Braided endoluminal device having tapered filaments

• US 20040158312A1
• Filed: 12/31/2003
• Published: 08/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lifeshield Sciences LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Dennis A. Peiffer, George T. Roberts, Patrick A. Haverkost, Paul F. Chouinard
• Inventors: Chouinard, Paul F., Haverkost, Patrick A., Roberts, George T., Peiffer, Dennis A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,435,254 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/90 characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/065 Y-shaped blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/821 Ostial stents
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0008 Fixation appliances for connecting prostheses to the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0067 conical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0036 differing in thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0039 differing in diameter
• CPC Class Codes: D04C 1/06 Braid or lace serving particular purposes
• CPC Class Codes: D04C 3/48 Auxiliary devices
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2509/06 Vascular grafts; stents

Abstract

A stent comprising a plurality of continuous filaments braided together, at least one filament comprising a tapered filament having at least one first region having a first, relatively-larger cross-sectional area and at least one second region having a second, relatively-smaller cross-sectional area. The stent itself may have a tapered diameter, such as from one end to the other. A method for treating a lumen with the stent is also claimed

Claims

1. An endoluminal device comprising a plurality of continuous filaments braided together, at least one filament comprising at least one first region having a first cross-sectional area and at least one second region having a second cross-sectional area, wherein the first cross-sectional area is larger than the second cross-sectional area.

2. The endoluminal device of claim 1, wherein the at least one filament comprises a step-change between the first region and the second region.

3. The endoluminal device of claim 1, wherein all of the plurality of continuous filaments comprise a step-change between each first region and each second region.

4. The endoluminal device of claim 1, wherein the at least one filament comprises a tapered filament.

5. The endoluminal device of claim 1, wherein all of the plurality of continuous filaments comprise tapered filaments.

6. The endoluminal device of claim 1, wherein the endoluminal device comprises an end having atraumatic end windings.

7. The endoluminal device of claim 1, wherein the at least one filament comprises a circular cross-section.

8. The endoluminal device of claim 1, wherein the at least one filament comprises a non-round cross-section.

9. The endoluminal device of claim 1, wherein the endoluminal device tapers from a first end having a first diameter to a second end having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter.

10. The endoluminal device of claim 1, wherein the at least one filament further comprises a third region having a cross-sectional area intermediate the first and second cross-sectional areas.

11. The endoluminal device of claim 1, wherein a first end of the endoluminal device has a first diameter and a second end of the endoluminal device has a second diameter smaller than the first diameter.

12. The endoluminal device of claim 11, wherein the endoluminal device comprises the first region of the filament having the first cross-sectional area at the first end of the endoluminal device and the second region of the filament having the second cross-sectional area at the second end of the endoluminal device.

13. The endoluminal device of claim 12, wherein the endoluminal device comprises an intermediate portion having a third diameter intermediate the first and second diameters, and the intermediate portion comprises a third region of the at least one filament having a third cross-sectional area intermediate the first and second cross-sectional areas.

14. The endoluminal device of claim 1 wherein the endoluminal device comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein the second portion is more flexible than the first portion and comprises the second region of the at least one filament having the second cross-sectional area.

15. The endoluminal device of claim 1 wherein the filaments comprise wire.

16. The endoluminal device of claim 15 wherein the wire comprises one of:

nitinol or stainless steel.

17. The endoluminal device of claim 1 wherein the filaments comprise polymeric material.

18. The endoluminal device of claim 1 wherein the endoluminal device comprises a radially compressed configuration for introduction into a lumen and a radially expanded configuration for deployment within the lumen.

19. The endoluminal device of claim 18 wherein the endoluminal device is expandable between the radially compressed configuration and the radially expanded configuration by one of:

balloon expansion, self-expansion via spring elasticity, or self-expansion via a thermally or stress-induced return of a pre-conditioned memory material.

20. The endoluminal device of claim 1 wherein the endoluminal device comprises one of:

a 1;

1 single filament braiding ratio, a 2;

2 single filament braiding ratio, or a 1;

1 paired filament braiding ratio.

21. The endoluminal device of claim 1 further comprising a body and a plurality of legs, wherein at least a first leg portion of each leg comprises a discrete plurality of continuous filaments braided together and at least a first body portion of the body comprises at least one of said continuous filaments from each discrete plurality of continuous filaments braided together.

22. A method for treating a human being, the method comprising the step of deploying within a lumen of the human being an endoluminal device comprising a plurality of continuous filaments braided together, at least one filament comprising at least one first region having a first cross-sectional area and at least one second region having a second cross-sectional area, wherein the first cross-sectional area is larger than the second cross-sectional area.