Urological stent therapy system and method
First Claim
1. A stent for use within the prostatic urethra, said stent comprising:
- a length of wire having a substantially helical configuration and being expandable between a collapsed shape and an expanded shape, said expanded shape including a proximal end and a distal end and a substantially cylindrical portion extending from the distal end toward the proximal end, and an enlarged region proximal of the cylindrical portion wherein an outer diameter of the enlarged region progressively increases toward the proximal end.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A stent system and method for use in the prostate gland. The stent is made of a shape memory alloy such as nitinol, and has a low temperature martensite state, with a martensite transition temperature below body temperature, and a high temperature austenite state, with an austenite transition temperature at or above body temperature, and a memorized shape in the high temperature austenite state which is a helical coil of diameter large enough to hold the prostatic urethra open. The stent is used to heat the prostate and is left in the prostatic urethra while the prostate heals. After the prostate is substantially healed, the stent is cooled to its martensite state and is easily removed from the urethra.
87 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A stent for use within the prostatic urethra, said stent comprising:
a length of wire having a substantially helical configuration and being expandable between a collapsed shape and an expanded shape, said expanded shape including a proximal end and a distal end and a substantially cylindrical portion extending from the distal end toward the proximal end, and an enlarged region proximal of the cylindrical portion wherein an outer diameter of the enlarged region progressively increases toward the proximal end. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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14. A method for delivering a stent into the prostatic urethra of a patient, the method comprising:
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providing a length of wire having a substantially helical configuration and being expandable between a collapsed shape and an expanded shape, said expanded shape including a proximal end and a distal end and a substantially cylindrical portion extending from the distal end toward the proximal end, and an enlarged region proximal of the cylindrical portion wherein an outer diameter of the enlarged region progressively increases toward the proximal end;
delivering the stent in its collapsed shape into the prostatic urethra of the patient; and
expanding the stent to its expanded shape within the prostatic urethra of the patient, wherein the proximal end of the stent is located relatively closer to the external sphincter and the distal end of the stent is located relatively closer to the bladder neck sphincter.
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Specification