Blood vessel wrap

1. A wrap for securing directly about a blood vessel within a patient's body by encasing a section of the vessel, the wrap comprising a body being of thin flexible construction having first and second ends and first and second sides and wherein first and second side regions at, near or along the first and second sides of the body being configured to apply, in use, a less compressive force along at least a portion of the first and second side regions compared to at, near, or along a centre region of the body to provide strain relief of a wrapped section of the blood vessel at, near or along an unwrapped section of the blood vessel.

2. The wrap as claimed in claim 1 , in combination with a blood vessel deformer, the body of the wrap being adapted to sandwich the deformer between the vessel and the wrap.

3. The wrap of claim 2 , in combination with an implantable counter-pulsation heart assist device comprising a vessel deformer.

4. The wrap as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the vessel deformer is part of an implantable counter-pulsation heart assist device.

5. The wrap as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the vessel deformer is an inflatable balloon or chamber.

6. The wrap as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the body of the wrap is adapted to secure the inflatable balloon or chamber against an aorta.

7. The wrap as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the body of the wrap is adapted to secure the inflatable balloon or chamber against an ascending aorta.

8. The wrap as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the body of the wrap is of woven or knitted construction, or a combination of those constructions.

9. The wrap as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the body of the wrap is made of polyester.

10. The wrap of claim 9 , wherein said polyester is polyethylene terephthalate.

11. The wrap as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the body of the wrap has slits along a portion of the first and second sides.

12. The wrap as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the body of the wrap has a series of spaced apart slits that are normal to the direction of the first and second sides.

13. The wrap as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the body of the wrap has warp fibres at, near, or along the first and second sides that are more elastic than the warp fibres at, near, or along the centre region of the body.

14. The wrap as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the warp fibres, near or along the first and second sides are crimped and the warp fibres at, near, or along the centre region of the body are un-crimped or less crimped.

15. The wrap as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the body of the wrap includes a strip of substantially centrally placed material, the strip having a tensile strength greater than that of the rest of the body of the wrap.

16. The wrap as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the first and second sides of the body of the wrap are similar, or differing, in elasticity or stretchability to each other.

17. The wrap as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the body of the wrap is made from woven fabric cut on the bias and is more elastic at or near the first and second sides.

18. The wrap as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the body of the wrap is thinner at, near, or along the first and second sides compared to at, near, or along the centre region of the body.

19. The wrap as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the body of the wrap is about six times longer than it is wide.

20. The wrap as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the body of the wrap has a slimmed region at or near a longitudinal midpoint of the body of the wrap.

21. The wrap as claimed in claim 20 , wherein the body of the wrap includes one or more longitudinal slits near the slimmed region to allow the body of the wrap to conform radially more closely with the inner curve of the vessel.

22. The wrap as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the body of the wrap is shaped to allow good conformance with the curved vessel.

23. The wrap as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the body of the wrap also includes an opening for a fluid tube.

24. The wrap as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the body of the wrap is coated with a material to reduce the surface area of the body and to limit tissue ingrowth.

25. The wrap as claimed in claim 24 , wherein the of the body wrap is coated on one or both sides with either silicone or polyurethane or a co-polymer of both silicone and polyurethane.

26. The wrap as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the of the body wrap has an open weave or mesh structure.

27. A wrap for securing about a blood vessel by encasing a section of the vessel, the wrap comprising a body being of thin flexible construction having two ends and two sides, wherein the body of the wrap is more elastic or stretchable at, near, or along at least a portion of the sides compared to at, near, or along a centre of the body, to provide strain relief of a wrapped section of the blood vessel at, near or along an unwrapped section of the blood vessel, wherein the body of the wrap has slits along a portion of the sides.

28. The wrap as claimed in claim 27 , wherein the body of the wrap has a series of spaced apart slits that are normal to the direction of the sides.

29. A wrap for securing about a blood vessel by encasing a section of the vessel, the wrap comprising a body being of thin flexible construction having two ends and two sides, wherein the body of the wrap is more elastic or stretchable at, near, or along at least a portion of the sides compared to at, near, or along a centre of the body, to provide strain relief of a wrapped section of the blood vessel at, near or along an unwrapped section of the blood vessel, wherein the body of the wrap has warp fibres at, near, or along the sides that are more elastic than the warp fibres at, near, or along the centre.

30. The wrap as claimed in claim 29 , wherein the warp fibres, near or along the sides are crimped and the warp fibres at, near, or along the centre are un-crimped or less crimped.

31. A wrap for securing about a blood vessel by encasing a section of the vessel, the wrap comprising a body being of thin flexible construction having two ends and two sides, the body being adapted to apply, in use, less compressive force at, near, or along at least a portion of the sides compared to at, near, or along a centre of the body, wherein the body of the wrap has slits along a portion of the sides.

32. The wrap as claimed in claim 31 , wherein the body of the wrap has a series of spaced apart slits that are normal to the direction of the sides.

33. A wrap for securing about a blood vessel by encasing a section of the vessel, the wrap comprising a body being of thin flexible construction having two ends and two sides, the body being adapted to apply, in use, less compressive force at, near, or along at least a portion of the sides compared to at, near, or along a centre of the body, wherein the body of the wrap has warp fibres at, near, or along the sides that are more elastic than the warp fibres at, near, or along the centre.

34. The wrap as claimed in claim 33 , wherein the warp fibres, near or along the sides are crimped and the warp fibres at, near, or along the centre are un-crimped or less crimped.

35. A wrap for securing about a blood vessel by encasing a section of the vessel, the wrap comprising a body being of thin flexible construction having two ends and two sides, the body being adapted to apply, in use, less compressive force at, near, or along at least a portion of the sides compared to at, near, or along a centre of the body, wherein the wrap includes a strip of substantially centrally placed material, the strip having a tensile strength greater than that of the rest of the of the body wrap, wherein the two sides of the of the body wrap are similar, or differing, in elasticity or stretchability to each other.

36. A wrap for securing about a blood vessel by encasing a section of the vessel, the wrap comprising a body being of thin flexible construction having two ends and two sides, the body being adapted to apply, in use, less compressive force at, near, or along at least a portion of the sides compared to at, near, or along a centre of the body, wherein the wrap has a slimmed region at or near a longitudinal midpoint of the body and wherein the body of the wrap includes one or more longitudinal slits near the slimmed region to allow the wrap to conform radially more closely with the inner curve of the vessel.