Systems and methods for applying a suture within a blood vessel lumen
Systems and methods apply a suture within a blood vessel lumen. The systems and methods advance within a blood vessel lumen a catheter tube having a distal region that carries a suture applicator. The systems and methods operate the suture applicator from a location external to the blood vessel lumen to apply a suture to an interior wall of a blood vessel lumen.
1. A method comprising
advancing a graft for repairing an aneurysm in a blood vessel lumen,
advancing within the blood vessel lumen an elongated endovascular device, the elongated endovascular device including a spiral suture applicator including a rotary head, a tissue-piercing spiral suture carried by the rotary head for advancement into a vascular wall of the blood vessel lumen in response to operation of the rotary head, and a component that is sized and configured to be moved between a contracted position and an operating condition that makes selective engagement against a vascular wall within the blood vessel, the endovascular device being advanced within the blood vessel lumen while the component is in the contracted position,
applying a stabilization force within the blood vessel by moving the component into the operating condition to make selective engagement against a vascular wall of the blood vessel, and
securing the graft to a vascular wall of the blood vessel to repair the aneurysm by operating the rotary head from a region remote from the blood vessel lumen to advance the tissue-piercing spiral suture into the vascular wall while the stabilization force is applied within the blood vessel lumen by the component.
2. A method according to claim 1
wherein the component is moved between a contracted position and an operating condition by expansion.