Expandable coil endoluminal prosthesis

• US 20010020182A1
• Filed: 04/12/2001
• Published: 09/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thomas J. Fogarty
• Original Assignee: Vascular Architects Incorporated
• Inventors: Fogarty, Thomas J., Klumb, Katherine J., Hill, Bradley B., Kamdar, Kirti P.
• Granted Patent: US 6,660,032 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.13
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/88 the wire-like elements formed as helical or spiral coils forming a net-like or mesh-like structure A61F2/90
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/9517 handle assemblies therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/954 for placing stents or stent-grafts in a bifurcation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/958 Inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/065 Y-shaped blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/067 modular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/075 the stent being loosely attached to the graft material, e.g. by stitching
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9511 the retaining means being filaments or wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/005 using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0058 soldered or brazed or welded
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0075 sutured, ligatured or stitched, retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0018 differing in elasticity, stiffness or compressibility
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0039 differing in diameter

Abstract

A coiled stent (196) has a coiled stent body with a main body portion (106) and end portions (108). The end portions may be substantially less stiff than the body portion to help prevent tissue trauma. A graft material (124) may be used to cover at least the main body portion to create a coiled stent graft (122) in which adjacent turns (128) have gaps defined therebetween to create a generally helical gap (130). The coiled stent may have side elements (10) separated by connector elements (112) and be placeable in a contracted, reduced diameter state and in a relaxed, expanded diameter state. The connector elements are preferably generally parallel to the stent axis when placed in the contracted, reduced-diameter state, typically tightly wrapped around a placement catheter (136).

Claims

1. A coiled endoluminal prosthesis comprising:

a coiled body comprising a main body portion and end portions, the main body portion comprising openings formed therethrough;

a graft material covering at least some of the openings formed in the main body portion to create a coiled stent graft, having an interior, in which adjacent turns thereof define a generally helical gap, opening into the interior, therebetween.

2. The prosthesis according to

claim 1

wherein the material comprises at least one of porous ePTFE and porous PTFE.

3. The prosthesis according to

claim 1

wherein the coiled body is self-expanding.

4. The prosthesis according to

claim 1

wherein the main body portion has an inner surface and an outer surface when coiled, wherein the graft material covers at least the outer surface of the main body portion.

5. A coiled endoluminal prosthesis comprising:

an elongate coiled body extending generally helically around a longitudinal axis and comprising a thickness and a width substantially greater than the thickness;

a material enclosing the entire body to create a completely covered coiled endoluminal prosthesis, having an interior, movable between a reduced diameter state and an expanded diameter state, a generally helically extending gap, opening into the interior, extending between adjacent turns of the coiled endoluminal prosthesis when in the expanded diameter state, whereby when the prosthesis is mounted adjacent to a length of a vessel wall, a portion of the surface area of the vessel wall remains free of the prosthesis.

6. A coiled endoluminal prosthesis comprising:

a coiled, self-expanding stent body having first and second edge elements separated by connector elements;

said body movable between a reduced diameter state and an expanded diameter state; and

a graft material covering at least part of the body to create a coiled stent graft, having an interior, in which adjacent turns thereof define a generally helical gap, opening into the interior, therebetween.

7. A coiled endoluminal prosthesis comprising:

a body comprising a coiled ribbon of material with first and second edge elements separated by connector elements;

said body movable between a reduced diameter state, extending along a body axis, and an expanded diameter state; and

said connector elements being at an acute angle to the edge elements when in the expanded diameter state, said angle chosen so that the connector elements lie generally parallel to the body axis when in the reduced diameter state so to provide a smoother appearance when in the reduced diameter state.

8. A method for enhancing non-turbulent flow within a vessel comprising:

placing a coiled endoluminal prosthesis at a target site within a vessel, the coiled endoluminal prosthesis comprising;

a coiled body;

a graft material covering at least part of the coiled body to create a coiled stent graft, having an interior, in which adjacent turns thereof define a generally helical gap, opening into the interior, therebetween;

expanding the stent graft thereby covering a first generally helical path of the vessel wall with the expanded stent graft; and

leaving a second generally helical path of the vessel wall uncovered by the stent graft.

9. The method according to

claim 8

wherein the placing step is carried out using a self-expanding coiled body and the expanding step comprises releasing the self-expanding stent graft.

10. The method according to

claim 8

wherein the placing, expanding and leaving steps are carried out in a manner so that the average width of the second helical path is about 50 percent to 800 percent of the average width of the first helical path.

11. The method according to

claim 8

wherein the placing step is carried out using a coiled body comprising first and second edge elements separated by connector elements defining openings formed therebetween, said openings covered by the graft material.

12. A method for enhancing even proliferation of cells of a vessel wall comprising:

placing a coiled endoluminal prosthesis at a target site within a vessel, the coiled endoluminal prosthesis comprising;

a coiled body comprising openings formed therethrough;

a graft material covering at least some of the openings to create a coiled stent graft, having an interior, in which adjacent turns thereof define a generally helical gap, opening into the interior, therebetween;

expanding the stent graft thereby covering a first generally helical path of the vessel wall with the expanded stent graft; and

leaving a second generally helical path of the vessel wall uncovered by the stent graft.

13. The method according to

claim 12

wherein the placing step is carried out using a self-expanding coiled body and the expanding step comprises releasing the self-expanding stent graft.

14. The method according to

claim 12

wherein the placing, expanding and leaving steps are carried out in a manner so that the average width of the second helical path is about 50 percent to 800 percent of the average width of the first helical path.