Braided stent and method for its manufacture
First Claim
1. A tubular stent comprising at least one lengthwise region, differing from a second region of the stent with respect to one or both of diameter and mechanical properties, said stent comprising:
- a first plurality of braided filaments extending throughout said stent, said plurality comprising two sets of parallel filaments angularly disposed with respect to one another, defining the circumference of the stent and running in a lengthwise direction thereof; and
a second plurality of braided filaments extending along only a second lengthwise region, said second plurality of filaments braided into said first plurality of braided filaments only along said second lengthwise region.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A stent and method for making the stent are provided. The stent comprises regions of differing numbers of braided filaments to provide a stent with different dimensions and/or properties in different regions along the stent length. A preferred stent comprises a first and second plurality of braided filaments each braided together. The second plurality of braided filaments is braided into the first plurality of braided filaments to form a region of different properties than the first. A preferred embodiment is a stent having a narrower diameter along a more flexible region and a broader diameter along a more rigid region. Also included is a method of constructing a braided stent in accordance with the above. The method comprises the steps of braiding a first plurality of filaments to form the flexible portion, combining a second plurality of filaments to the first plurality of filaments, and then braiding the second plurality of filaments with the first plurality of filaments to form the more rigid region from the combination of the first and second plurality of filaments, wherein the second plurality of filaments are braided only in the rigid region.
304 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A tubular stent comprising at least one lengthwise region, differing from a second region of the stent with respect to one or both of diameter and mechanical properties, said stent comprising:
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a first plurality of braided filaments extending throughout said stent, said plurality comprising two sets of parallel filaments angularly disposed with respect to one another, defining the circumference of the stent and running in a lengthwise direction thereof; and
a second plurality of braided filaments extending along only a second lengthwise region, said second plurality of filaments braided into said first plurality of braided filaments only along said second lengthwise region. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A stent comprising a narrow region and a broader region, said stent comprising:
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a first plurality of braided filaments extending along the entire stent; and
a second plurality of braided filaments extending along only said broader region, wherein said second plurality of filaments are braided into said first plurality of filaments. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of constructing a braided stent having first and second lengthwise regions of differing properties, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) braiding a first plurality of filaments to form one lengthwise region; and
(b) braiding together the second plurality of filaments with the first plurality of filaments to form the second lengthwise portion;
wherein the second plurality of filaments are braided only in the second portion. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of constructing a braided stent having a narrow region and a broader region which has a greater diameter than the narrow region, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) braiding a first plurality of filaments to form the narrow region;
(b) combining a second plurality of filaments to the narrow region formed in step (a); and
(c) braiding the second plurality of filaments with the first plurality of filaments to form the broader region from the combination of the first and second plurality of filaments;
wherein the second plurality of filaments are braided only in the broader region. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification