A flexible sutureless intraluminal graft that becomes rigid after placement in the aorta.

A new sutureless intraluminal graft has been developed with a ring made of a coiled, overlapping, stainless steel spring with ratchets in one overlapping end. This graft is flexible during insertion but becomes rigid after proper intraaortic placement as the spool is dilated and the ratchest lock into position. The new graft was implanted in 10 dogs and was evaluated histologically and angiographically at various intervals. No ring dislodgment, aortic rupture, stenosis, or aneurysmal dilation was observed. The flexible component of this graft allows it to be introduced and secured in place easily and provides a technical advantage compared with the clinically used rigid intraluminal graft.