STOPPER TO PREVENT GRAFT MATERIAL SLIPPAGE IN CLOSED WEB STENT-GRAFT

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a stent-graft having a closed web configuration capable of interacting with a tip capture mechanism of a delivery system.SOLUTION: A stent-graft has a closed web configuration in which end stent crowns or apexes do not extend beyond an end of a tubular graft. In order to permit interaction of endmost crowns 208 with tip capture fingers or prongs of a delivery system, the graft covers the endmost crowns but the endmost crowns are not coupled to the graft material and thus free to interact with the delivery system. In order to prevent slippage of the graft material at the endmost crowns and secure the longitudinal position of the graft material, one of a pair of stoppers 214 is coupled on each of the opposing struts between which the unattached endmost crown is formed. The stoppers are cylindrical tubes of a radiopaque material having a longitudinally-extending slit in a wall thereof.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2