Endoluminal vascular prosthesis

Abstract

Disclosed is a tubular endoluminal vascular prosthesis, useful in treating, for example, an abdominal aortic aneurysm. The prosthesis comprises a self expandable wire support structure surrounded by a flexible tubular membrane. A delivery catheter and methods are also disclosed.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An endoluminal prosthesis, comprising: 
 a tubular wire support having a proximal end, a distal end and a central lumen extending therethrough;    the wire support comprising at least a first and a second axially adjacent tubular segment, joined by a connector extending therebetween;    wherein the first and second segments and the connector are formed from a single length of wire.    
     
     
         2 . An endoluminal prosthesis as in  claim 1 , comprising at least three segments and two connectors.  
     
     
         3 . An endoluminal prosthesis as in  claim 1 , comprising at least five segments and four connectors.  
     
     
         4 . An endoluminal prosthesis as in  claim 1 , wherein the wire in each segment comprises a series of proximal bends, a series of distal bends, creating a series of strut segments connecting the proximal bends and distal bends to form a tubular segment wall.  
     
     
         5 . An endoluminal prosthesis as in  claim 4 , wherein at least some of the strut segments are substantially linear.  
     
     
         6 . An endoluminal prosthesis as in  claim 4 , further comprising an eye on at least some of the bends.  
     
     
         7 . An endoluminal prosthesis as in  claim 6 , wherein one or more eyes on a distal end of the first tubular segment are connected to one or more corresponding eyes on a proximal end of the second tubular segment.  
     
     
         8 . An endoluminal prosthesis as in  claim 7 , wherein the corresponding eyes are connected with a suture, or ring.  
     
     
         9 . An endoluminal prosthesis as in  claim 4 , wherein each segment comprises from about 4 proximal bends to about 12 proximal bends.  
     
     
         10 . An endoluminal prosthesis as in  claim 1 , having at least a proximal segment, an intermediate segment and a distal segment, wherein the prosthesis is expandable from a reduced cross section to an expanded cross section.  
     
     
         11 . An endoluminal prosthesis as in  claim 10 , wherein at least a portion of the proximal segment and distal segment is larger in cross section than the central segment when the prosthesis is in the expanded cross section.  
     
     
         12 . An endoluminal prosthesis as in  claim 1 , further comprising a polymeric layer on the wire support.  
     
     
         13 . An endoluminal prosthesis as in  claim 12 , wherein the layer comprises a tubular PTFE sleeve surrounding at least a central portion of the prosthesis.  
     
     
         14 . A method of making an endoluminal prosthesis, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a length of wire;    forming the wire into two or more zig-zag sections, each zig-zag section separated by a crosslink;    rolling the formed wire about an axis to produce a series of tubular elements positioned along the axis such that each tubular element is connected to the adjacent tubular element by a link.    
     
     
         15 . A method as in  claim 14 , further comprising the step of positioning a tubular polymeric sleeve concentrically on at least one of the tubular elements.  
     
     
         16 . A method as in  claim 15 , wherein the positioning step comprises positioning the tubular polymeric sleeve concentrically on the outside surface of the tubular element.  
     
     
         17 . A method as in  claim 16 , wherein the tubular polymeric sleeve comprises PTFE.  
     
     
         18 . A multizone endoluminal prosthesis, comprising: 
 a tubular wire support having a proximal end, a distal end, and a central lumen extending therethrough;    the wire support comprising at least a first and a second axially adjacent tubular segments, joined by a connector extending therebetween;    wherein the first tubular segment has a different radial strength than the second tubular segment.    
     
     
         19 . An endoluminal prosthesis as in  claim 18 , further comprising a third tubular segment, wherein at least one of the tubular segments has a different radial strength than the other two tubular segments.  
     
     
         20 . An endoluminal prosthesis as in  claim 19 , wherein a proximal end of the prosthesis is self expandable to a greater diameter than a central region of the prosthesis.  
     
     
         21 . An endoluminal prosthesis, comprising an elongate flexible wire, formed into a plurality of axially adjacent tubular segments spaced along an axis, each tubular segment comprising a zig zag section of the wire, having a plurality of proximal bends and distal bends, with the wire continuing between each adjacent tubular segment, wherein the prosthesis is radially compressible into a first, reduced cross sectional configuration for implantation into a body lumen, and self expandable to a second, enlarged cross sectional configuration at a treatment site in a body lumen.  
     
     
         22 . An endoluminal prosthesis as in  claim 21 , comprising at least three segments formed from said wire.  
     
     
         23 . An endoluminal prosthesis as in  claim 22 , further comprising an outer tubular sleeve surrounding at least a portion of the prosthesis.  
     
     
         24 . An endoluminal prosthesis as in  claim 23 , wherein the sleeve further comprises at least one lateral perfusion port extending therethrough.  
     
     
         25 . An endoluminal prosthesis as in  claim 22 , wherein the prosthesis has a proximal end and a distal end, and at least one of the proximal end and distal end as expandable to a larger diameter than a central section of the prosthesis in an unconstrained expansion.  
     
     
         26 . An endoluminal prosthesis as in  claim 21 , wherein at least one distal bend on a first segment is connected to at least one proximal bend from an adjacent segment.  
     
     
         27 . An endoluminal prosthesis as in  claim 26 , wherein the connection comprises a pivotable connection.  
     
     
         28 . An endoluminal prosthesis as in  claim 27 , wherein the connection comprises a metal link.  
     
     
         29 . An endoluminal prosthesis as in  claim 27 , wherein the connection comprises a suture.  
     
     
         30 . An endoluminal prosthesis as in  claim 21 , wherein the prosthesis has an expansion ratio of at least about 1:4.  
     
     
         31 . An endoluminal prosthesis as in  claim 30 , wherein the prosthesis has an expansion ratio of at least about 1:5.  
     
     
         32 . An endoluminal prosthesis as in  claim 21 , wherein the prosthesis has an expanded diameter of at least about 20 mm-30 mm in an unconstrained expansion, and the prosthesis is implantable using a catheter no greater than about 16 French.  
     
     
         33 . A prosthesis as in  claim 32 , wherein the prosthesis has an expanded diameter of at least about 25 mm, and is implantable on a delivery device having a diameter of no more than about 16 French.  
     
     
         34 . A method of implanting an endoluminal vascular prosthesis, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a self expandable endoluminal vascular prosthesis, having a proximal end, a distal end and a central lumen extending therethrough, said prosthesis expandable from a first, reduced diameter to a second, enlarged diameter;    mounting the prosthesis on a catheter, such that when the prosthesis is in the reduced diameter configuration on the catheter, the catheter diameter through the prosthesis is no more than about 16 French;    introducing the catheter into a body lumen, and positioning the prosthesis at a treatment site in the body lumen;    releasing the prosthesis at the treatment site, such that the prosthesis expands from the first diameter to the second diameter;    wherein the second diameter is at least about 20 mm.