Patent ID: 6159239
Filing Date: 2000-12-12
Classification: A61F,D03D,D03J,D10B,Y10S

Abstract:
A combined stent/graft structure for repair of a body tube in a living body, the body tube having an inner surface, said combined stent/graft structure comprising:a textile graft adapted to enhance fluid integrity of the body tube, said graft having a generally tubular graft main portion with a graft main portion axis and first and second graft main portion ends, said graft main portion being formed, at least in part, by at least one graft yarn; anda stent expandable between a first position permitting easy insertion of said stent into the body tube and a second position wherein said stent presses securely against the inner surface of the body tube, said stent in turn comprising a first elongate wire-shaped stent member having both a first stent member global axis and a first stent member local axis, said first stent member being integrally secured to said graft by said at least one graft yarn of which said graft is formed, substantial portions of said first stent member global axis forming a non-orthogonal angle with said graft main portion axis when projected into a plane containing said graft main portion axis, said first stent member having material properties preselected to support said graft when in said second position, said first stent member local axis being generally defined by centroids of adjacent cross-sections of said first stent member, said first stent member global axis being generally defined by a straight-line curve fit to said first stent member local axis in a coordinate system substantially coincident with said generally tubular graft main portion.