Patent ID: 8425585

Claim:
A stent graft introduction device in combination with a stent graft, the stent graft comprising a tubular body of a biocompatible graft material, at least a portion of which tubular body is arcuate to define an inner curved side of the tubular body and an outer curved side of the tubular body, the stent graft comprising a plurality of self expanding stents affixed thereto and spaced apart along at least a portion of the tubular body, wherein at least some of the stents are normal stents comprising a wire formed into a plurality of struts and bends between adjacent struts, the struts defining a cylindrical body and the bends at each end defining respective planes transverse to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical body with the planes substantially parallel to each other and substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical body and at least some of the stents are tapered stents comprising a wire formed into a plurality of struts and bends between adjacent struts, the struts defining a cylindrical body and the bends at each end defining respective planes transverse to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical body with at least one of the planes being angled with respect to the plane at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical body whereby to define a tapered stent having one or two tapered ends and wherein the tapered stents are affixed to the tubular body with the longer struts on the outer curved side of the tubular body and the shorter struts on the inner curved side of the tubular body a proximal stent at the proximal end of the tubular body being a normal self expanding stent, at least the next three stents being tapered stents and the balance of the stents at a distal end of the tubular body being normal stents, the next three stents being a first tapered stent, a second tapered stent and a third tapered stent, the first, second and third tapered stents being mounted to the tubular body such that their longer sides are on the outer curved side of the tubular body, at least the tapered stents having radiopaque markers thereon to facilitate alignment during deployment, the stent graft being retained on the introduction device such that there is a twist in one circumferential direction between the first tapered stent and a second tapered stent and a further twist in the same or the opposite circumferential direction between the second tapered stent and a third tapered stent whereby to nest adjacent stents with each other on the deployment device.