US 12,076,227 B2
External steerable fiber for use in endoluminal deployment of expandable devices
Dustin C. Burkart, Bellemont, AZ (US); and Patrick M. Norris, Flagstaff, AZ (US)
Assigned to W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc., Newark, DE (US)
Filed by W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc., Newark, DE (US)
Filed on Sep. 9, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/470,447.
Application 17/470,447 is a continuation of application No. 15/691,299, filed on Aug. 30, 2017, granted, now 11,123,174, issued on Sep. 21, 2021.
Application 15/691,299 is a continuation of application No. 14/084,428, filed on Nov. 19, 2013, granted, now 9,770,322, issued on Sep. 26, 2017.
Application 14/084,428 is a continuation of application No. 13/743,118, filed on Jan. 16, 2013, granted, now 9,375,308, issued on Jun. 28, 2016.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/610,372, filed on Mar. 13, 2012.
Prior Publication US 2022/0151762 A1, May 19, 2022
Int. Cl. A61F 2/07 (2013.01); A61F 2/95 (2013.01); A61F 2/958 (2013.01); A61F 2/97 (2013.01)
CPC A61F 2/07 (2013.01) [A61F 2/95 (2013.01); A61F 2/958 (2013.01); A61F 2/97 (2013.01); A61F 2002/9511 (2013.01); A61F 2/9517 (2020.05); A61F 2210/0076 (2013.01); A61F 2250/0098 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A catheter assembly comprising:
a catheter having a leading end and a trailing end and comprising a main lumen extending between the leading end and the trailing end;
an expandable medical device positioned at the leading end of the catheter, the expandable device including a stent member coupled to an outer wall of a graft member, the stent member extending around a circumference of the graft member at a plurality of positions along a longitudinal length of the graft member including at least a first position, a second position, and a third position;
a sleeve positioned about an exterior surface of the expandable medical device;
a first steering line configured to selectively bend the expandable medical device, the first steering line being threaded through at least a portion of the expandible device in a first pattern, the first pattern including the first steering line passing between the stent member and the outer wall of the graft member at the first position and between the stent member and an inner wall of sleeve at the second position, the first pattern further including the stent member extending around the circumference of the graft member at the third position, the first, second and third positions being longitudinally-spaced from one another; and
a second steering line.