Patent ID: 9737394
Date: 2017-08-22
CPC Classifications: A61F

Claim:
1. A prosthesis for implantation within a blood vessel, the prosthesis comprising: a tubular body of a graft material; first and second opposing couplings that extend outwardly from the tubular body, wherein each coupling includes a base coupled to the tubular body, a top spaced from the tubular body, and a coupling lumen disposed between the base and the top that is in fluid communication with a lumen defined by the tubular body; and a variable stiffness stent coupled to the tubular body proximal of the couplings and including a plurality of crowns and a plurality of struts with each crown being formed between a pair of opposing struts, wherein the variable stiffness stent includes at least two zones of greater flexibility relative to at least two zones of less flexibility, wherein the at least two zones of greater flexibility and the at least two zones of less flexibility comprise a circumference of the variable stiffness stent, and wherein each of the at least two zones of greater flexibility comprise at least two consecutive struts and at least two crowns coupled to the at least two consecutive struts and wherein each of the at least two zones of less flexibility comprises at least two consecutive struts and at least two crowns coupled to the at least two consecutive struts, and wherein one of the at least two zones of greater flexibility is approximately circumferentially aligned with the first coupling and the other of the at least two zones of greater flexibility is approximately circumferentially aligned with the second coupling.