Graft systems having filling structures supported by scaffolds and methods for their use

Inventors

Evans, Michael A. • Watanabe, Gwendolyn A. • Lee, Amy • Herbowy, Steven L.

Assignees

Endologix LLC

Abstract

Aneurysms are treated by filling at least one double-walled filling structure with a curable medium within the aneurysm. The filling structures may be delivered over balloon deployment mechanisms in order to shape and open tubular lumens therethrough. Scaffolds are placed into the tubular lumens in order to help maintain the shape, anchor the filling structures in place, and provide improved blood flow transition into and out of the tubular lumens.

Core Innovation

The disclosed system relates to endoluminal treatment of an aneurysm using a filling structure having an outer wall and an inner wall. The filling structure comprises an internal space for filling with a hardenable fluid filling medium and forms a central lumen by the inner wall that provides a path for blood flow across the aneurysm. A radially expandable stent graft is attached to the filling structure such that blood flows into the stent graft and fails to contact the inner wall of the filling structure.

The endoluminal treatment is further defined by the stent graft comprising a stent portion and a graft portion, and by a portion of the radially expandable stent graft extending outwardly from one end of the stent graft portion. This outwardly extending portion is configured to anchor the stent graft to a blood lumen wall.

The disclosure includes configurations for single and bifurcated aneurysm treatment, including paired filling structures for aneurysm configurations. It also describes scaffold variants and geometries, including short stent scaffolds, full-length covered and uncovered stent/graft configurations, and multiple or overlapping stent segments with scaffold geometry for overlapping or continuous ring coverage.

Claims Coverage

The independent claim in the received material is clm-00001. It has dependent claims that refine the inventive system features by separating and de-coupling the stent graft relative to the filling structure, defining radial expansion behavior, and constraining lumen geometry and stent graft types.

Across the claim set shown, the coverage centers on a hardenable-filled, double-walled filling structure that defines a central lumen while a radially expandable stent graft provides a blood-flow path that fails to contact the inner wall. Dependent refinements emphasize separation and independent deployability and expansion of the stent graft relative to the filling structure, lumen geometry with diameter comparison, and a balloon-expandable stent graft.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications

No documented applications found