Importance

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Abstract

A resilient graft construction incorporates a structural layer formed of a resilient body compatible metal or polymer, and a fluid impervious layer of graft material secured to the structural layer. The structural layer includes an elongate longitudinal primary section, and secondary sections extended transversely from opposite sides of the primary section. The secondary sections can be arranged in opposed pairs, or staggered. The secondary sections further can be tapered in width, thickness or both. The grafts can be constructed by stamping or otherwise severing structural layer patterns from a flat sheet of structural material, then thermally setting the structural layers when they are wrapped about a mandril to determine a relaxed-state curvature. Opposed longitudinal edges either can overlap one another or be spaced apart from one another in the relaxed state. According to one alternative, the structural layer alone functions as a stent. Other alternatives include circumferentially closed graft structures, one of which consists of a resilient graft material.

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First Claim