W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.

Jeffrey J Kustusch

Ryan D Kariniemi

Edward H Cully

Jeffrey B Duncan

Mark Joseph Ulm

Thomas E Kariniemi

Jared S Nelson

Joseph B Koenig

Peter Heicksen

Mark J Ulm

A stent and method of making incorporating flexible, preferably polymeric, connecting elements into the stent wherein these elements connect element(s) across an intervening space. The polymeric connecting elements are designed to fold within the space between the outer diameter of the stent and the inner diameter of the stent.

Stent having adjacent elements connected by narrow flexible webs

The present disclosure includes an expandable medical device and outer sheath combination. The outer sheath is capable of being split to form multiple sheath sections that may be peeled back to expose a portion or all of the expandable medical device. The medical device, as well as the outer sheath, may include one or more therapeutic agents for delivery to a treatment area within a patient.

Removable covers for drug eluting medical devices

A stent graft including a stent having a wall having at least one opening, an outer surface, and an inner surface and a covering of a composite material having a least one expanded fluoropolymer membrane and an elastomer is provided. The cover can be used to cover the outer and/or the inner surface of the stent. The expanded fluoropolymer membrane contains serpentine fibrils. In exemplary embodiments, the fluoropolymer is polytetrafluoroethylene. The composite material may be axially and/or circumferentially wrapped around the stent. The composite material is fold-free throughout its operating diameter range and exhibits a sharp increase in stiffness at a predetermined diameter. The stent graft can be designed to have a stop point in either a radial or axial direction. The stent graft can advantageously be implanted undersized with respect to a nominal diameter without having material infolding.

Elastic stent graft

A stent graft including (1) a stent having a wall having at least one opening, an outer surface, and an inner surface and (2) a covering of a composite material having a least one expanded fluoropolymer membrane and an elastomer is provided. The cover can be used to cover the outer and/or the inner surface of the stent. The expanded fluoropolymer membrane contains serpentine fibrils. In exemplary embodiments, the fluoropolymer is polytetrafluoroethylene. The composite material may be axially and/or circumferentially wrapped around the stent. The composite material is fold-free throughout its operating diameter range and exhibits a sharp increase in stiffness at a predetermined diameter. The stent graft can be designed to have a stop point in either a radial or axial direction. The stent graft can advantageously be implanted undersized with respect to a nominal diameter without having material infolding.

A stent incorporating flexible, preferably polymeric, connecting elements into the stent wherein these elements connect adjacent metallic stent element(s) across an intervening space and have optimized geometries. In one configuration the metallic elements are the result of forming the stent from a helically wound serpentine wire having intervening spaces between adjacent helical windings of the wire. The polymeric connecting elements are designed to fold within the space between the outer diameter of the stent and the inner diameter of the stent when the stent is subjected to compaction or bending. Other stent forms such as multiple, individual spaced-apart ring-shaped or interconnected stent elements may also be used.

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Flagstaff, AZ, United States of America

Jeffrey J Kustusch