Expandable stent with sliding and locking radial elements

• US 20030199969A1
• Filed: 06/03/2003
• Published: 10/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/1998
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Donald H. Koenig, Joan Zeltinger, Thomas A. Steinke
• Original Assignee: Donald H. Koenig, Joan Zeltinger, Thomas A. Steinke
• Inventors: Zeltinger, Joan, Koenig, Donald H., Steinke, Thomas A.
• Application Number:
  US10/452,954
• Publication Number:
  US 20030199969A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.16
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• 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 2/92 Stents in the form of a rolled-up sheet expanding after insertion into the vessel , e.g. with a spiral shape in cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/93 circumferentially expandable by using ratcheting locks
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/94 Stents retaining their form, i.e. not being deformable, after placement in the predetermined place
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/072 Encapsulated stents, e.g. wire or whole stent embedded in lining
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/075 the stent being loosely attached to the graft material, e.g. by stitching
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91533 characterised by the phase between adjacent bands
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9155 Adjacent bands being connected to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91591 Locking connectors, e.g. using male-female connections
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/005 using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0058 soldered or brazed or welded
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0067 Means for introducing or releasing pharmaceutical products into the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0098 radio-opaque, e.g. radio-opaque markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2300/416 Anti-neoplastic or anti-proliferative or anti-restenosis or anti-angiogenic agents, e.g. paclitaxel, sirolimus
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/16 Biologically active materials, e.g. therapeutic substances A61L31/047 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing

Abstract

The present invention provides a lumen support stent with a clear through-lumen for use in a body lumen. The stent is formed from at least one series of sliding and locking radial elements and at least one ratcheting mechanism comprising an articulating element and a plurality of stops. The ratcheting mechanism permits one-way sliding of the radial elements from a collapsed diameter to an expanded diameter, but inhibits radial recoil from the expanded diameter.

Claims

1. An expandable stent, comprising:

a tubular member comprising a series of slideably engaged radial elements; and

at least one articulating mechanism which permits one-way sliding of the radial elements from a first collapsed diameter to a second expanded diameter, wherein said at least one articulating mechanism does not comprise paired slots, and wherein no radial element overlaps with itself in the second expanded diameter.

2. The expandable stent of claim 1, wherein each radial element comprises at least one elongated rib disposed between first and second end portions.

3. The expandable stent of claim 2, wherein the radial elements that comprise the series alternate between radial elements having an odd number of elongated ribs and radial elements having an even number of elongated ribs.

4. The expandable stent of claim 2, wherein the radial elements that comprise the series alternate between radial elements having one elongated rib and radial elements having two elongated ribs.

5. The expandable stent of claim 1, wherein the tubular member comprises at least series which are coupled to one another by at least one linkage element.

6. The expandable stent of claim 5, wherein the at least one linkage element is made from a degradable material.

7. The expandable stent of claim 1, wherein radial recoil of the tubular member in the second expanded diameter is less than about 5%.

8. The expandable stent of claim 1, wherein the tubular member has a stiffness of less than about 0.1 Newtons force/millimeter deflection.

9. The expandable stent of claim 1, wherein the tubular member provides a surface area coverage of greater than about 20%.

10. The expandable stent of claim 1, wherein the tubular member is at least partially radiopaque.

11. The expandable stent of claim 1, wherein the radial elements are made substantially from a material which is work hardened to between about 25% and 95%.

12. The expandable stent of claim 1, wherein the radial elements are made from a material selected from the group consisting of a polymer, a metal, a ceramic, and combinations thereof.

13. The expandable stent of claim 12, wherein said material further comprises a bioactive agent.

14. The expandable stent of claim 13, wherein the radial elements are adapted to release the bioactive agent during stent deployment when the tubular member is adjusted from the first collapsed diameter to the second expanded diameter.

15. The expandable stent of claim 13, wherein the bioactive agent is selected from the group consisting of antiplatelet agents, antithrombin agents, antiproliferative agents and antiinflammatory agents.

16. The expandable stent of claim 1, wherein the radial elements are made from a degradable material.

17. The expandable stent of claim 16, wherein said degradable material is selected from the group consisting of polyarylates (L-tyrosine-derived), free acid polyarylates, polycarbonates (L-tyrosine-derived), poly(ester-amides), poly(propylene fumarate-co-ethylene glycol) copolymer, polyanhydride esters, polyanhydrides, polyorthoesters, silk-elastin polymers, calcium phosphate and magnesium alloys.

18. The expandable stent of claim 16, wherein said degradable material further comprises a bioactive agent, which is released as the material degrades.

19. The expandable stent of claim 18, wherein said degradable material is adapted to deliver an amount of the bioactive agent which is sufficient to inhibit restenosis at a site of stent deployment.

20. The expandable stent of claim 18, wherein the bioactive agent is selected from the group consisting of antiplatelet agents, antithrombin agents, antiproliferative agents and antiinflammatory agents.

21. The expandable stent of claim 1, comprising at least two series, wherein the expanded diameters of the first and second series are different.

22. The expandable stent of claim 1, wherein each articulating mechanism comprises a slot and a tab on one radial element and at least one stop on an adjacent radial element which is slideably engaged in the slot, wherein the tab is adapted to engage the at least one stop.

23. The expandable stent of claim 22, wherein the at least one stop comprises a hole with a chamfered edge.

24. The expandable stent of claim 22, wherein the least one articulating mechanism further comprises an expansion resistor on the slideably engaged radial element, wherein the expansion resistor resists passing through the slot during expansion until further force is applied, such that the radial elements in the module expand in a substantially uniform manner.

25. The expandable stent of claim 1, wherein the articulating mechanism further comprises a release, such that actuation of the release permits sliding of the radial elements from the second expanded diameter back to the first collapsed diameter.

26. The expandable stent of claim 1, further comprising a floating coupling element with an articulating mechanism.

27. The expandable stent of claim 1, further comprising a frame element which surrounds at least one radial element in each series.

28. The expandable stent of claim 27, wherein the tubular member comprises at least two series, and wherein the frame elements from adjacent series are coupled.

29. The expandable stent of claim 28, wherein the frame elements from adjacent series are coupled by a linkage element extending between the frame elements.

30. The expandable stent of claim 28, wherein the frame elements from adjacent series are coupled by interlinking of the frame elements.

31. An expandable stent, comprising:

a tubular member comprising a longitudinal length and a diameter which is adjustable between at least a first collapsed diameter and at least a second expanded diameter, said tubular member comprising;

at least two series of slideably engaged radial elements, wherein no radial element overlaps with itself in the second expanded diameter;

at least one articulating mechanism which permits one-way sliding of the radial elements from the first collapsed diameter to the second expanded diameter; and

at least one linkage element connecting adjacent series of radial elements, wherein no linkage element or radial element extends the longitudinal length of said tubular member.