Patent ID: 7655035

Claim:
A vascular graft comprising a conduit structure having outer and inner wall surfaces, said conduit structure comprising a longitudinal central portion which has an annular cross section and uniform outer and inner diameters, said central portion having a flexibility, said conduit structure further comprising a pair of longitudinal intermediate portions each of which has an annular cross section and uniform outer and inner diameters, said outer diameters of said intermediate portions being equal to said outer diameter of said central portion, said central and intermediate portions each being radially compressed such that said radial compression of said intermediate portions is greater than said radial compression of said central portion, said radial compressions of said central and intermediate portions providing for said inner diameter of said central portion to be less than said inner diameters of said intermediate portions, said intermediate portions each being integral with said central portion and located longitudinally such that said central portion is between said intermediate portions, said intermediate portions each having a flexibility which is less than said flexibility of said central portion.