Medical devices and EFAB methods and apparatus for producing them

• US 20050121411A1
• Filed: 10/29/2003
• Published: 06/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microfabrica Incorporated (Technoprobe S.P.A.)
• Original Assignee: Microfabrica Incorporated (Technoprobe S.P.A.)
• Inventors: Cohen, Adam L.
• Application Number:
  US10/697,598
• Publication Number:
  US 20050121411A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 216/10
• 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 2002/065 Y-shaped blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0076 multilayered, e.g. laminated structures
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0058 X-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/006 Y-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/13 Hollow or container type article [e.g., tube, vase, etc.]

Abstract

Various embodiments of the invention present miniature medical devices that may be formed totally or in part using electrochemical fabrication techniques. Sample medical devices include micro-tweezers or forceps, internally expandable stents, bifurcated or side branch stents, drug eluting stents, micro-valves and pumps, rotary ablation devices, electrical ablation devices (e.g. RF devices), micro-staplers, ultrasound catheters, and fluid filters. In some embodiments devices may be made out of a metal material while in other embodiments they may be made from a material (e.g. a polymer) that is molded from an electrochemically fabricated mold. Structural materials may include gold, platinum, silver, stainless steel, titanium or pyrolytic carbon-coated materials such as nickel, copper, and the like.

Claims

1. A process for forming a medical device, comprising:

(a) forming and adhering a layer of material to a previously formed layer or to a substrate;

(b) repeating the forming and adhering operation of (a) a plurality of times to build up a three-dimensional structure from a plurality of adhered layers;

wherein the formation of at least a plurality of layers, comprises;

(1) obtaining a selective pattern of deposition of at least a first material having voids, comprising at least one of;

(a) selectively depositing at least a first material onto a substrate or previously formed layer such that voids remain;

or

(b) depositing at least a first material onto a substrate or previously formed layer and selectively etching the deposit of the first material to form voids therein; and

(2) depositing at least a second material into the voids

(c) after formation of a plurality of layers, removing at least one of the at least one first material or at least one second material to release the structure,

wherein the structure comprises a medical device.

2. A stent with expansion capability provided by structural elements that transition from an orientation having a radial component to an orientation having less of a radial component.

3. A stent capable of being at least partially bifurcated so that a first portion may extend along a first vessel and a second portion may extend along a second vessel and where a common portion extends along a vessel that joins the first and second vessels.

4. A stent having struts and wherein at least a portion of the struts have pockets located therein with passages that extend from the pockets to a region outside the stent.

5. A monolithically formed retriever comprising a housing and a shaft moveable relative to the housing and comprising fingers that can be opened or closed by the relative movement of the shaft and the housing.