Endovascular prosthesis with suture holder
An endovascular prosthesis has a prosthesis body that is sized and configured for introduction into a blood vessel lumen. The prosthesis body has a wall that defines an interior passage for blood. One or more connectors are distributed about the wall. A fastener is carried by at least one of the connectors. The fastener is sized and configured for advancement through the connector into tissue in the blood vessel lumen.
1 . An endovascular prosthesis comprising
a prosthesis body sized and configured for introduction into a blood vessel lumen and including a wall defining an interior passage for blood,
one or more connectors distributed about the wall, and
a fastener carried by at least one of the connectors, the fastener being sized and configured for advancement through the connector into tissue in the blood vessel lumen.
2 . A prosthesis as defined in claim 1
wherein the fastener comprises a spiral suture that is advanced into tissue in the blood vessel lumen in response to rotation of the connector.
3 . A prosthesis according to claim 1
wherein at least one of the connectors includes a drive end to which the fastener is coupled, and
further including a drive member sized and configured for releasable coupling to the drive end to actuate the drive end and advance the fastener into tissue in the blood vessel lumen.
4 . A prosthesis according to claim 3
wherein the fastener comprises a spiral suture that is advanced into tissue in the blood vessel lumen in response to rotation,
wherein the drive end of the connector rotates, and
wherein the drive member rotates the drive end.
5 . A prosthesis according to claim 3
wherein the drive member comprises a cable.
6 . A prosthesis according to claim 3
wherein the drive member extends beyond the prosthesis body for coupling to an external driver.
7 . A prosthesis according to claim 1
wherein the prosthesis body is radially expandable into contact with tissue in the blood vessel lumen.
8 . A prosthesis according to claim 1
wherein the prosthesis body is thermally expandable into contact with tissue in the blood vessel lumen.
9 . A prosthesis according to claim 1
wherein the prosthesis body is expandable into contact with tissue in the blood vessel lumen in response to expansion of an expandable body within the prosthesis body.
10 . A prosthesis according to claim 1
wherein a plurality of connectors are distributed about the wall.