Modifying fluid flow in a body vessel lumen to promote intraluminal flow-sensitive processes

• US 20050234541A1
• Filed: 03/29/2005
• Published: 10/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cook Medical Technologies, LLC (Cook Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cook Incorporated (Cook Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Case, Brian C., Hunt, James B.
• Granted Patent: US 7,449,027 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.240
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12022 Occluding by internal devices, e.g. balloons or releasable wires plugging an opening in the wall of an organ A61B17/0057; occluders for the cervical canal A61F6/146; vas deferens occluders A61F6/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12036 partial occlusion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1204 temporary occlusion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12109 in a blood vessel
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12131 characterised by the type of occluding device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00783 Valvuloplasty
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/30 Containers specially adapted for packaging, protecting, dispensing, collecting or disposing of surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments for wound clamps A61B17/10; for ligaturing clips A61B17/122; packages or dispensers for surgical gloves or finger-stalls A61B42/40
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2403 with pivoting rigid closure members check valves with hinged closure members in general F16K15/03
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2412 with soft flexible valve members, e.g. tissue valves shaped like natural valves check valves with flexible valve members in general F16K15/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2475 Venous valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/068 Modifying the blood flow model, e.g. by diffuser or deflector
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/006 modular
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 623/903 Blood vessel

Abstract

The present invention, in one embodiment, provides an implantable intraluminal fluid flow control system comprising an interface and a flow-modifying device positioned at a flow-modifying effective distance from the interface within the lumen of a body vessel. In one embodiment, the invention relates to maintaining, regulating or varying the fluid flow within a body vessel to preserve, promote, alter or enhance remodeling of tissue at the interface. Remodeling can include the resorption and replacement of implanted remodelable material with autologous tissue. The interface can comprise remodelable material such as small intestine submucosa. In one embodiment, one or more interfaces are positioned at flow-modifying effective distances from one or more flow-modifying devices. Related medical devices, kits and methods of treatment are also provided in some embodiments.

Claims

1. A method of treating a medical condition comprising:

implanting a flow-modifying device to substantially prevent blood flow toward the heart through a venous valve;

where the flow-modifying device substantially occludes fluid flow through the venous valve.

2. The method of claim 1, where the flow-modifying device comprises a bioabsorbable material and the flow-modifying device is implanted within a vein to permit fluid flow through the venous valve after absorption of a portion of the bioabsorbable material.

3. The method of claim 2, where the bioabsorbable material is selected and configured to be absorbed within the vein between about 3 weeks and 6 months after intraluminal implantation in the vein.

4. The method of claim 1, where the venous valve is an incompetent venous valve.

5. The method of claim 1, where the flow-modifying device is intraluminally implanted within a vein using a catheter delivery system.

6. The method of claim 1, where the flow-modifying device is intraluminally implanted within 15 cm of a venous valve in a human deep vein selected from the group consisting of:

a popliteal vein, a femoral vein, a tibial vein and a peroneal vein.

7. The method of claim 6, where the flow-modifying device is intraluminally implanted at a distance of between 1 mm and 5 cm from the venous valve.

8. The method of claim 1, where the flow-modifying device is a mechanical valve.

9. A method of treating a medical condition comprising:

implanting a flow-modifying device at a distance from an interface within the lumen of a body cavity effective to modify fluid flow at the interface;

where the interface comprises a remodelable material.

10. The method of claim 9, where the interface comprises an ECM material.

11. The method of claim 9, where the interface comprises SIS.

12. The method of claim 9, where the interface is a heart valve.

13. The method of claim 9, where the interface is a venous valve interface.

14. The method of claim 13, where the venous valve interface comprises an ECM material.

15. The method of claim 9, where the flow-modifying device is intraluminally implanted within a deep vein using a catheter delivery system.

16. The method of claim 9, where the flow-modifying device is intraluminally implanted within 15 cm of a venous valve in a human deep vein selected from the group consisting of a popliteal vein, a femoral vein, a tibial vein or a peroneal vein.

17. The method of claim 16, where the flow-modifying device is intraluminally implanted between 1 mm and 5 cm of the venous valve.

18. The method of claim 9, where the interface is a first interface, the method further comprising the step of:

implanting a second interface positioned at a second distance from the flow modifying device;

the second distance effective to modify fluid flow at the second interface.

19. The method of claim 9, where the flow-modifying device is a first flow-modifying device, the method further comprising the step of:

implanting a second flow-modifying device positioned at a second distance from the first flow-modifying device;

the second distance effective to modify fluid flow at the interface.

20. A medical device comprising:

a housing member defining an interior passage, and enclosing a flow-modifying device separated from an interface by a distance effective to modify fluid flow at the interface measured along the interior passage.