Kink-resistant bifurcated prosthesis

Abstract

The invention consists of an endoluminal prosthesis adapted for placement at a bifurcation site within the body. The stent or stent-graft may be constructed to have segments of differing structural properties. A section of the stent-graft may be constructed to have a single-lumen tubular stent member covering a multilumen graft member. The stent-graft may comprise at least two modular components adapted for in situ assembly. An extended cylindrical interference fit may be used to seal the modular components.

1 . An implantable endoluminal prosthesis adapted for placement at a bifurcation site within a body, said device having at least two segments, at least one of said segments having structural properties different from another of said segments.  
     
     
         2 . The endoluminal prosthesis of  claim 1  wherein said device comprises a main body component and a contralateral leg component.  
     
     
         3 . The endoluminal prosthesis of  claim 1  wherein at least one of said components has a segment having an axial stiffness that is higher than adjacent segments.  
     
     
         4 . The endoluminal prosthesis of  claim 3  wherein said segment of higher axial stiffness comprises at least one extended strut.  
     
     
         5 . The endoluminal prosthesis  claim 1  wherein said device further comprises: 
 a stent member having an outer surface;  
 a generally tubular graft member;  
 a tape member covering only a portion of said outer surface of said stent member and securing the stent member and graft member to one another, said tape member having a different width in at least one of said segments.  
 
     
     
         6 . A stent-graft component comprising: 
 a graft member having a single-lumen graft section and a bifurcated graft section, said bifurcated graft section having two separate lumen;    a single lumen stent section secured to at least a portion of the periphery of said graft section, said single lumen stent section extending over at least a portion of said bifurcated graft section.    
     
     
         7 . The stent-graft of  claim 6  wherein greater than 180 degrees of the periphery of each of said two separate lumen are contacted by said distal stent section.  
     
     
         8 . The stent-graft of  claim 6  wherein at least one of said separate lumen terminates distally at a leg hole and said stent-graft further comprises a ring for support of said leg hole.  
     
     
         9 . The stent-graft of  claim 8  wherein said ring comprises an undulating wire.  
     
     
         10 . The stent-graft of  claim 8  wherein said stent-graft further comprises a radiopaque wire around the outside diameter of said leg hole.  
     
     
         11 . The stent-graft of  claim 10  wherein said separate lumen are a contralateral leg lumen having a receiving hole and a ipsalateral leg lumen having an ipsalateral leg hole, said independent wire ring being secured at or near said receiving hole.  
     
     
         12 . The stent-graft of  claim 8  wherein said stent member further comprises at least one anchor for securing said stent-graft to a vessel wall.  
     
     
         13 . The stent-graft of  claim 12  wherein said anchor comprises a stent apex bent at an angle to an outer surface of said graft.  
     
     
         14 . The stent-graft of  claim 12  wherein said anchor comprises at least one wire segment bent at an angle to an outer surface of said graft.  
     
     
         15 . A stent-graft section comprising: 
 a generally tubular stent member section having an inner surface and an outer surface;    a multilumen graft section secured to at least one of said inner and outer surfaces of said tubular stent member.    
     
     
         16 . The stent-graft section of  claim 15  wherein said graft section is bifurcated into two lumen and is attached to said inner surface.  
     
     
         17 . The stent-graft section of  claim 16  wherein said two lumen are secured to each other by at least one suture.  
     
     
         18 . A stent section comprising a wire structure having undulations, said undulations characterized by an alternating series of upper apexes and lower apexes, said wire structure arranged in a helical configuration having at least a first turn and a second turn, said first turn having at least one lower apex which extends to substantially meet a lower apex of said second turn.  
     
     
         19 . The stent section of  18  wherein said upper and lower apexes of said of said first turn are in-phase with said apexes of said second turn.  
     
     
         20 . The stent section of  18  wherein said stent section comprises multiple turns, each one of said multiple turns having at least one lower apex which extends to substantially meet a lower apex of an adjacent turn.  
     
     
         21 . The stent section of  20  wherein the extended apex of each turn is spaced one undulation from the extended apex of a successive turn.  
     
     
         22 . The stent section of  18  further comprising a graft member attached to said wire structure.  
     
     
         23 . A modular prosthesis adapted for placement at a bifurcation site within a body, said prosthesis comprising: 
 a main body component having an extended cylindrical female receiving portion; and    a leg component having a mating cylindrical male portion, adapted for attachment to said extended cylindrical female receiving portion.    
     
     
         24 . The modular prosthesis of  claim 23  wherein said male portion is attached within said female portion by an interference fit.  
     
     
         25 . The modular prosthesis of  claim 24  wherein cylindrical male portion has a first diameter and said cylindrical female portion has a diameter smaller than said first diameter.  
     
     
         26 . The modular prosthesis of  claim 24  wherein said female receiving portion further comprises a zone of decreased diameter in the vicinity of an anchoring ring, said anchoring ring being attached to said female receiving portion.  
     
     
         27 . The modular prosthesis of  claim 24  wherein said female receiving portion further comprises an internal folded flap of graft material, said flap creating a zone of reduce diameter within the female receiving portion.  
     
     
         28 . The modular prosthesis of  claim 27  wherein said flap further includes an anchoring ring.  
     
     
         29 . A self-expanding stent-graft device comprising a stent member and a graft member, said stent member having a terminating end in the form of a turn of an undulating wire; said graft component being attached to said stent component, said graft component having a scalloped shape at an end which corresponds to the shape of said stent end.  
     
     
         30 . A method of forming a bifurcated graft member comprising the steps of: 
 heat bonding a first tube section to a second tube section such that a common septum is formed and removing said septum to form a smooth bifurcation.    
     
     
         31 . A prosthesis anchor for securing an outer surface of an endoluminal prosthesis to a lumen wall, said anchor comprising a wire portion extending angularly in a first direction from said surface, said wire portion being pivotably coupled relative to said surface.  
     
     
         32 . The prosthesis anchor of  claim 31 , wherein said anchor further comprises a second wire portion extending angularly in a second direction from said surface, said second wire portion coupled to said first wire portion such that displacement of said second wire towards said surface urges said first wire away from said surface.  
     
     
         33 . The prosthesis anchor of  claim 32 , wherein first wire portion and said second wire portion are constructed a continuous wire.  
     
     
         34 . The prosthesis anchor of  claim 32 , wherein said first and second directions are substantially 180 degrees apart.