There are many situations in which it would be desirable to create a channel through a stent graft located in a body of a patient. For example, the following two papers give examples of such procedures: McWilliams et al., “In Situ Stent-Graft Fenestration to Preserve the Left Subclavian Artery” Journal of Endovascular Therapy Vol. 11, No. 2, pp. 170-174; and McWilliams et al. “Retrograde Fenestration of Endoluminal Grafts From Target Vessels: Feasibility, Technique, and Potential Usage.” Journal of Endovascular Therapy: Vol. 10, No. 5, pp. 946-952, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
In some cases, a graft composed of foreign material including a substantially tubular supporting structure, for example a stent, needs to be positioned within a vessel of the body of the patient. However, because of the configuration of the vessel, side branches extending from the vessel may be obstructed by the graft. Restoration of flow through these side branches is relatively difficult to perform with a percutaneous needle because of the relatively large forces required. Also, the relatively large forces exerted onto the needle create a risk that the needle will pass through the foreign material suddenly and damage adjacent tissues.
Against this background, there exists a need in the industry to provide a novel method for creating a channel through a stent graft.