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

• US 20050043777A1
• Filed: 09/29/2004
• Published: 02/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Abbott Laboratories Limited (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Abbott Laboratories Limited (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Seibold, Gerd, Von Oepen, Randolf
• Granted Patent: US 7,842,079 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 transition sections. 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 stenting a vessel comprising:

a stent including a tubular body having proximal and distal ends and a lumen extending therebetween, and a wall defining a web structure, wherein the web structure includes a plurality of neighboring web patterns extending around the wall, each web pattern defined by a plurality of webs interconnected by connection sections, neighboring web patterns interconnected by at least two transition sections, the at least two transition sections of the neighboring web patterns separated by at least one connection section; and

a catheter configured to accept the tubular body, the catheter configured to transition the tubular body from a collapsed delivery configuration to an expanded deployed configuration.

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

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the stent is compressed onto the balloon of the balloon catheter in the collapsed state.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the interconnected webs have an absence of interconnection between adjoining webs in a neighboring web pattern.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein neighboring web patterns have alternating concavity that extend circumferentially around the wall.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein neighboring web patterns are arranged in alternating, side-by-side fashion.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the webs in a web pattern are orientated having either a concave or convex orientation in alternating, side-by-side fashion.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein each web includes at least one substantially straight section.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein at least three webs define an S-shaped structure between the at least two transition sections.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the webs are generally bowl-like.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the generally bowl-like webs include at least one substantially straight section.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the generally bowl-like webs include three substantially straight sections.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein at least three generally bowl-like webs define an S-shaped structure between the at least two transition sections.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the connection sections are rounded.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the transition sections define generally H-shaped structures.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of the generally H-shaped structures is disposed at an angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the stent.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least two transition sections are separated by at least two connection sections.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the tubular body is formed from a tubular member.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the web patterns are formed in the tubular member by either laser-cutting or chemical etching.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the tubular body comprises a tubular material.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the tubular material is chosen from the group consisting of stainless steel, titanium and nickel-titanium alloy.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the tubular material is supper elastic.

23. The system of claim 1, further including a radiopaque feature.

24. The system of claim 1, further including a coating on the web structure that comprises a therapeutic agent.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the therapeutic agent is chosen from the group consisting of therapeutic agents that retard thrombus formation, therapeutic agents that retard restenosis, and therapeutic agents for systemic or local delivery via the blood stream.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein all of the transition sections are separated by at least one generally bowl-like web.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein the stent is a balloon-expandable stent.

28. The system of claim 1, wherein the stent is a self-expandable stent.