A STENT GRAFT HAVING AN IMPROVED MEANS FOR ATTACHING A STENT TO A GRAFT.

摘要

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a stent graft for insertion into a body lumen, such as a blood vessel, in order to repair such lumen. The stent graft includes a substantially cylindrical hollow expandable stent comprising a plurality of interconnected struts. The stent has a distal end and a proximal end, and an interior surface and an exterior surface. At least one strut of the stent has first and second apertures extending therethrough from the interior surface to the exterior surface. The stent graft also includes a graft member covering a predetermined portion of least one of the interior surface and the exterior surface of the stent. In addition, the stent graft further includes a staple for attaching the graft member to the stent. The staple has a crown and two legs extending therefrom. At least one of the legs of the staple extends through the graft material and through the first aperture. Both of the legs are bent inwardly towards said crown such tha t they revert back and extend through the second aperture.