Micro-strand cable with enhanced radiopacity

• US 20010023325A1
• Filed: 01/02/2001
• Published: 09/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David A. Ferrera
• Original Assignee: David A. Ferrera
• Inventors: Ferrera, David A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,475,169 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/585
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12022 Occluding by internal devices, e.g. balloons or releasable wires plugging an opening in the wall of an organ A61B17/0057; occluders for the cervical canal A61F6/146; vas deferens occluders A61F6/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12113 within an aneurysm
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12145 having a pre-set deployed three-dimensional shape methods of manufacturing A61B2017/00526
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1215 comprising additional materials, e.g. thrombogenic, having filaments, having fibers, being coated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1219 expandable in contact with liquids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00867 shape memory effect for prostheses A61F2210/0014
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/12072 the heat created by laser light
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/39 Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09191 made of twisted wires

Abstract

This invention relates generally to emplacable devices for interventional therapeutic treatment or vascular surgery, and more particularly concerns a stranded micro-cable with enhanced radiopacity that can be used to fabricate a vascular device, a stent, a guidewire or the like. The micro-cable is made of strands of a material exhibiting super-elasticity or shape memory properties, such as nickel-titanium, and includes a strand of radiopaque material, such as platinum or gold, in order to provide a radiopaque marker during interventional therapeutic treatment or vascular surgery. The micro-cable can be used to form occluding coils which can be used in devices to restrict, reinforce, or to occlude areas of small diameter vasculature such as an aneurysm or malformation in an artery or vein in the brain.

Claims

1. A multi-stranded micro-cable for use in interventional therapy and vascular surgery, comprising:

a plurality of flexible strands of a resilient material;

said micro-cable including at least one radiopaque strand to provide a radiopaque marker.

2. The multi-stranded micro-cable of

claim 1

, wherein said at least one radiopaque strand comprises an axially disposed radiopaque wire.

3. The multi-stranded micro-cable of

claim 1

wherein said plurality of flexible strands of a resilient material are comprised of a super-elastic material.

4. The multi-strand micro-cable of

claim 3

wherein said super-elastic material comprises a nickel titanium alloy.

5. The multi-strand micro-cable of

claim 1

wherein said plurity of flexible strands of a resilient material are comprised of a shape memory material.

6. The multi-strand micro-cable of

claim 5

wherein said shape memory material further comprises a nickel-titanium alloy.

7. The multi-strand micro-cable of

claim 5

wherein said shape memory material further comprises a shape memory polymer.

8. The multi-strand micro-cable of

claim 1

wherein said plurality of flexible strands further comprises a plurality of flexible strands twisted about a central core wire, at least one of said twisted strands comprising a radiopaque strand.

9. The multi-strand micro-cable of

claim 1

wherein said plurality of flexible strands further comprises a plurality of flexible strands twisted about a central core wire, said central core wire being made of a radiopaque material.

10. The micro-cable of

claim 1

wherein said radiopaque strand comprises a platinum strand.

11. The micro-cable of

claim 1

wherein said radiopaque strand comprises a gold strand.

12. The micro-cable of

claim 1

wherein said radiopaque strand comprises a tungsten strand.

13. The multi-strand micro-cable of

claim 5

wherein said radiopaque strands comprise a plurality of strands of said micro-cable, at least one of said plurality of radiopaque strands arrayed in the outer twisted strands of said cable.

14. The multi-strand micro-cable of

claim 1

, further comprising at least one strand of a therapeutic material.

15. The multi-strand micro-cable of

claim 14

wherein said strand of therapeutic material comprises copper.

16. The multi-strand micro-cable of

claim 14

wherein said strand of therapeutic material comprises hydrogel.

17. The multi-strand micro-cable of

claim 14

wherein said strand of therapeutic material comprises human growth hormone.

18. A multi-stranded micro-cable for use in interventional therapy and vascular surgery comprising:

a plurality of flexible strands of a resilient material longitudinally arranged in said cable, at least one of said strands being of radiopaque material; and

a sheath to constrain said strands of said micro-cable about a longitudinal axis.

19. The multi-stranded micro-cable of

claim 18

wherein at least one of said strands comprises a shape memory material.

20. The multi-stranded micro-cable of

claim 18

wherein at least one of said strands comprises a super-elastic material.

21. The micro-cable of

claim 19

wherein said shape memory material comprises a nickel titanium alloy.

22. The micro-cable of

claim 20

wherein said super-elastic material comprises a nickel titanium alloy.

23. The multi-stranded micro-cable of

claim 18

wherein said sheath comprises a containment strand wound about said longitudinal strands.

24. The multi-stranded micro-cable of

claim 18

further comprising an outer flexible sheath of low friction material.

25. The stranded micro-cable of

claim 24

wherein said outer sheath comprises a fluoropolymer.

26. The stranded micro-cable of

claim 18

wherein said sheath comprises a heat shrinkable plastic tube.

27. The multi-stranded micro-cable of

claim 18

wherein said plurality of flexible strands of a resilient material are comprised of a super-elastic material.

28. The multi-strand micro-cable of

claim 20

wherein said super-elastic material comprises a nickel titanium alloy.

29. The multi-strand micro-cable of

claim 18

wherein said plurity of flexible strands of a resilient material are comprised of a shape memory material.

30. The multi-strand micro-cable of

claim 19

wherein said shape memory material further comprises a nickel-titanium alloy.

31. The multi-strand micro-cable of

claim 19

wherein said shape memory material further comprises a shape memory polymer.

32. The micro-cable of

claim 18

wherein said radiopaque strand comprises a platinum strand.

33. The micro-cable of

claim 18

wherein said radiopaque strand comprises a gold strand.

34. The micro-cable of

claim 18

wherein said radiopaque strand comprises a tungsten strand.

35. The multi-strand micro-cable of

claim 18

wherein said radiopaque strands comprise a plurality of strands of said micro-cable.

36. The multi-strand micro-cable of

claim 18

, wherein a plurality of flexible strands are twisted about a longitudinal axis, at least one of said twisted strands being of a radiopaque material.

37. The multi-strand micro-cable of

claim 18

, further comprising at least one strand of a therapeutic material.

38. The multi-strand micro-cable of

claim 37

wherein said strand of therapeutic material comprises copper.

39. The multi-strand micro-cable of

claim 37

wherein said strand of therapeutic material comprises hydrogel.

40. The multi-strand micro-cable of

claim 37

wherein said strand of therapeutic material comprises human growth hormone.

41. A multi-stranded micro-cable for use in interventional therapy and vascular surgery comprising:

a plurality of flexible strands wound about a central core strand, said central core extending longitudinally and containing at least one strand of radiopaque material to provide a radiopaque marker to indicate the location of said cable under fluoroscopy.

42. The multi-stranded micro-cable of

claim 41

wherein at least one of said flexible strands wound about a central core is replaced with a flexible strand of radiopaque material to provide enhanced radiopacity.

43. The multi-stranded micro-cable of

claim 41

wherein said strands of flexible material further comprise a shape memory material.

44. The multi-stranded micro-cable of

claim 41

wherein said strands of flexible material further comprise a super-elastic material.

45. The multi-stranded micro-cable of

claim 43

wherein said shape memory material comprises a nickel titanium alloy.

46. The multi-stranded micro cable of

claim 44

wherein said super-elastic material comprises a nickel titanium alloy.

47. The multi-strand micro-cable of

claim 41

, further comprising at least one strand of a therapeutic material.

48. The multi-strand micro-cable of

claim 47

wherein said strand of therapeutic material comprises copper.

49. The multi-strand micro-cable of

claim 47

wherein said strand of therapeutic material comprises hydrogel.

50. The multi-strand micro-cable of

claim 47

wherein said strand of therapeutic material comprises human growth hormone.

51. A multi-stranded micro-cable for use in interventional therapy and vascular surgery comprising:

a plurality of flexible strands made of a resilient material helically wound around a central core, said central core comprising an axially placed therapeutic substance.

52. The multi-strand micro-cable of

claim 51

wherein said therapeutic substance includes one or more of components from the group of hydro-gel, collagen, bio-absorbable polymers such as lactic acids/glycolic acids and capro lactam.

53. The multi-stranded micro-cable of

claim 51

wherein said cable further comprises at least one of said strands of resilient material being a radiopaque strand to provide a radiopaque marker during a therapeutic procedure.

54. A multi-stranded micro-cable of

claim 51

wherein at least one of said flexible strands of the wire made of resilient material further comprises a shaped memory or super-elastic material.

55. The multi-stranded micro-cable of

claim 51

wherein said shaped memory or super-elastic material further comprises a nickel titanium alloy.

56. The multi-stranded micro-cable of

claim 51

wherein said therapeutic material further comprises material to promote human cell growth.

57. The multi-strand cable of

claim 51

wherein said therapeutic substance core is a fiber such as Dacron (polyester), polyglycolic acid, polylactic acid, fluoropolymers, nylons, polyaramid fiber kevlar or silk chosen for thrombogenicity.

58. The multi-strand cable of

claim 51

further comprising replacing at least one strand in said outer wound strands with a strand of a therapeutic material.

59. A composite wire for use in interventional therapy or vascular surgery, comprising:

a plurality of longitudinal structural strands, each of said strands being made of a resilient material;

at least one longitudinal radiopaque strand extending over a portion of the composite wire; and

an outer sheath of material to provide bending stiffness and constrain said longitudinal strands about said longitudinal axis.

60. The composite cable of

claim 59

wherein said sheath further comprises a plurality of heat shrink plastic covers placed to provide bending stiffness in said cable which varies with the position on said cable.

61. The composite cable of

claim 59

wherein said sheath further comprises a sheath which varies in cross section along its length to provide bending stiffness of said cable which varies with the position on said cable.

62. The composite cable of

claim 59

further comprising at least one longitudinal element for sensing a parameter.

63. The composite cable of

claim 59

further comprising at least one longitudinal element for providing a therapeutic effect at a location near the distal end of said cable.

64. The composite cable of

claim 62

wherein said sensing element comprises an optical fiber.

65. The composite cable of

claim 63

wherein said therapeutic element comprises means to conduct energy.

66. The composite cable of

claim 65

wherein said means to conduct energy comprises an optical fiber to conduct light energy.