Patent ID: 7655039

Claim:
An implantable prosthesis, consisting of: a plurality of elongate strands interbraided to form an open-frame tubular structure having opposed first and second atraumatic ends, the tubular structure being radially expandable and contractible between an enlarged-radius state and a reduced-radius state, wherein all of the strands are bent to form bends at said first atraumatic end; wherein each of the elongate strands are integrally coupled to another alongate strand along respective end regions thereof to form a plurality of strand couplings along said second atraumatic end of the tubular structure; and a plurality closure members disposed at said second atraumatic end, each one of said plurality of closure members being connected to a pair of associated strand couplings and extending between the associated strand couplings to form a loop segment directed axially outwardly from the associated strand couplings and each one of said plurality of closure members being connected to a different pair of the strand couplings with each pair of associated strand couplings includes first and second strand couplings, one of the strands of the first strand coupling is longer than the other strand to provide a strand extension of a predetermined length, and the strand extension is selectively shaped and connected to the second strand coupling to provide said loop segment; wherein the plurality of closure members at said second atraumatic end is one half the number of bends at said first atraumatic end, wherein all of the bends are at said first atraumatic end, wherein all of the end regions of all of said elongate strands are at said second atraumatic end of said tubular structure and are disposed within said associated strand couplings, and wherein each one of said plurality of strand couplings is directly connected to one of said plurality of closure members.