1. A dunnage holder comprising:
a vertically oriented steel tube having a generally hollow rectangular cross-section adapted for inserting into a stake hole around an outer rail of a flatbed trailer, said steel tube having a length of at least 3-inches; and
a first U-shaped steel channel permanently attached by straddling in an inverted position to a top of said steel tube, said U-shaped steel channel having an opening sufficiently large to receive a first end of a 4-inch by 4-inch wooden brace therein and to dispose said wooden brace across a full width of a flatbed of said trailer when a second end of said wooden brace is received by a corresponding, oppositely positioned U-shaped steel channel on an opposite end of said flatbed.
2. The dunnage holder according to claim 1 further comprising a locking pin penetrating through a narrow side of said steel tube.
3. The dunnage holder according to claim 1 further comprising a locking pin penetrating through a narrow side of said steel tube and said stake hole.
4. The dunnage holder according to claim 1, wherein said first U-shaped steel channel is welded to said top of the steel tube.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method of deploying an endograft comprising the steps of:
delivering an endograft to a diseased portion of a body lumen, said endograft being radially constrained by a sheath and select longitudinal portions of said endograft being radially constrained by releasable restraining members operatively associated with said select longitudinal portions of said endograft;
withdrawing said sheath to partially deploy said endograft, wherein said releasable restraining members constrain said selected longitudinal portions of said endograft to provide a flow path external said endograft proximate said restraining members while permitting portions of said endograft intermediate said selected longitudinal portions to expand;
releasing said restraining members to further deploy said select longitudinal portions to fully expand said endograft.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising, prior to the step of releasing said restraining members, the steps of:
determining the position of said endograft; and
repositioning said endograft, as required.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the position of said endograft is determined using radiography.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said restraining members are released selectively.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein said restraining members are released sequentially.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of releasing said restraining members comprises severing said restraining members and withdrawing them distally.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein said restraining members are flexible tubes extending longitudinally over said endograft in threaded engagement proximal to said endograft, and said step of releasing said restraining members comprises unscrewing said flexible tubes and withdrawing said flexible tubes distally over said endograft.
8. An endograft delivery system comprising:
a catheter configured to carry said endograft and to be endoluminally advanced through a body lumen;
a nosecone attached to a proximal end of said catheter;
a sheath configured to constrain said endograft in a radially compressed configuration during endoluminal advancement and to be axially withdrawn from said endograft to partially deploy said endograft; and
at least two releasable restraining members extending over and radially constraining lengthwise portions of said endograft.
9. The delivery system of claim 8 wherein said restraining members are releasably attached to said nosecone.
10. The delivery system of claim 8 wherein said restraining members are configured to be released by severing said restraining members.
11. The delivery system of claim 8 wherein said restraining members are absorbable and are configured to be released by absorption.
12. The delivery system of claim 8 wherein said restraining members are individually releasable.
13. The delivery system of claim 12 wherein said restraining members are sequentially releasable.