Patent ID: 7833259

Claim:
An intraluminal prosthesis for strengthening a main lumen and a branch lumen in direct fluid communication with the main lumen, the prosthesis comprising: a tubular graft comprising a flexible body having a wall with a fenestration; and a flexible stent comprising a body having a radially expandable elongated member with a passage extending longitudinally therethrough, the flexible stent being expandable from an unexpanded state to an expanded state, the body having at least one interconnection member coupled between a first longitudinal segment and a second longitudinal segment, each of the longitudinal segments including a plurality of laterally interconnected cells, each cell of said longitudinal segment defining a first open space with a first area, and wherein the at least one interconnection member defines lateral edges of a second open space and the first and second longitudinal segments define longitudinal edges of the second open space, the second open space having a second area larger than the first area through the side of the flexible stent, wherein the second area of the second open space, when the flexible stent is in the expanded state, is sized to receive a sufficient amount of tissue prolapse therethrough and within the passage to anchor the flexible stent within said branch lumen, wherein the flexible stent is intraluminally coupled to the fenestration of the tubular graft, wherein the at least one interconnection member includes a first arm coupled to the first longitudinal segment and a second arm coupled to the first arm and the second longitudinal segment, where, when the flexible stent is in the unexpanded state, the first and second arms are angled relative to each other at a first angle, wherein, when the flexible stent is in the expanded state, the first and second arms are angled relative to each other at a second angle greater than the first angle, wherein the first angle increases to the second angle of 180 degrees during expansion of the flexible stent.