Stent graft fenestration

1. A method for creating a channel through a foreign material located in a body of a patient, said foreign material defining a material first surface and a substantially opposed material second surface, said channel extending through said foreign material between said material first and second surfaces, said method using an apparatus including an electrode, said method comprising:

positioning said electrode substantially adjacent to said material first surface;

energizing said electrode with a radiofrequency current; and

using said electrode energized with said radiofrequency current to deliver energy into said foreign material to create said channel;

wherein said foreign material is included in a stent graft.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein said positioning of said electrode substantially adjacent to said material first surface is performed before energizing said electrode.

3. A method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising advancing said electrode into said foreign material towards said material second surface while delivering said energy into said foreign material.

4. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein said foreign material includes a synthetic material.

5. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein said foreign material includes a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), cotton, a polyester material and fabrics thereof.

6. A method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising

delivering said energy into said foreign material for a predetermined duration; and

stopping delivery of said energy into said foreign material after said predetermined duration.

7. A method as defined in claim 6 , wherein said predetermined duration is from about 0.1 second to about 5 seconds.

8. A method as defined in claim 7 , wherein said predetermined duration is from about 1 second to about 2 seconds.

9. A method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising dilating said channel.

10. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein

said body of said patient includes a body vasculature having a first vessel and a second vessel branching off of the first vessel; and

said foreign material is included in a stent graft located within said first vessel and occluding an opening of said second vessel.

11. A method as defined in claim 10 , wherein

said first vessel comprises an abdominal aorta and said second vessel comprises a renal artery branching from said abdominal aorta at a renal artery ostium;

said stent graft occludes said renal artery ostium;

positioning said electrode substantially adjacent to said material first surface includes positioning said electrode substantially adjacent to said renal artery ostium outside of said abdominal aorta; and

using said electrode energized with said radiofrequency current to deliver said energy into said foreign material to create said channel includes delivering said energy into said stent graft.

12. A method as defined in claim 10 , wherein

said first vessel comprises an abdominal aorta and said second vessel comprises a renal artery branching from said abdominal aorta at a renal artery ostium;

said stent graft occludes said renal artery ostium;

positioning said electrode substantially adjacent to said material first surface includes positioning said electrode substantially adjacent to said renal artery ostium inside of said abdominal aorta; and

using said electrode energized with said radiofrequency current to deliver said energy into said foreign material to create said channel includes delivering said energy into said stent graft.

13. A method as defined in claim 10 , wherein

said first vessel comprises a thoracic aorta and said second vessel comprises a left subclavian artery branching from said thoracic aorta at a left subclavian artery ostium;

said stent graft occludes said left subclavian artery ostium;

positioning said electrode substantially adjacent to said material first surface includes positioning said electrode substantially adjacent to said left subclavian artery ostium outside of said thoracic aorta; and

using said electrode energized with said radiofrequency current to deliver said energy into said foreign material to create said channel includes delivering said energy into said stent graft.

14. A method as defined in claim 10 , wherein

said first vessel comprises a thoracic aorta and second vessel comprises a left subclavian artery branching from said thoracic aorta at a left subclavian artery ostium;

said stent graft occludes said left subclavian artery ostium;

positioning said electrode substantially adjacent to said material first surface includes positioning said electrode substantially adjacent to said left subclavian artery ostium inside of said thoracic aorta; and

using said electrode energized with said radiofrequency current to deliver said energy into said foreign material to create said channel includes delivering said energy into said stent graft.

15. A method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:

monitoring a current output of said electrode;

detecting one or more over-currents if the current output exceeds a predetermined magnitude threshold;

determining an extent of the over-currents detected before the expiry of a predetermined time period; and

controlling the delivery of energy based on the extent of the over-currents detected.