Methods and apparatus for a stent having an expandable web structure and delivery system

• US 20050004651A1
• Filed: 07/30/2004
• Published: 01/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Abbott Laboratories Vascular Enterprises Limited (Abbott Laboratories)
• Original Assignee: Abbott Laboratories Vascular Enterprises Limited (Abbott Laboratories)
• Inventors: Seibold, Gerd, Von Oepen, Randolf
• Granted Patent: US 7,842,078 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.110
• 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 2002/91508 the meander having a difference in amplitude along the band
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91533 characterised by the phase between adjacent bands
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91558 connected peak to peak

Abstract

The present invention provides a stent comprising a tubular flexible body having a wall with a web structure that is expandable from a contracted delivery configuration to deployed configuration. The web structure comprises a plurality of neighboring web patterns, where each web patterns is composed of adjoining webs, and the web patterns are interconnected by connection elements. Each adjoining web comprises a central section interposed between two lateral sections to form concave or convex configurations. A delivery system for the stent is also provided.

Claims

1. A system for supporting a vessel, the system comprising:

a tubular body having a web structure defining a wall, the web structure configured for expansion from a collapsed delivery configuration to an expanded deployed configuration, the web structure comprising a plurality of neighboring web patterns of alternating concavity that extend circumferentially around the wall, each web pattern including a plurality of arcuate webs interconnected by bends, neighboring web patterns interconnected by connection elements, wherein at least two of the connection elements are separated, around the circumference of the wall, by at least three arcuate webs; and

a catheter configured to accept the tubular body in the collapsed delivery configuration, the catheter configured to deliver the tubular body intravascularly and to transition the tubular body from the collapsed delivery configuration to the expanded deployed configuration.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the catheter comprises a balloon catheter.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein all of the connection elements of the tubular body are separated by at least three arcuate webs.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the connection elements of the tubular body comprises a straight section that spans adjacent arcuate webs of neighboring web patterns.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the at least one connection element of the tubular body is disposed at an angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the tubular body.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein each arcuate web of the tubular body comprises at least one substantially straight section.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein each arcuate web of the tubular body comprises three substantially straight sections.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the at least three arcuate webs of the tubular body define an S-shaped structure between interconnections to neighboring web patterns.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein the tubular body is compressed onto a balloon of the balloon catheter.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the tubular body comprises a deformable material.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the deformable material is chosen from the group consisting of stainless steel and titanium.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the tubular body is self-expanding.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the tubular body further comprises a radiopaque feature.

14. A system for supporting a vessel, the system comprising:

a stent having a web structure defining a wall, the web structure configured for expansion from a delivery configuration to a deployed configuration, the web structure comprising a plurality of neighboring web patterns of alternating concavity that extend circumferentially around the wall, each web pattern including a plurality of arcuate webs interconnected by bends, at least some of the neighboring web patterns interconnected by connection elements separated, around the circumference of the wall, by at least two bends; and

a catheter configured to accept the stent in the delivery configuration, the catheter configured to deliver the stent intravascularly and to transition the stent from the delivery configuration to the deployed configuration.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the catheter comprises a balloon catheter.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the neighboring web patterns of the stent are interconnected by connection elements separated, around the circumference of the wall, by at least four bends.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein at least one of the connection elements of the stent comprises a straight section that spans adjacent arcuate webs of neighboring web patterns.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one connection element of the stent is disposed at an angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the stent.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein each arcuate web of the stent comprises at least one substantially straight section.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein each arcuate web of the stent comprises three substantially straight sections.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein connection elements interconnecting each web pattern to neighboring web patterns of the stent are separated by three arcuate webs that define an S-shaped structure.

22. The system of claim 15, wherein the stent is compressed on to a balloon of the balloon catheter.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein the stent comprises a deformable material.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the deformable material is chosen from the group consisting of stainless steel and titanium.

25. The system of claim 14, wherein the stent is self-expanding.

26. The system of claim 14, wherein the stent further comprises a radiopaque feature.

27. Apparatus for supporting a vessel comprising:

a tube comprising a web structure having a collapsed state and an expanded state, the web structure comprising a plurality of neighboring web patterns of alternating concavity, each web pattern including a plurality of arcuate webs, at least some of the neighboring web patterns interconnected by connection elements that define apertures having at least three intercommunicating S-shaped openings; and

a catheter configured to accept the tube in the collapsed state, the catheter configured to deliver the tube within the vessel and to transition the tube from the collapsed state to the expanded state.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the catheter comprises a balloon catheter.

29. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein at least one of the connection elements of the tube comprises a straight section that spans adjacent arcuate webs of neighboring web patterns.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the at least one connection element of the tube is disposed at an angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the tube.

31. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein each arcuate web of the tube comprises at least one substantially straight section.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein each arcuate web of the tube comprises three substantially straight sections.

33. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein connection elements interconnecting a web pattern to a neighboring web pattern of the tube are separated by three arcuate webs that define an S-shaped structure.

34. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the tube is compressed on to a balloon of the balloon catheter in the collapsed state.

35. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the tube comprises a deformable material.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the deformable material is chosen from the group consisting of stainless steel and titanium.

37. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the tube is self-expanding.

38. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the tube further comprises a radiopaque feature.

39. A system for stenting a vessel comprising:

a tube having a web structure configured to transition between a contracted state and an expanded state, the web structure comprising a plurality of neighboring web patterns of alternating concavity, each web pattern including a plurality of arcuate webs interconnected by bends, neighboring web patterns interconnected by connection elements, the connection elements between any two neighboring web patterns being arranged around a circumference of the tube with a common orientation and offset by at least one intervening bend; and

a catheter configured to accept the tube in the contracted state, the catheter configured to deliver the tube within the vessel and to transition the tube from the contracted state to the expanded state.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the catheter comprises a balloon catheter.

41. The system of claim 39, wherein the arcuate webs have a first width relative to the circumference of the tube, and the connection elements have a second width relative to the circumference of the tube, wherein the second width is less than the first width.

42. The system of claim 39, wherein at least one of the connection elements of the tube comprises a straight section that spans adjacent arcuate webs of neighboring web patterns.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the at least one connection element of the tube is disposed at an angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the tube.

44. The system of claim 39, wherein each arcuate web of the tube comprises at least one substantially straight section.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein each arcuate web of the tube comprises three substantially straight sections.

46. The system of claim 39, wherein connection elements interconnecting each web pattern to neighboring web patterns of the tube are separated by three arcuate webs that define an S-shaped structure.

47. The system of claim 40, wherein the tube is compressed on to a balloon of the balloon catheter in the contracted state.

48. The system of claim 39, wherein the tube comprises a deformable material.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein the deformable material is chosen from the group consisting of stainless steel and titanium.

50. The system of claim 39, wherein the tube is self-expanding.

51. The system of claim 39, wherein the tube further comprises a radiopaque feature.