STENT GRAFTS WITH THERMAL PLEATING FOR ENHANCED FLEXIBILITY FOR TREATING ABDOMINAL AORTIC ANEURYSMS, INFRARENAL ABDOMINAL AORTIC ANEURYSMS, SUPRARENAL ABDOMINAL AORTIC ANEURYSMS, AND THORACIC AORTIC ANEURYSMS
A stent graft for surgical delivery in a target site of a patient to treat an aortic aneurysm. The stent graft includes a graft formed of graft material including a first portion to be received by a lower portion of an aorta that is relatively straight, and a second portion to be received by an upper portion of an aorta that is curved. The stent graft includes a stent attached to the graft including stent members. In a first orientation, the first and second portions of the graft material are folded between the stent members over first and second adjacent portions of the graft to form a first pleat and a second pleat. In a second orientation, the second pleat has a graft space between corresponding stent members on a greater curvature side of the stent graft that is greater than on a lesser curvature side of the stent graft.
1 . A stent graft for surgical delivery in a target site of a patient to treat an aortic aneurysm, comprising:
a graft formed of graft material, the graft material comprising:
a first portion configured to be received by a lower portion of an aorta that is relatively straight, and
a second portion configured to be received by an upper portion of an aorta that is curved; and
a stent attached to the graft, the stent comprising stent members;
wherein:
in a first portion first orientation, the first portion of the graft material is folded between the stent members over a first adjacent portion of the graft to form a first pleat,
in a second portion first orientation, the second portion of the graft material is folded between the stent members over a second adjacent portion of the graft to form a second pleat, and
in a second portion second orientation, the second pleat has a graft space between corresponding stent members on a greater curvature side of the stent graft that is greater than on a lesser curvature side of the stent graft.
2 . The stent graft of claim 1 , wherein the second pleat is a partial pleat disposed on the lesser curvature side of the stent graft.
3 . The stent graft of claim 2 , wherein, in the second portion second orientation, the greater curvature side of the stent graft is free of the partial pleat.
4 . The stent graft of claim 1 , further comprising a drug eluting layer for eluting a bioactive agent from the stent graft after implantation.
5 . The stent graft of claim 1 , wherein the graft material comprises polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or expanded PTFE (ePTFE).
6 . A stent graft for surgical delivery in a target site of a patient to treat an aortic aneurysm, comprising:
a graft formed of graft material; and
a stent attached to the graft, the stent comprising stent members;
wherein:
in a first orientation, the graft material is folded between the stent members over an adjacent portion of the graft to form a pleat, and
in a second orientation, the pleat has a graft space between corresponding stent members on a greater curvature side of the stent graft that is greater than on a lesser curvature side of the stent graft.
7 . The stent graft of claim 6 , wherein the pleat is a partial pleat disposed on the lesser curvature side of the stent graft.
8 . The stent graft of claim 7 , wherein, in the second orientation, the greater curvature side of the stent graft is free of the partial pleat.
9 . The stent graft of claim 6 , wherein the greater curvature side is opposite of the lesser curvature side.
10 . The stent graft of claim 6 , wherein the pleat is thermally set in the graft material.
11 . The stent graft of claim 6 , wherein the graft space is at least 4 millimeters.
12 . The stent graft of claim 6 , wherein, in the first orientation, the graft material is axially compressed.
13 . The stent graft of claim 6 , wherein, in the second orientation, the graft material is circularly compressed.
14 . The stent graft of claim 6 , wherein, in the first orientation, the graft material is folded abluminally with respect to a lumen of the stent graft.
15 . The stent graft of claim 6 , wherein, in the first orientation, the graft material is folded adluminally with respect to a lumen of the stent graft.
16 . The stent graft of claim 6 , wherein, in the first orientation, a first portion of the graft material is folded abluminally with respect to a lumen of the stent graft, and a second portion of the graft material is folded adluminally with respect to the lumen of the stent graft.
17 . The stent graft of claim 6 , further comprising a polymer layer for eluting a bioactive agent from the stent graft after implantation, the polymer layer comprising a drug eluting layer.
18 . The stent graft of claim 6 , wherein the graft material comprises polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or expanded PTFE (ePTFE).
19 . A stent graft for surgical delivery in a target site of a patient to treat an aortic aneurysm, comprising:
a graft formed of graft material; and
a stent attached to the graft, the stent comprising stent members;
wherein:
in a first orientation, the graft material is folded between the stent members over an adjacent portion of the graft to form a partial pleat, and
in a second orientation, the graft material is circularly compressed and the partial pleat has a graft space between corresponding stent members on a greater curvature side of the stent graft that is greater than on a lesser curvature side of the stent graft, the greater curvature side of the stent graft being free of the partial pleat.
20 . The stent graft of claim 19 , further comprising drug eluting layer for eluting a bioactive agent from the stent graft after implantation, wherein the graft material comprises polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or expanded PTFE (ePTFE).