Device for rapid repair of body conduits

Abstract

A self-expanding stent-graft provided in a diametrically compacted state for implantation and retained preferably by a constraining sheath, useful for the temporary or permanent repair of injured, partially or entirely transected body conduits including blood vessels. It may be used under direct visualization to quickly stop or substantially reduce loss of blood from such damaged vessels and to quickly re-establish perfusion distal to the injury site. The device would typically be implanted under emergency room conditions but also be used in field situations by trained medical technicians. After an end of the device is inserted into a blood vessel through the injury access, deployment preferably initiates from the device end in a direction moving toward the middle of the length of the device by directionally releasing the constraining sheath. In a preferred embodiment, the two opposing ends of the device are individually deployable from the compacted, small diameter intended for insertion into a vessel, to the larger diameter at which they fit interferably into a portion of the vessel.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of repairing a damaged blood vessel having proximal and distal portions, the method comprising:
 inserting a compacted first end of a self-expanding stent-graft into the damaged blood vessel in a proximal direction by direct visualization; and   deploying the compacted first end of the self-expanding stent-graft to an expanded state by pulling a release filament to create a passageway from the damaged proximal portion of the blood vessel into the expanded first end of the self-expanding stent-graft.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein deploying the first compacted end results in substantially stopping loss of blood. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , comprising the additional steps of:
 inserting a compacted second end of the self-expanding stent-graft into the damaged blood vessel in a distal direction by direct visualization;   deploying the second compacted end of the self-expanding stent-graft to an expanded state by pulling a release filament to extend the passageway from the expanded second end of the self-expanding stent-graft into the damaged distal portion of the blood vessel.   
     
     
         4 . A method of repairing a damaged blood vessel having proximal and distal portions, the method comprising:
 inserting a compacted first end of a self-expanding stent graft into the damaged blood vessel in a distal direction by direct visualization;   deploying the compacted first end of the self-expanding stent-graft to an expanded state by pulling a release filament to create a passageway from the damaged distal portion of the blood vessel into the expanded first end of the self-expanding stent-graft.   
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein deploying the first compacted end results in substantially stopping loss of blood. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 4 , comprising the additional steps of:
 inserting a compacted second end of the self-expanding stent-graft into he damaged blood vessel in a proximal direction;   deploying the second compacted end of the self-expanding stent-graft to an expanded state by pulling a release filament to extend the passageway form the expanded second end of the self-expanding stent-graft into the damaged distal portion of the blood vessel.   
     
     
         7 . A method of repairing a damaged blood vessel comprising:
 inserting a compacted first end of a self-expanding stent-graft into the damaged blood vessel; and
 deploying the first compacted end of the self-expanding stent-graft to an expanded state, thereby substantially occluding blood flow from the damaged blood vessel without recourse to pinching the stent-graft.