloon affixed to said catheter, said balloon being preshaped to have a generally "D" shaped cross-section when inflated to the deployment size, a stent positioned over said balloon; whereby inflation of said balloon to the deployment size with the stent thereover causes the stent to expand from the delivery size to a non-circular shape.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 15 words

The apparatus as in claim 10, further comprising: means for rotatably supporting said elongated catheter.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 23 words

The apparatus as in claim 11, further comprising: means, on said elongated catheter, for indicating the relative rotational orientation of the inflatable balloon.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 90 words

A graftstent complex for hemostatically bypassing an aneurysm in the vicinity of a branching passageway, comprising: a first graft segment defining a first lumen; a first stent attached to said first graft segment; a second graft segment defining a second lumen; a second stent attached to said second graft segment; a plurality of barbs associated with at least a selected one of said first and second stents and extending from the surface of said selected stent to engage said graft attached to the other of said first and second stents.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 90 words

A graftstent complex for hemostatically bypassing an aneurysm in the vicinity of a branching passageway, comprising: a first graft segment defining a first lumen; a first stent attached to said first graft segment; a second graft segment defining a second lumen; a second stent attached to said second graft segment; a plurality of barbs associated with at least a selected one of said first and second stents and extending from the surface of said selected stent to engage said graft attached to the other of said first and second stents.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 28 words

The graftstent complex as in claim 13, wherein said engaging means is also for engaging an inner lining of a blood vessel to thereby anchor said selected stent.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 64 words

A graftstent complex, comprising: a stent having a non circular cross-section when expanded and including a tubular wall defining in at least the expanded state a curved edge and an alignment edge; a segment of graft material attached to the stent; an alignment marker positioned on said segment of graft material with a predetermined rotational relationship relative to said alignment edge of said stent.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 64 words

A graftstent complex, comprising: a stent having a non circular cross-section when expanded and including a tubular wall defining in at least the expanded state a curved edge and an alignment edge; a segment of graft material attached to the stent; an alignment marker positioned on said segment of graft material with a predetermined rotational relationship relative to said alignment edge of said stent.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 15 words

The graftstent complex as in claim 15, wherein said stent self-expands to the non-circular cross-section.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 17 words

The graftstent complex as in claim 15, wherein the non-circular cross-section is a generally "D" shaped configuration.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 32 words

The graftstent complex as in claim 15, wherein said curved edge is shaped to engage a body lumen and said alignment edge is shaped to engage the stent of another graftstent compex.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 65 words

The graftstent complex as in claim 15, wherein said stent has a proximal end and a distal end, said segment of graft material has a first end cut on a bias, said first end being attached to said stent such that said segment of graft material extends substantially between said proximal and distal ends along said alignment edge, yet only partially along said curved edge.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2003-03-21	2003-09-20	2004-03-21	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2007-03-21	2007-09-20	2008-03-21	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2011-03-21	2011-09-20	2012-03-21	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and apparatus for deploying non-circular stents and graftstent complexes

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