Pressure sensing endograft

• US 20020183628A1
• Filed: 05/31/2002
• Published: 12/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apex Medical Corporation
• Original Assignee: Apex Medical Corporation
• Inventors: Reich, Sanford, Bullister, Edward Theodore
• Application Number:
  US10/160,741
• Publication Number:
  US 20020183628A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/486
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0219 of externally powered implanted units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02014 Determining aneurysm
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0215 by means inserted into the body catheters A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/076 Permanent implantations telemetry using implanted circuitry A61B5/0031; implanted stimulators for therapy A61N1/3605, A61N1/362, A61N1/372
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6862 Stents
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6876 Blood vessel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/90 characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/075 the stent being loosely attached to the graft material, e.g. by stitching
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0002 for data transfer

Abstract

An endovascular implant or endograft includes a tubular sleeve having integral inner and outer layers. A pressure sensor is embedded between the two layers and is covered thereby. And, the sleeve is flexible at the pressure sensor to permit transfer of pressure through the sleeve for detection by the pressure sensor in use.

Claims

1. An endograft comprising:

a tubular sleeve having integral inner and outer layers;

a pressure sensor embedded between said layers and covered thereby; and

said sleeve being flexible at said pressure sensor to permit transfer of pressure through said sleeve to said pressure sensor.

2. An endograft according to claim 1 wherein said pressure sensor includes a flat pressure sensing diaphragm, and said sleeve is flexible to conform with said flat diaphragm.

3. An endograft according to claim 2 wherein said diaphragm faces radially outward and contacts said outer layer for sensing pressure external to said sleeve.

4. An endograft according to claim 2 wherein said diaphragm faces radially inward and contacts said inner layer for sensing pressure internal of said sleeve.

5. An endograft according to claim 2 wherein said pressure sensor is located centrally between opposite ends of said sleeve.

6. An endograft according to claim 2 further comprising:

a first pressure sensor having said diaphragm thereof facing radially outward and contacting said outer layer for sensing pressure external to said sleeve; and

a second pressure sensor having said diaphragm thereof facing radially inward and contacting said inner layer for sensing pressure internal of said sleeve.

7. An endograft according to claim 2 further comprising a pair of said pressure sensors located adjacent opposite ends of said sleeve.

8. An endograft according to claim 7 further comprising three equiangularly spaced apart pressure sensors located adjacent each of said sleeve opposite ends and facing radially outwardly.

9. An endograft according to claim 2 further comprising:

a first pressure sensor having said diaphragm thereof facing radially outward and contacting said outer layer for sensing pressure external to said sleeve;

a second pressure sensor having said diaphragm thereof facing radially inward and contacting said inner layer for sensing pressure internal of said sleeve; and

two pairs of three third pressure sensors equiangularly spaced apart adjacent opposite ends of said sleeve and facing radially outwardly.

10. An endograft according to claim 2 wherein said sleeve layers are fabric.

11. An endograft according to claim 2 wherein said inner and outer layers are coextensive between opposite ends of said sleeve.

12. An endograft according to claim 2 wherein said pressure sensor further includes an inductor for telemetric detection of pressure sensed thereby.

13. An endograft according to claim 2 further comprising a stent disposed coaxially with said sleeve for support thereof.

14. An endograft according to claim 13 further comprising another pressure sensor fixedly joined to said stent.

15. An endograft according to claim 14 wherein said stent includes a mesh of interconnected wires, and said stent pressure sensor is locally joined to at least one of said wires.

16. An endograft according to claim 15 wherein a plurality of said wires are cut and bent to trap said stent pressure sensor to uncut ones of said wires.

17. An endograft according to claim 15 further comprising a perforate box fixedly joined to said one stent wire, and said stent pressure sensor is trapped inside said box.

18. A method for using said endograft according to claim 6 to detect leakage therearound comprising:

implanting said endograft inside a body vessel having an aneurysm sac, with opposite ends of said endograft contacting inner surfaces of said vessel at opposite ends of said sac;

using said first pressure sensor to detect external pressure outside said endograft and inside said sac;

using said second pressure sensor to detect internal pressure inside said endograft; and

comparing said external and internal pressures to detect leakage.

19. A method according to claim 18 further comprising comparing mean components of said external and internal pressures to detect said leakage.

20. A method according to claim 18 further comprising comparing frequency spectra corresponding with pulsatile components of said external and internal pressures to detect said leakage.

21. A method according to claim 19 further comprising determining attenuation of said pulsatile components and cutoff frequency therefrom to detect said leakage.

22. A method of implanting said endograft according to claim 8 comprising:

expanding said endograft using a balloon catheter inside a body vessel to bridge an aneurysm sac therein;

monitoring clamping pressure of engagement of said endograft with said vessel using said pressure sensors at opposite ends of said sleeve; and

terminating said endograft expansion at a suitable value of monitored clamping pressure.