Vascular elastance

• US 10,617,538 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2018
• Issued: 04/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Regents of The University of Minnesota (University of Minnesota)
• Original Assignee: Regents of The University of Minnesota (University of Minnesota)
• Inventors: Scandurra, John, Vollmers, Karl, Scorzelli, Christopher, Little, Eric F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Matthews, William H
• Application Number:
  US15/993,572
• Publication Number:
  US 20180271681A1
• Time in Patent Office: 685 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12036 partial occlusion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12109 in a blood vessel
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12136 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/06 Blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/82 Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents stent-grafts for tubular structures of the body other than blood vessels A61F2/04; stent-grafts for blood vessels A61F2/07; instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts A61F2/95; for closing wounds, or holding wounds closed A61B17/04 - A61B17/115; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/848 having means for fixation to the vessel wall, e.g. barbs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/90 characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0065 toroidal, e.g. ring-shaped, doughnut-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0003 having an inflatable pocket filled with fluid, e.g. liquid or gas
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0013 for adjusting fluid pressure

Abstract

A device includes a balloon and an interface. The balloon has an outer surface and a central lumen aligned on a longitudinal axis. The balloon is configured to receive a compressible fluid. The interface is coupled to the outer surface and has an external surface configured to bond with a tissue.

Claims

1. A method of treating pulmonary hypertension, the method comprising:

anchoring a balloon within a pulmonary artery using an interface coupled to the balloon such that the balloon is suspended within a lumen of the pulmonary artery, wherein anchoring the balloon comprises expanding the interface upon deployment to intimately contact an inner wall of the pulmonary artery, and

wherein the balloon compresses under a positive differential pressure in the pulmonary artery such that blood flows between an outer surface of the balloon and the inner wall of the pulmonary artery and expands under a negative differential pressure in the pulmonary artery such that blood flows between the outer surface of the balloon and the inner wall of the pulmonary artery.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the interface has a stent structure.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the interface is configured to enable endothelial cell development.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the balloon has a cylindrical shape.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein anchoring the balloon comprises anchoring the balloon such that the interface is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the balloon.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a scaffold.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a stent.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a metal mesh.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a non-metal mesh.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the balloon compresses under the positive differential pressure such that an equivalent volume of blood occupies a space in the pulmonary artery adjacent to the balloon.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising percutaneously installing the balloon using an introducer sheath.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising percutaneously installing the balloon using an introducer guidewire.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising percutaneously installing the balloon using a needle.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising percutaneously installing the balloon using a catheter.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising inflating the balloon using the catheter after installation.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising pressurizing the balloon using the catheter after installation.