A method and apparatus provide techniques for stenting ostial legions and other restenosis in vessels through a stenting apparatus that includes both a guidewire and a separate marker wire. In some examples, the marker wire is threaded through a tubular body of the stenting apparatus and in other examples, the marker wire may be threaded externally through the tubular body. In both such examples, the marker wire may be aligned with a radiopaque marker of the apparatus to guide marker wire positioning.

A catheter that has a catheter tube everting inside-out during the process of catheterization is disclosed. The catheter tube has a plurality of longitudinal protrusions extending from the first end of the catheter tube through at least a portion of the catheter tube, and forming an angle of 0 degrees to 45 degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis of the catheter tube and facing radially inwards, and provides for dilating a circumference of the catheter tube upon everting the catheter tube inside-out from the first end of the catheter tube.

A deployment device for deploying a self-expanding fenestrated stent graft. The device includes a fenestrated stent graft retained on an introducer. The introducer includes a main catheter and an auxiliary catheter preloaded within the introducer and extending from distal the distal end of the stent graft, into the lumen of the stent graft and through the fenestration.

A stent graft (2) for placement in the thoracic arch of a patient has a first tubular body portion (6) with a first lumen therein for placement in the ascending aorta of a patient and a second tubular body portion (8) to extend along the thoracic arch and down the descending aorta. The second tubular body portion is of a lesser diameter than the first tubular body portion. There is a step portion (10) between the first body portion and the second body portion. The step portion is joined to and continuous with the first portion and the second portion. A first side of each of the first body portion, the step portion and the second body portion are substantially aligned so that there is a step (18) defined on a second side opposite to the first side of the body portion. There is an aperture (30) in the step portion and an internal tube (32) extending from the aperture towards the first body portion. The internal tube is divided along part of its length into at least two smaller internal tubes (34, 36) with the smaller internal tubes opening into the first lumen.

An endoluminal prosthesis system deployable in a region of a patient's vasculature having one or more branch vessels, having a main graft body having a first opening in a wall portion of the main graft body and a pre-loaded guidewire positioned inside the main graft body and advanced through the first opening. One or more branch grafts can be attached to the main graft body to cover one or more openings in the main graft body.

An angioplasty apparatus for facilitating accurate placement of a lumen stent for dilating a stenosis, the apparatus includes arcuate low pressure balloon segment(s) connected at a distal end of a guiding catheter with gap(s) to facilitate blood flow during a stenting procedure. Optimal positioning of a stent at a lumen bifurcation is facilitated to obviate any tendency of a stent to miss a proximal end of a stenosis branch lumen while concomitantly preventing the stent from protruding into an original lumen, such as a patient's aorta.

Flared stents are disclosed, and apparatus and methods for delivering such stents into a bifurcation between a main vessel and a branch vessel. The stent includes a first tubular portion a second flaring portion that may be flared radially outwardly to contact the ostium. The stent may include variable mechanical properties along its length. The stent may be delivered using a catheter including proximal and distal ends, the stent overlying first and second balloons on the distal end. During use, the catheter is advanced through an ostium into the branch to place the stent within the branch. The first balloon is expanded to flare the stent to contact a wall of the ostium, thereby causing the stent to migrate partially into the ostium. The second balloon is expanded to fully expand the stent within the ostium and branch.

A catheter that has a catheter tube everting inside-out during the process of catheterization. The catheter tube has a plurality of longitudinal protrusions extending from the first end of the catheter tube through at least a portion of the catheter tube, and forming an angle of 0 degrees to 45 degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis of the catheter tube and facing radially inwards, and provides for dilating a circumference of the catheter tube upon everting the catheter tube inside-out from the first end of the catheter tube.

A joining arrangement between a main tube (3) and a side arm (5) in a side arm stent graft (1). The side arm (5) is stitched into an aperture (11) in the main tube and is in fluid communication with it. The aperture is triangular, elliptical or rectangular and the side arm is cut off at an angle to leave an end portion having a circumferential length equal to the circumference of the aperture. The side arm can also include a connection socket (76) comprising a first resilient ring (79) around the arm at its end, a second resilient ring (80) spaced apart along the arm from the first ring and a zig zag resilient stent (82) between the first and second rings. The zig-zag resilient stent can be a compression stent. Both the main tube and the side arm are formed from seamless tubular biocompatible graft material.

A stent graft includes a luminal graft component defining at least one fenestration. At least one ligature traverses the fenestration and at least partially defines an opening within the fenestration that secures a branch prosthesis. The stent graft is implanted in a patient to thereby treat an arterial aneurysm, such as an aortic aneurysm in a region of the aorta that includes at least one arterial branch, including juxtarenal and short-neck aortic aneurysms.