Patent ID: 9713523
Date: 2017-07-25
CPC Classifications: A61F

Claim:
1. A method of deploying a stent-graft within a vessel, comprising: positioning within the vessel a stent-graft in a contracted state, the stent-graft comprising a stent and a graft with a connection end of the stent connected to an end of the graft, the stent including a series of interconnected struts disposed between respective crowns at the connection end and crowns disposed at a free end of the stent opposite the connection end, the stent free end including a belt retaining structure comprising a through hole provided in a plurality of crowns of the stent at the free end thereof and a belt releasably threaded through the through holes with the belt retaining the stent free end in a contracted state; releasing the stent connection end from the contracted state within the vessel so as to allow the stent connection end to expand while the stent free end remains in the contracted state; and thereafter releasing the belt from the through holes in the crowns of the free end and allowing the free end of the stent to expand.