VASCULAR AND AORTIC GRAFTS AND DEPLOYMENT TOOL
A containment structure for use with a workpiece vascular graft may include a sheath having two lateral edges; holes defined through the sheath in proximity to the lateral edges of the sheath, wherein longitudinally-adjacent holes are spaced longitudinally from one another; and a pull wire extending through the holes. A medical apparatus may include a vascular graft self-expandable from an insertion state to a deployed state; and a suture cuff located at one end of the vascular graft. A deployment tool may include a mandrel; a vascular graft placed about the mandrel, and a sheath wrapped about the vascular graft, wherein the sheath compresses the vascular graft to an insertion diameter. A hybrid graft may include a graft and a stent, where an end of the graft is affixed to an end of the stent.
1 . A containment structure for use with a workpiece vascular graft, comprising
a sheath having two lateral edges;
a plurality of holes defined through the sheath, the plurality of holes in proximity to the lateral edges of the sheath and being spaced longitudinally from one another along a longitudinal axis; and
a pull wire extending through said holes.
2 . The containment structure of claim 1 , wherein said lateral edges are wavy.
3 . The containment structure of claim 2 , wherein the lateral edges are sinusoidal and include longitudinally-sequential peaks and valleys.
4 . The containment structure of claim 3 , wherein the peaks are laterally offset from one another such that peaks on a first lateral edge contact valleys of a second lateral edge when the sheath is rolled in a manner that brings the lateral edges together.
5 . The containment structure of claim 3 , wherein the holes are positioned in proximity to the peaks of the lateral edges.
6 . The containment structure of claim 1 , wherein the pull wire passes longitudinally alternately through the holes defined in proximity to alternating the lateral edges.
7 . The containment structure of claim 1 , wherein the pull wire is metallic.
8 . The containment structure of claim 1 , wherein the pull wire is composed of biocompatible fabric.
9 . The containment structure of claim 1 , wherein the sheath is composed of PTFE.
10 . The containment structure of claim 1 , wherein the sheath is composed of polyethylene terephthalate
11 . A medical apparatus comprising:
a vascular graft self-expandable from an insertion state to a deployed state; and
a suture cuff located at one end of the vascular graft.
12 . The medical apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the suture cuff initially is rolled up into a ring about the longitudinal centerline of the vascular graft.
13 . The medical apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the vascular graft comprises an outer cover about a cylindrical scaffold; wherein the scaffold is longitudinally shorter than the outer cover, and wherein the section of the cover extending longitudinally outward from the scaffold forms the suture cuff.
14 . The medical apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the cover is composed of PTFE.
15 . The medical apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the cover is composed of polyethylene terephthalate.
16 . The medical apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the suture cuff is rolled about an end of the scaffold.
17 . The medical apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the suture cuff initially is rolled up into a ring about the longitudinal centerline of the scaffold at one end of the scaffold.
18 . The medical apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the suture cuff is located at the proximal end of the vascular graft.
19 . The medical apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the suture cuff is differentially unrollable on opposed sides of the vascular graft.