Flexible center connection for occlusion device

• US 20050043711A1
• Filed: 10/08/2004
• Published: 02/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardia, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cardia, Inc.
• Inventors: Marino, Joseph A., Corcoran, Michael P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,625,364 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/523
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0057 Implements for plugging an opening in the wall of a hollow or tubular organ, e.g. for sealing a vessel puncture or closing a cardiac septal defect sutures A61B17/04; closing rectum or urethra near body surface A61F2/0009
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00292 mounted on or guided by flexible, e.g. catheter-like, means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00575 for closure at remote site, e.g. closing atrial septum defects
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00592 Elastic or resilient implements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00606 Implements H-shaped in cross-section, i.e. with occluders on both sides of the opening
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00619 Locking means for locking the implement in expanded state
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0043 characterised by structural features
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0054 with regions for increasing flexibility

Abstract

This invention relates to a center connection having a flexible section. The flexible section allows a portion of the center connection to be highly flexible, while maintaining the ability to transmit torque. One method of forming the flexible center connection is to form the flexible section of the center connection of a series of individual interlocked segments.

Claims

1. An occlusion device comprising:

first and second fixation devices; and

a center between the first and second fixation devices, wherein the center comprises a hollow member and a channel through a wall of the hollow member defining a plurality of interlocking portions shaped to allow flexing of the center without axial disconnection of the interlocking portions.

2. The occlusion device of claim 1 wherein the channel allows a gap to form between interlocking portion.

3. The occlusion device of claim 1 wherein the interlocking portions comprise a system of teeth and grooves, wherein the teeth of one interlocking portion interconnect with the grooves of an adjacent interlocking portion.

4. The occlusion device of claim 3 wherein the channel creates a gap between the teeth and grooves.

5. The occlusion device of claim 1 wherein the hollow member comprises a plurality of independent interlocking ring-like portions.

6. The occlusion device of claim 1 wherein the channel follows a generally helical path along a length of the hollow member.

7. A flexible center connection for use in an occlusion device, the flexible center connection comprising:

a tubular segment comprising a plurality of interlocking elements; and

a gap between the interlocking elements shaped to allow articulation of the flexible center section but not axial disconnection of the interlocking elements.

8. The flexible center connection of claim 7 and further comprising first and second end segments, wherein the tubular segment is connected between the first and second end segments.

9. The flexible center connection of claim 8 and further comprising a tether connected between the first and second end segments.

10. The flexible center connection of claim 8 wherein a tubular segment is connected to the first end segment by crimping the end segment to the tubular segment.

11. The flexible center connection of claim 8 wherein the first end segment further comprises teeth and grooves and the tubular segment is connected to the first end segment at the teeth and grooves.

12. The flexible center connection of claim 7 wherein the tubular segment is formed of a hollow cylinder.

13. The flexible center connection of claim 12 wherein the gap follows a generally helical path along an axial length of the tubular segment.

14. The flexible center connection of claim 12 wherein a wall of the cylinder comprises a first wall thickness and a second wall thickness that is not equal to the first wall thickness.

15. The flexible center connection of claim 7 wherein the tubular segment can be pushed to remove the gap between the interlocking elements.

16. The flexible center connection of claim 7 wherein the interlocking elements comprise a system of teeth and grooves.

17. The flexible center connection of claim 16 wherein the teeth of one interlocking elements are shaped to correspond to the grooves of the interlocking elements.

18. The flexible center connection of claim 7 wherein the tubular segment comprises a plurality of interlocking portions.

19. The flexible center connection of claim 18 wherein the plurality of interlocking portions comprise a plurality of independent ring-like portions.

20. The flexible center connectors of claim 18 wherein a number of interlocking portions per unit length of the center connection varies along a length of the center connection.

21. The device of claim 18 wherein the plurality of interlocking portions comprise:

a first number of teeth and grooves around a circumference of the interlocking portion; and

a second number of teeth and grooves around a circumference of the interlocking portion that is not equal to the first number of teeth and grooves.

22. The device of claim 7 wherein the gap comprises a width which varies at locations along an axial length of the tubular segment.

29. The occlusion device of claim 22 wherein the one or more cuts in the hollow member form a generally helical channel along an axial length of the tubular member.

23. An occlusion device having a flexible center connection, the occlusion device comprising:

a first occluding body;

a second occluding body; and

a center member connecting the first occluding body to the second occluding body, the center member comprising;

a tubular member; and

one or more cuts in the tubular member which define interlocking portions along a length of the tubular member.

24. The occlusion device of claim 23 wherein the interlocking portions comprise a plurality if interlocking elements along a circumference of the interlocking portions.

25. The occlusion device of claim 24 wherein the plurality of interlocking elements comprise teeth and grooves.

26. The occlusion device of claim 23 wherein the one or more cuts form a gap between each interlocking portion.

27. The occlusion device of claim 26 wherein the gap between interlocking portions is reduced when an interlocking portion is urged toward an adjacent interlocking portion.

28. The occlusion device of claim 23 wherein the one or more cuts in the hollow member form a plurality of independent interlocking portions.