ABSTRACT
The First-Generation Aortic Device The first-generation aortic self-expanding stent is made from two components (Fig. 1): The first is a memory nitinol stent with honeycomb geometry. The scaffold provides the necessary radial expansion force, yet in the cooled stage it is flexible enough to be collapsed and folded. Spikes at both ends ensure safe autoanchoring. The second is the valvular component, which is made from equine pericardium trimmed into leaflets and sutured by hand into the carrier stent by six semicontinuous 4-0 Ethibond running sutures. Special care is taken to leave the intercommissural space free of tissue. The stent valve interface is realized by a polyester warp knit tube sutured first onto the stent and then the tissue valve leaflets are sutured within the in-stent polyester cuff. The outer radial diameter of the implanted device is 23 mm in full expansion and 10 mm in the folded status.
