Patent ID: 6325820
Filing Date: 2001-12-04
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
A stent-graft, comprising:a tubular graft having a peripheral wall defining a periphery and a lumen therein, the lumen extending axially between first and second ends of the tubular graft;an exo-skeleton attached to an intermediate portion of the peripheral wall, the exo-skeleton comprising a plurality of independent serpentine elements, each serpentine element extending both peripherally and axially along at least a portion of the peripheral wall, the serpentine elements being distributed axially along the peripheral wall in phase with one another for providing articulation of the tubular graft between adjacent serpentine elements, each serpentine element being biased to an enlarged condition for maintaining the lumen substantially open, and constrainable in a contracted condition for facilitating introduction into a body passage; anda stent on the first end for substantially anchoring the first end within a body passage.