Patent ID: 6770087
Filing Date: 2004-08-03
Classification: A61F,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
A method for making a partially encapsulated radially expandable reinforced vascular graft, comprising:providing a first and second tubular expanded polytetrafluoroethylene layer of material, wherein said first tubular layer is a luminal layer of said vascular graft; creating a plurality of openings in said first and second tubular layers, each of the openings extending through a wall thereof and comprising a longitudinal component and a circumferential component, wherein the length of the longitudinal component is less than the total length of the tubular layer in which it is created, and wherein the length of the circumferential component is less than 360Â°; disposing a radially expandable support layer comprising at least one stent between said first and second tubular layers; positioning the openings over at least a portion of said support layer; and attaching said second tubular layer to said first tubular layer.