Intravascular flow modifier and reinforcement device with connected segments

• US 20020173839A1
• Filed: 04/12/2002
• Published: 11/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/1998
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Micrus Corporation (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Micrus Corporation (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Leopold, Eric W., DeNardo, Andrew J.
• Application Number:
  US10/122,257
• Publication Number:
  US 20020173839A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.15
• 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 17/12118 for positioning in conjunction with a stent
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/01 Filters implantable into blood vessels
• 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 2/885 comprising a coil including a plurality of spiral or helical sections with alternate directions around a central axis
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0014 using shape memory or superelastic materials, e.g. nitinol
• CPC Class Codes: B21F 45/008 of medical instruments, e.g. stents, corneal rings medical science A61

Abstract

A stent includes a cylindrical frame and a plurality of connecting segments connecting opposed portions of the frame. The frame may be formed from either of a single loop of resilient wire formed into a series of arcuate sections and longitudinal connecting sections, two pieces of resilient wire each formed into a half-frame having a series of arcuate sections and longitudinal connecting sections or from a piece of laser cut hypotubing. For the resilient wire frames, the connecting segments may be either of a single metal or plastic band wrapped around opposed longitudinal sections, joined individual bands wrapped around opposed longitudinal sections, or a piece of solder joining opposed longitudinal sections. For the hypotubing frame, the connecting segments are pieces of remaining hypotubing joining opposed longitudinal sections.

Claims

1. A stent for use in the intravascular treatment of blood vessels, comprising:

a first half-frame and a second half-frame, each comprising a plurality of arcuate sections connected by longitudinal sections; and

a plurality of connecting segments securing a plurality of first half-frame longitudinal sections to a plurality of second half-frame longitudinal sections such that the first half-frame and the second half-frame form a cylinder.

2. The stent of claim 1 wherein the arcuate sections have a chevron configuration.

3. The stent of claim 2 wherein the point of the chevron is directed toward the proximal end of the stent.

4. The stent of claim 1 wherein the arcuate sections have a bowed configuration.

5. The stent of claim 4 wherein the arcuate sections bow toward the proximal end of the stent.

6. The stent of claim 1 wherein connecting segments are located on only one side of the cylinder.

7. The stent of claim 1 wherein connecting segments are located on both sides of the cylinder.

8. The stent of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second half-frames are formed from a piece of elongate resilient wire with a first end extending distally from the proximal end of the half frame, thereafter transitioning at a first point to a first arcuate section, thereafter transitioning to a first longitudinal section for a length to a second point, thereafter transitioning to a second arcuate section and a second longitudinal section and proceeding similarly to the distal end of the half frame.

9. The stent of claim 8 wherein each of the half frames has a predeployed essentially flat configuration and a deployed generally cylindrical configuration.

10. The stent of claim 8 wherein each of the half frames has a predeployed radially compressed cylindrical configuration and a deployed generally cylindrical configuration.

11. The stent of claim 8 wherein the resilient wire has an essentially flat cross section.

12. The stent of claim 8 wherein the connecting segments comprise:

a first band around one of the first half-frame longitudinal sections; and

a second band around one of the second half-frame longitudinal sections;

wherein the first and second bands are secured together.

13. The stent of claim 12 wherein the first and second bands are metallic and are secured together by solder.

14. The stent of claim 8 wherein the connecting segments comprise a band secured around one of the first half-frame longitudinal sections and one of the second half-frame longitudinal sections.

15. The stent of claim 8 wherein the connecting segments comprise a piece of solder.

16. The stent of claim 1 wherein the first and second half-frames and the connecting segments are formed from a single piece of hypotubing with portions removed to form:

first and second half-frame patterns, each having a first end extending distally from the proximal end of the half frame, thereafter transitioning at a first point to a first arcuate section, thereafter transitioning to a first longitudinal section for a length to a second point, thereafter transitioning to a second arcuate section and a second longitudinal section and proceeding similarly to the distal end of the half frame; and

the plurality of connecting segments.

17. The stent of claim 16 wherein each of the half frames has a predeployed essentially flat configuration and a deployed generally cylindrical configuration.

18. The stent of claim 16 wherein each of the half frames has a predeployed radially compressed configuration and a deployed generally cylindrical configuration.

20. The stent of claim 19 wherein the first and second half-frames are formed from a material having properties that provide it with a predeployed radially compressed configuration and a deployed generally cylindrical configuration.

21. The stent of claim 19 wherein the arcuate sections have a chevron configuration.

22. The stent of claim 21 wherein the point of the chevron is directed toward the proximal end of the stent.

23. The stent of claim 19 wherein the arcuate sections have a bowed configuration.

24. The stent of claim 23 wherein the arcuate sections bow toward the proximal end of the stent.

25. The stent of claim 19 wherein connecting segments are located on only one side of the cylinder.

26. The stent of claim 19 wherein connecting segments are located on both sides of the cylinder.

27. The stent of claim 19 wherein the first and second half-frame arcuate loop sections are secured such that the first half-frame arcuate loop sections are longitudinally offset from the second half-frame arcuate loop sections.

29. The stent of claim 28 wherein the frame is formed from a material having properties that provide it with a predeployed essentially flat configuration and a deployed generally cylindrical configuration.

30. The stent of claim 28 wherein connecting segments are located on both sides of the frame.

31. The stent of claim 28 wherein connecting segments are located on only one side of the frame.

32. The stent of claim 28 wherein the connecting segments comprise a pair of bands, one around each of opposed longitudinal sections, wherein the first and second bands are secured together.

33. The stent of claim 32 wherein the bands are metallic and are secured together by solder.

34. The stent of claim 32 wherein the bands are plastic and are secured together by bonding material.

35. The stent of claim 28 wherein the connecting segments comprise a single band secured around both of an opposed pair of longitudinal sections.

36. The stent of claim 28 wherein the connecting segments comprise a piece of solder spanning between a pair of opposed longitudinal sections.

37. The stent of claim 28 wherein the connecting segments comprise a radiopaque material.

38. The stent of claim 28 wherein the free ends of the frame are attached to deployment means at the distal end of a pusher for deploying the frame in the vasculature of a patient.

39. The stent of claim 28 wherein the arcuate sections are spaced apart distally along the frame by a predetermined distance sufficient to allow passage of an embolic coil between the adjacent sections.

40. The stent of claim 28 wherein the distal end of the stent comprises a continuous loop extending between the most distal longitudinal sections.

19. A stent for use in the intravascular treatment of blood vessels, comprising:

a first half-frame and a second half-frame, each comprising a plurality of arcuate loop sections which comprise a pair of arcuate sections connected at each end by a longitudinal connecting section; and

a plurality of connecting segments securing a plurality of first half-frame arcuate loop sections to a plurality of second half-frame arcuate loop sections such that the first half-frame and the second half-frame form a cylinder.

28. A stent for use in the intravascular treatment of blood vessels, comprising:

a generally cylindrical frame formed of an elongate resilient wire, the two free ends of the wire extending distally from the proximal end of the frame, thereafter transitioning at a first point to a pair of opposed first arcuate sections, thereafter transitioning to a pair of opposed first longitudinal sections for a length to a second point, thereafter transitioning to a pair of opposed second arcuate sections and a pair of opposed second longitudinal sections and proceeding in a like pattern to the distal end of the frame; and

a plurality of connecting segments, connecting a plurality of opposed longitudinal sections.