Eversible locking mechanism for modular stents

1. A modular stent-graft system comprising:

a self-expanding bifurcated female stent-graft component having a lumen therethrough comprising a trunk, a leg, and a stump shorter than said leg configured for receiving a male stent-graft; and

a self-expanding male stent-graft component having a proximal end partially positioned within and locked with said lumen of said female stent-graft component;

said proximal end having an eversed stent extension at the proximal end of said male stent-graft component, wherein the eversed stent extension is formed from stent members that form the male stent-graft component and is in the eversed configuration upon the male stent-graft component prior to deployment within said female stent-graft component to lock said male stent-graft component to an inner surface of said female stent-graft component with an outward force exerted by the self-expanding stent and the eversed stent extension attempting to return to a non-eversed configuration,

said male stent-graft component having a covering attached thereto, and

said eversed stent extension being uncovered, wherein the eversed stent extension contacts the covering in the eversed configuration.

2. The modular stent-graft system of claim 1 wherein said male stent graft component comprises a self-expanding stent with a covering lashed thereon.

3. The modular stent-graft of claim 2 wherein said self-expanding stent comprises one or more braided filaments.

4. The modular stent-graft of claim 3 wherein said eversed extension comprises a continuous braiding of at least one of said one or more braided filaments.

5. The modular stent-graft system of claim 1 wherein, prior to eversing said eversed extension, said eversed extension is flared outwardly.

6. The modular stent-graft system of claim 1 wherein said female stent-graft is a bifurcated stent-graft comprising a trunk configured for placement in an abdominal aorta, an iliac leg configured for placement in a first iliac artery, and an iliac stump shorter than said iliac leg and configured for placement in a second iliac artery and for receiving said male stent-graft.

7. A method for implanting said male and female components of the modular stent-graft of claim 1 comprising the steps of:

endoluminally delivering said female stent-graft component into a body lumen;

providing said male stent-graft component with an eversible extension;

eversing said eversible extension over said male stent-graft component;

radially restraining said eversible extension in an eversed position;

endoluminally positioning said male stent-graft component and said eversed extension partially within said female stent-graft component; and

releasing said eversed extension to lock said male stent-graft component into said female stent-graft component.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said eversed extension is restrained by an axially movable delivery sheath.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said eversed extension is released by axially withdrawing said delivery sheath.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein said eversible extension is flared outwardly such that it is eversed by introducing said male stent-graft component into a delivery sheath.

11. A locking mechanism for use in a modular self-expanding stent comprising:

a bifurcated female stent component comprising a trunk, a leg, and a stump shorter than said leg configured for receiving a male stent-graft;

a male stent component deployed and locked partially within a lumen of said female stent component, said male stent component having a covering attached thereto; and

an uncovered eversed stent extension extending from said male stent component formed from stent members that form the said male stent component, said eversed stent extension in an eversed configuration upon said male stent component prior to being deployed within said mating female stent component to lock said male stent component to an inner surface of said female stent component with an outward force exerted by the self-expanding stent and the eversed stent extension attempting to return to a non-eversed configuration, wherein the eversed extension contacts the covering in the eversed configuration.

12. The locking mechanism of claim 11 further comprising said covering attached to said male stent component, and a covering attached to said female stent component to form a modular stent-graft.

13. The locking mechanism of claim 12 wherein said modular stent system is configured for deployment in an abdominal aorta, spanning the aortic bifurcation.

14. The locking mechanism of claim 11 wherein said eversed stent extension is outwardly flared prior to placement within a delivery sheath in the eversed configuration.

15. The locking mechanism of claim 11 wherein said male stent component comprises one or more braided filaments.

16. The locking mechanism of claim 15 wherein said eversed extension is formed by continued braiding of one or more of said braided filaments of said male stent component.

17. The locking mechanism of claim 16 wherein a covering is lashed to said male stent component to form a stent-graft and said eversed extension extends beyond said covering.

18. The locking mechanism of claim 11 in combination with a delivery sheath, said sheath configured to temporarily hold said eversed stent extension in said eversed configuration until said male stent component is deployed partially within the lumen of said female stent component.

19. A modular stent-graft system comprising:

a self-expanding bifurcated female stent-graft component having a lumen therethrough comprising a trunk, a leg, and a stump shorter than said leg configured for receiving a male stent-graft; and

a self-expanding male stent-graft component having a covering attached thereto and having a proximal end positioned within and locked with said lumen of said female stent-graft component;

said proximal end having an uncovered eversed stent extension formed from stent members that form the male stent-graft component, said extention being positioned within said female stent-graft component in an eversed configuration, said eversed stent extension being in the eversed configuration prior to being positioned within said female stent component, to lock said male stent-graft component to an inner surface of said female stent-graft component with an outward force exerted by the self-expanding stent and the eversed stent extension attempting to return to a non-eversed configuration, said eversed stent extension comprising a continuous braiding of at least one braided filament, wherein the eversed stent extension contacts the covering in the eversed configuration.