Stent

• US 20030055489A1
• Filed: 11/04/2002
• Published: 03/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Scimed Life Systems Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Ehr, Timothy G. J., Kveen, Graig L., Brown, Brian J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,945,993 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/91 made from perforated sheet material or tubes, e.g. perforated by laser cuts or etched holes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/915 with bands having a meander structure, adjacent bands being connected to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91533 characterised by the phase between adjacent bands
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91541 Adjacent bands are arranged out of phase
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91583 by a bridge, whereby at least one of its ends is connected along the length of a strut between two consecutive apices within a band

Abstract

A radially expandable stent comprising a plurality of spaced band-like elements and intersecting links is disclosed. The band-like elements have a generally serpentine configuration to provide continuous waves of generally sinusoidal character to each band-like element. The waves are characterized by a plurality of peaks and troughs taking a generally longitudinal direction along the cylinder such that the waves in the band-like elements open as the stent is expanded from a first diameter to a second diameter. The intersecting links are substantially U-shaped and terminate in first and second shanks. The first shank of a link emanates from a region between a peak and trough on a band-like element and the second shank of the link emanates from a region between a peak and trough on an adjacent band-like element.

Claims

31. A radially expandable stent having first and second ends, the stent having a longitudinal axis, the stent comprising:

a plurality of spaced band-like elements forming a hollow cylinder, the band-like elements being arranged sequentially along the cylinder and each band-like element having a generally serpentine configuration to provide continuous waves of generally sinusoidal character to each band-like element, the waves being characterized by a plurality of alternating peaks and troughs taking a generally longitudinal direction along the cylinder, each peak and adjacent trough having a midpoint region midway between them, such that the waves in the band-like elements open as the stent is expanded from a first diameter to a second diameter; and

one or more spaced generally longitudinal elements, the longitudinal elements extending from the first end of the stent to the second end of the stent and having alternating peaks and troughs and longitudinal transition regions midway between adjacent alternating peaks and troughs,

each generally longitudinal element intersecting each band-like element between a peak and an adjacent trough on a band-like element, and between a peak and an adjacent trough of a longitudinal element, adjacent longitudinal elements intersecting each band-like element at least one wavelength apart along the band-like element.

32. The stent of claim 31 wherein a given generally longitudinal element is substantially perpendicular to a given band like element in a given region of intersection.

33. The stent of claim 31 wherein adjacent longitudinal elements are in phase with each other.

34. The stent of claim 33 wherein adjacent band-like elements are 180 degrees out of phase with one another.

35. The stent of claim 34 wherein the generally longitudinal elements extend diagonally from the first end to the second end of the stent.

36. The stent of claim 34 wherein each generally longitudinal element extends from the first end of the stent to the second end of the stent in an overall direction substantially perpendicular to the bands and along the longitudinal length of the stent shaped.

37. The stent of claim 34 wherein the longitudinal transition region is substantially ‘

S’

shaped.

38. The stent of claim 31 wherein adjacent longitudinal elements intersecting band-like elements are spaced substantially one wavelength apart or more along the band-like elements.

39. An expandable stent having a first end and a second end and a longitudinal axis, the stent disposed in a longitudinal direction, the stent formed of a plurality of flexible connected primary cells, each primary cell comprising:

a first member having first and second ends extending in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the first member having a serpentine shape and having one peak and one trough, the peak and trough taking a generally longitudinal direction along the stent;

a second member having first and second ends extending in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the second member having a serpentine shape and having one peak and one trough, the peak and trough taking a generally longitudinal direction along the stent, the second member situated generally opposite the first member;

a first link having a first end and a second end, the first link extending in a generally longitudinal direction, the first link having at least one bend therein, the first link disposed between the first end of the first member and the first end of the second member, the first end of the first link attached to the first end of the first member and the second end of the first link attached to the first end of the second member; and

a second link having a first end and a second end, the second link extending in a generally longitudinal direction, the second link having at least one bend therein, the second link disposed between the second end of the first member and the second end of the second member, the first end of the second link attached to second end of the first member and the second end of the second link attached to the second end of the second member, the first and second links being in phase with each other, and

wherein the primary cells are arranged in one or more primary bands and adjacent primary bands are interconnected.

40. The stent of claim 39 wherein the first and second members are 180°

out of phase with another.

41. The stent of claim 40 wherein the first and second links are substantially ‘

U’

shaped prior to expansion of the stent.

42. The stent of claim 40 wherein the first and second links are substantially ‘

S’

shaped.

43. The stent of claim 39 wherein the first and second links attain an ‘

M’

shape having first and second peaks and a trough therebetween upon expansion of the primary cells.

44. The stent of claim 39 wherein the first and second links are substantially zig-zag shaped.

45. The stent of claim 39 wherein the stent further comprises secondary cells arranged in secondary bands, the primary and secondary bands interconnected and alternating along the length of the stent.

46. The stent of claim 45 wherein the secondary cells are diamond shaped.

47. The stent of claim 39, each of the cells having:

a first corner where the first end of the first link and the first end of the first member are attached;

a second corner where the second end of the first link and the first end of the second member are attached;

a third corner where the first end of the second link and the second end of the first member are attached; and

a fourth corner where the second end of the second link and the second end of the second member are attached, and

wherein the third and fourth corners of primary cells and the first and second corners of abutting primary cells in adjacent bands are displaced relative to one or another by half a primary cell.

48. The stent of claim 39 wherein first links in adjacent bands are 180°

degrees out of phase and second links in adjacent bands are 180°

out of phase.

49. The stent of claim 39, each of the cells having:

a first corner where the first end of the first link and the first end of the first member are attached;

a second corner where the second end of the first link and the first end of the second member are attached;

a third corner where the first end of the second link and the second end of the first member are attached; and

a fourth corner where the second end of the second link and the second end of the second member are attached, and

wherein the third and fourth corners of primary cells and the first and second corners of abutting primary cells in adjacent bands are aligned with one another.

50. The stent of claim 49 wherein first links in adjacent bands are 180°

degrees out of phase and second links in adjacent bands are 180°

out of phase.

54-1. The stent of claim 1 wherein the links are substantially ‘

U’

shaped.

57. A radially expandable stent having first and second ends, the stent having a longitudinal axis, the stent having a first length in an unexpanded state and a second length in an expanded state, the stent comprising:

a plurality of spaced band-like elements forming a hollow cylinder, the elements being arranged sequentially along the cylinder and each band-like element comprising one or more sub-elements having a generally serpentine configuration to provide continuous waves to each sub-element, the waves being characterized by a plurality of alternating peaks and troughs taking a generally longitudinal direction along the cylinder such that the waves in the sub-elements open as the stent is expanded from a first diameter to a second diameter; and

adjacent band-like elements connected together by one or more links, each link having at least one bend therein and terminating in first and second shanks, the first shank of each link emanating from a region of attachment between a peak and trough on a sub-element of a band-like element and the second shank of each link emanating from a region of attachment between a peak and trough on a sub-element of an adjacent band-like element, the first shanks attached to any given sub-element of a band-like element being spaced substantially one wavelength or more apart along the sub-element of a band-like element and the second shanks attached to any given sub-element of a band-like element being spaced substantially one wavelength or more apart along the sub-element of the band-like element

whereby the second length of the stent is controlled by the positioning of adjacent first and second shanks along the band-like elements.

58. The stent of claim 57 wherein each first shank is positioned closer to a trough than to a peak and each second shank is positioned closer to a peak than a trough, whereby the second length of the stent exceeds the first length of the stent.

59. The stent of claim 57 wherein each first shank is positioned closer to a peak than to a trough and each second shank is positioned closer to a trough than a peak, whereby the first length of the stent exceeds the second length of the stent.

60. The stent of claim 57 wherein the first and second shanks are positioned such that the first and second lengths of the stent are substantially the same.

61. The stent of claim 60 wherein each first and second shank is positioned substantially midway between a peak and a trough.