Bard Peripheral Vascular, Inc.

C. R. Bard, Inc.

Impra, Inc.,

Impra, Inc., a Subsidiary of C.r. Bard, Inc.

Angiomed Gmbh & Co. Medizintechnik Kg

Sandra M Cundy

Debra A Bebb

Richard E Layne

Jurgen Dorn

Richard W Layne

Rajagopal R Kowligi

Jürgen Dorn

Anne Nina Bynon

Debra Bebb

A stent device includes a first graft member, a second graft member and a stent frame defining a central axis. The frame has an abluminal surface engaged with the first graft member and a luminal surface engaged with the second graft member such that the first graft member and the second graft member encapsulates the stent frame along the length of the central axis. The stent frame includes a configuration where the stent frame is disposed on a curvature such that the abluminal surface has a radius of curvature of approximately 20 millimeters about a center of the curvature and the luminal surface defines a substantially constant effective cross-sectional area at any portion generally transverse to the central axis of the stent frame disposed about the curvature.

Flexible stretch stent-graft

A method of making an implantable medical device includes extruding a first ePTFE tube and a second ePTFE tube, cutting a plurality of slits in the first ePTFE tube, positioning a radially expandable support layer between the first and second ePTFE tubes so that the slits span portions of the support layer, and laminating the first ePTFE tube to the second ePTFE tube through openings in the support layer.

Partial encapsulation of stents

A stent device () comprises a first graft member (), a second graft member and a stent frame () defining a central axis. The frame has an abluminal surface engaged with the first graft member and a luminal surface engaged with the second graft member such that the first graft member and the second graft member encapsulates the stent frame along the length of the central axis. The stent frame includes a configuration where the stent frame is disposed on a curvature such that the abluminal surface has a radius of curvature of approximately 20 millimeters about a center of the curvature and the luminal surface defines a substantially constant effective cross-sectional area at any portion generally transverse to the central axis of the stent frame disposed about the curvature.

Partially encapsulated stents are made using gaps cut into ePTFE covering material. Ring stents are placed over an inner ePTFE tube (e.g., supported on a mandrel) and are covered by a &ldquo;lacey&rdquo; graft sleeve, which is constructed by cutting apertures into an ePTFE tube so that a series of circumferential and longitudinal strips is created. This &ldquo;lacey&rdquo; sleeve is then laminated to the inner ePTFE tube to capture the stents. By selecting the size and position of the apertures in the ePTFE covering, it is possible to leave critical parts of the stent unencapsulated to facilitate flexibility and expansion. Alternatively, the gaps can consist of slits cut into the ePTFE covering material. These slits can be cut in any direction including longitudinally, radially, or diagonally. In addition, the slits can be spaced at varying intervals around the covering material to maximize flexibility and expandability. Although a single stent can be used, these approaches lend themselves to use of a plurality of individual ring stents spaced apart along the inner ePTFE tube.

A dual supported intraluminal graft comprising a biocompatible flexible layer sandwiched between two structural support layers. The preferred embodiment comprises a first structural support, such as a stent, which is concentrically retained within a tubular shaped PTFE graft which is concentrically retained within a second structural support, such as a stent. The ends of the PTFE graft may be folded back onto the outer surface of the second structural support thereby forming flaps. Upon radial expansion of the preferred embodiment, the stent/graft/stent assembly forms inseparable layers.

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Mesa, AZ, United States of America

Sandra M Cundy