Sectional crimped graft

Abstract

The present invention provides a sectional crimped graft that allows graft flexibility where required and limits the overall longitudinal extension. The present invention overcomes the disadvantage of fully crimped grafts by controlling the number of crimps per unit length, crimp height, crimp geometry and their location along the graft wall, dependent on the particular end-use application. In so doing, flexibility and elongation can be controllably tailored only in areas where significant anatomical angulation is present. It may also be useful in applications other than stent grafts such as surgical grafts for aortic and peripheral areas. Limiting the overall graft longitudinal extension also facilitates the deployment of the stent-graft into the blood vessel.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An implantable tubular graft useful to repair or replace a body passageway comprising: 
 a generally tubular graft having inner and outer walls and having first and second open ends;    a central portion longitudinally extending between said ends; and    the walls having crimps located only along a portion of their length.    
     
     
         2 . The tubular graft of  claim 1 , wherein the crimps are located along one or more portions of their length.  
     
     
         3 . The tubular graft of  claim 1 , wherein the crimps are generally in wave-like pattern.  
     
     
         4 . The tubular graft of  claim 1 , wherein section of the crimps are of uniform length.  
     
     
         5 . The tubular graft of  claim 1 , wherein section of the crimps are of variable length.  
     
     
         6 . The tubular graft of  claim 1 , wherein the crimps are of uniform height.  
     
     
         7 . The tubular graft of  claim 1 , wherein the crimps are of variable height.  
     
     
         8 . The tubular graft of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of said crimps does not share a common trough formed by adjacent peaks.  
     
     
         9 . The tubular graft of  claim 1 , wherein the crimps are located between the first and second open ends.  
     
     
         10 . The tubular graft of  claim 1 , wherein the crimps are located proximal to the first and second open ends.  
     
     
         11 . The tubular graft of  claim 1 , wherein at least one said open end is mounted over an expandable stent.  
     
     
         12 . The tubular graft of  claim 1 , wherein said graft is mounted over an expandable stent.  
     
     
         13 . The tubular graft of  claim 11 , wherein said graft and expandable stent are loaded in a catheter.  
     
     
         14 . An implantable tubular graft useful to repair or replace a body passageway comprising: 
 a generally tubular graft having inner and outer walls and having first and second open ends;    a central portion longitudinally extending between said ends; and    the walls having one or more individual crimps located along its length, wherein said individual crimps do not share a common trough formed by adjacent peaks.    
     
     
         15 . A method of producing a partially crimped implantable graft comprising: 
 providing an elongate tubular textile graft having a first end and a second open end defining a fluid passageway therethrough;    placing at least a portion of the graft over a mandrel having a grooved or corrugated surface which serves as a template for forming crimps; and    conforming a portion of the graft to said mandrel shape to effectuate crimps in said portion of the graft.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the grooved or corrugated surface comprise individually annular ribs or rings.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the individual annular ribs or rings comprise sections of uniform length, to thereby effectuate section of the crimps to be of uniform length in said portion of the graft.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the individual annular ribs or rings comprise sections of variable length to thereby effectuate section of the crimps to be a variable length in said portion of the graft.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the individual annular ribs or rings are of uniform height to thereby effectuate section of the crimps to be of uniform height in said portion of the graft.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the individual annular ribs or rings are variable height to thereby effectuate section of the crimps to be of variable height in said portion of the graft.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the individual annular ribs or rings are spaced apart to thereby effectuate crimps to be spaced apart from each other in said portion of the graft.  
     
     
         22 . A method of implanting a graft device within a body lumen, comprising: 
 providing a longitudinal extending tubular graft of original length, having opposing ends defining a fluid passageway therethrough and having variable crimps located along only a predetermined portion of its length;    positioning the graft device about a catheter and deploying said graft within a body vessel; and    allowing said graft to radially expand to contact a body lumen wall.    
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising positioning a stent about at least a portion of the graft to form a graft device; said stent and graft being in a longitudinally stretched low profile state for insertion into the body, thereby increasing the original length of the graft.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising deploying said graft to permit radial expansion and to bring the graft to its approximate original length.