Intravascular device with improved radiopacity

• US 20030074054A1
• Filed: 11/08/2002
• Published: 04/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alan Roy Pelton, Dieter Stoeckel, Mark L. Mathis, Thomas Duerig
• Original Assignee: Alan Roy Pelton, Dieter Stoeckel, Mark L. Mathis, Thomas Duerig
• Inventors: Mathis, Mark L., Stoeckel, Dieter, Duerig, Thomas, Pelton, Alan Roy
• Granted Patent: US 6,935,404 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 2002/91558 connected peak to peak
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/005 Rosette-shaped, e.g. star-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0098 radio-opaque, e.g. radio-opaque markers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 623/901 Method of manufacturing prosthetic device

Abstract

A stent having marker tabs formed from a micro-alloyed combination of materials provides for more precise placement and post-procedural visualization in a vessel, by increasing the radiopacity of the stent under X-ray fluoroscopy. A unique micro-alloying process is utilized to form the tabs, comprising a first alloy and a second alloy, wherein one of these alloys is radiopaque. This substantially eliminates the possibility of galvanic action between the tab and the stent. This process is also applicable to other medical devices.

Claims

1. A stent, comprising:

a) a thin-walled tubular member having front and back open ends and having a first diameter for insertion into a vessel and a second diameter for deployment in said vessel; and

b) at least one radiopaque tab mounted to at least one of said front and back open ends, said tab comprising a micro-alloy.

2. The stent according to claim 1, wherein said stent is made from a superelastic alloy.

3. The stent according to claim 2, wherein said superelastic alloy comprises from about 50.5 percent to about 60 percent Nickel and the remainder comprising Titanium.

4. The stent according to claim 1, wherein said micro-alloy comprises a first alloy and a second alloy.

5. The stent according to claim 4, wherein one of said first and second alloys is radiopaque.

6. The stent according to claim 5, wherein said radiopaque alloy is chosen from a group consisting of gold, platinum, tantalum, niobium, molybdenum, rhodium, palladium, silver, hafnium, tungsten and iridium.

7. A stent, comprising:

a) a thin-walled tubular member, made from a superelastic Nickel Titanium alloy, having front and back open ends and having a first diameter for insertion into a vessel and a second diameter for deployment in said vessel; and

b) at least one radiopaque tab mounted to least one of said front and back open ends, said tab comprising a micro-alloy.

8. The stent according to claim 7, wherein said superelastic alloy comprises from about 50.5 percent to about 60 percent Nickel and the remainder comprising Titanium.

9. The stent according to claim 7, wherein said micro-alloy comprises a radiopaque alloy and Nickel Titanium.

10. The stent according to claim 9, wherein said radiopaque alloy is chosen from a group consisting of gold, platinum, tantalum, niobium, molybdenum, rhodium, palladium, silver, hafnium, tungsten and iridium.

11. A method of micro-alloying said first alloy and said second alloy on a portion of a medical device, comprising the steps of:

providing a medical device made from said first alloy;

placing said medical device in a protective atmosphere;

selectively melting said portion of said medical device with heat from a source

while a predetermined amount of said second alloy is added;

forming a sphere through surface tension from said molten portion; and

cooling said medical device, wherein said portion in the form of said sphere

remains attached to said medical device upon solidification.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein one of said first and second alloys is radiopaque.

13. A stent, comprising:

a) a thin-walled tubular member having front and back open ends and having a first diameter for insertion into a vessel and a second diameter for deployment in said vessel; and

b) at least one radiopaque tab mounted to said thin-walled tubular member, said

tab comprising a micro-alloy.

14. A stent, comprising:

a) a thin-walled tubular member, made from a superelastic Nickel Titanium alloy, having front and back open ends and having a first diameter for insertion into a vessel and a second diameter for deployment in said vessel; and

b) at least one radiopaque tab mounted to said thin-walled tubular member, said

tab comprising a micro-alloy.