Stent graft and kit
The present invention relates to a stent graft, comprising: a hollow stent graft body having a lumen extending from one end of the stent graft body to the respective other end of the stent graft body, an expandable reservoir provided on an interior of the stent graft body, the expandable reservoir being covered with a separation layer on a side of the expandable reservoir facing the lumen, the expandable reservoir being arranged so as to swell when exposed to blood, the separation layer being arranged to prevent the expandable reservoir from being exposed to blood flowing through the lumen, the separation layer being arranged so that it can selectively expose the expandable reservoir to blood to cause the expandable reservoir to swell.
1 . A stent graft, comprising:
a hollow stent graft body having a lumen extending from one end of the hollow stent graft body to a second end of the hollow stent graft body;
an expandable reservoir provided within the lumen of the hollow stent graft body, the expandable reservoir being covered with a separation layer on a side of the expandable reservoir exposed to the lumen, the expandable reservoir configured to swell when exposed to blood within the lumen, the separation layer initially configured to prevent the expandable reservoir from being exposed to the blood flowing through the lumen; and
the separation layer being configured to selectively expose the expandable reservoir to the blood to cause the expandable reservoir to swell, wherein swelling of the expandable reservoir reduces a cross-sectional area of the lumen.
2 . The stent graft according to claim 1 , further comprising a semipermeable membrane between the expandable reservoir and the separation layer.
3 . The stent graft according to claim 1 , the separation layer being configured to expose the expandable reservoir to the blood when exposed to light of a pre-set wavelength.
4 . The stent graft according to claim 1 , the separation layer being configured to become permeable to the blood when exposed to one or more chemicals.
5 . The stent graft according to claim 1 , the expandable reservoir having a ring shape surrounding the lumen.
6 . The stent graft according to claim 1 , the stent graft comprising a plurality of expandable reservoirs, the plurality of expandable reservoirs being arranged at different axial positions inside the hollow stent graft body.
7 . A kit of parts, comprising the stent graft according to claim 1 , and a catheter configured to cause the separation layer to expose the expandable reservoir to the blood, thereby allowing it to swell.
8 . The kit of parts according to claim 7 , wherein the catheter comprises an optical fiber configured to conduct light from a proximal end of the catheter to a distal end of the catheter to thus exit the catheter, the kit of parts further comprising a light source configured to emit light of a pre-set wavelength, the optical fiber is configured to transmit the light to the distal end of the catheter.
9 . The kit of parts according to claim 7 , wherein the catheter is configured to release one or more appropriate chemicals selected so as to render the separation layer permeable to allow for the expandable reservoir to swell due to exposure to the blood.
10 . A stent graft, comprising:
a hollow stent graft body having a lumen extending from a first end of the hollow stent graft body to a second end of the hollow stent graft body; and
an expandable reservoir provided within the lumen of the hollow stent graft body, the expandable reservoir configured to swell when exposed to blood within the lumen, but covered with a separation layer on a side of the expandable reservoir facing the lumen to prevent the expandable reservoir from being exposed to the blood flowing through the lumen, wherein the separation layer is configured to selectively expose the expandable reservoir to the blood, wherein swelling of the expandable reservoir reduces a cross-sectional area of the lumen.
11 . The stent graft according to claim 10 , further comprising a semipermeable membrane between the expandable reservoir and the separation layer.
12 . The stent graft according to claim 10 , wherein the separation layer is configured to expose the expandable reservoir to the blood when exposed to light of a pre-set wavelength.
13 . The stent graft according to claim 10 , wherein the separation layer is configured to become permeable to the blood when exposed to one or more chemicals.
14 . The stent graft according to claim 10 , wherein the expandable reservoir includes a ring shape surrounding the lumen.
15 . The stent graft according to claim 10 , wherein the expandable reservoir comprises a plurality of separate expandable reservoirs arranged at different axial positions on an interior of the hollow stent graft body.