Patent ID: 8118855

Claim:
A stent graft comprising a tubular body of a biocompatible graft material and a plurality of zig zag self expanding stents fastened to and supporting the tubular body so as to form a plurality of stented regions separated by non-stented regions, the tubular body comprising a first end and a second end, at least some of the plurality of zig zag self expanding stents each comprising stent struts and stent bends between adjacent stent struts thereby defining first stent bends and second stent bends, the first stent bends being nearer to the first end of the tubular body and the second stent bends being nearer to the second end of the tubular body, and a temporary constriction arrangement associated with the at least some of the plurality of zig zag self expanding stents, the temporary constriction arrangement comprising at least adjacent second stent bends being releasably held circumferentially towards each other by respective flexible threads extending around and engaged to the respective second stent bends and around a release filament, the release filament being engaged with the tubular body by being stitched into the biocompatible graft material of the tubular body longitudinally therealong, the temporary constriction arrangement tapering at least some of the stented regions in a direction towards the second end of the tubular body while also tapering at least some of the non-stented regions in a direction different to the direction towards the second end, thereby creating a sawtooth effect in a longitudinal direction, whereby withdrawal of the release filament releases the flexible threads and thereby the temporary constriction arrangement.