Implantable graft and methods of making same

1. An endoluminal covered-stent including a radially expandable stent having a proximal end, a distal end and an intermediate region between the proximal end and the distal end and at least one of a plurality of attachment members configured to attach to a metal stent cover member, the radially expandable stent having a plurality of interconnected structural members and a plurality of stent fenestrations, the improvement comprising:

a) the metal stent cover member being comprised of a generally tubular thin film metal cover member having a plurality of microporous openings and a thickness between about 0.1μ to about 20μ, wherein each of the plurality of microporous openings has an open surface area less than an open surface area of each of the plurality of stent fenestrations, the generally tubular thin film metal cover member is concentrically joined to at least one of a luminal surface or an abluminal surface of the stent and joined to the stent only at the plurality of attachment members, such that the generally tubular thin film metal cover member at least partially occludes the plurality of stent fenestrations; and

b) wherein the joined radially expandable stent and the generally tubular thin film metal cover member are capable of radial expansion together with one another.

2. The endoluminal covered-stent of claim 1 , wherein the radially expandable stent and the generally tubular thin film metal cover member have compatible degrees of foreshortening upon radial expansion of the stent and generally tubular thin film metal cover.

3. The endoluminal covered-stent of claim 1 , wherein the stent and the generally tubular thin film metal cover are each composed of at least one material selected from the group consisting of: titanium, vanadium, aluminum, nickel, tantalum, zirconium, chromium, silver, gold, silicon, magnesium, niobium, scandium, platinum, cobalt, palladium, manganese, molybdenum and alloys thereof, zirconium-titanium-tantalum alloys, nickel-titanium alloys, cobalt-chromium alloys and stainless steel.

4. The endoluminal covered-stent of claim 3 , wherein the generally tubular thin film metal cover is joined to the plurality of attachment members by thermal welds.

5. The endoluminal covered-stent of claim 4 , wherein the thermal welds are passivated.

6. The endoluminal covered-stent of claim 3 , wherein the generally tubular thin film metal cover metal cover has a transition temperature between about 60 and about 100 degrees Centigrade.

7. The endoluminal covered-stent of claim 1 , wherein the stent has a transition temperature less than body temperature.

8. The endoluminal covered-stent of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of microporous openings in the generally tubular thin film metal cover further comprising at least one circumferential region of microporous openings configured to allow longitudinal expansion and compression of the at least one circumferential region of microporous openings during longitudinal flexing of the generally tubular thin film metal cover.

9. The endoluminal covered-stent of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of microporous openings further comprise microporous openings configured to allow for diametric expansion of the generally tubular thin film metal cover.

10. The endoluminal covered-stent of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of microporous openings further comprise microporous openings configured to allow for diametric expansion of the generally tubular thin film metal cover.

11. The endoluminal covered-stent of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of microporous openings are arranged in an irregular pattern in the generally tubular thin film metal cover.

12. An endoluminal covered-stent, comprising:

a. a radially expandable stent having a plurality of circumferential structural members longitudinally interconnected by a plurality of interconnecting members and a plurality of stent fenestrations bounded by circumferential structural members and interconnecting members, and a plurality of attachment members coupled to at least one of the plurality of circumferential structural members or at least one of the plurality of interconnecting members;

b. a radially expandable tubular thin film metal cover member having a thickness between about 0.1μ to about 20μ and plurality of openings passing through wall surfaces thereof, wherein each of the plurality of openings has an open surface area less than an open surface area of each of the plurality of stent fenestrations, the tubular thin film cover member being positioned to cover at least one of a luminal surface or an abluminal surface of the stent such that the radially expandable tubular thin film metal cover member at least partially occludes the plurality of stent fenestrations and wherein the generally tubular thin film metal cover member is thermally joined only to at least some of the plurality of attachment members; and

c. wherein the joined radially expandable stent and the generally tubular thin film metal cover member are capable of radial expansion together with one another and have compatible degrees of foreshortening upon radial expansion of the joined covered-stent.

13. The endoluminal medical device of claim 12 , wherein the stent and the radially expandable tubular thin film metal cover member are each formed of at least one material selected from the group consisting of: titanium, vanadium, aluminum, nickel, tantalum, zirconium, chromium, silver, gold, silicon, magnesium, niobium, scandium, platinum, cobalt, palladium, manganese, molybdenum and alloys thereof, zirconium-titanium-tantalum alloys, nickel-titanium alloys, cobalt-chromium alloys and stainless steel.

14. The endoluminal covered-stent of claim 12 , further comprising first and second joins wherein the first join and said second join further comprise welds.

15. The endoluminal covered-stent of claim 1 , wherein the endoluminal covered stent comprises at least one proximal attachment member disposed at the proximal end of the endoluminal stent and at least one distal attachment member disposed at the distal end of the endoluminal stent and wherein the at least one proximal and distal attachment members include a surface area having a curvature along a longitudinal axis of the endoluminal covered-stent.