Anchoring barb for attachment to a medical prosthesis

• US 20050240259A1
• Filed: 01/27/2005
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cook Medical Incorporated (Cook Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cook Incorporated (Cook Group Incorporated), MED Institute, Inc. (Cook Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sisken, Richard B., Agnew, Charles W., Choules, Brian D., Nickless, Benjamin
• Granted Patent: US 7,572,289 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.360
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/02 Prostheses implantable into the body closure means for urethra or rectum or for artificial body openings therefor A61F2/0004
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/82 Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents stent-grafts for tubular structures of the body other than blood vessels A61F2/04; stent-grafts for blood vessels A61F2/07; instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts A61F2/95; for closing wounds, or holding wounds closed A61B17/04 - A61B17/115; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/848 having means for fixation to the vessel wall, e.g. barbs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/86 Stents in a form characterised by the wire-like elements; Stents in the form characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/8483 Barbs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0016 with sharp anchoring protrusions, e.g. barbs, pins, spikes

Abstract

Disclosed is an anchoring element for an implantable prosthesis that includes a barb, wherein the anchoring element, which includes a basal portion, comprises a thin layer of material, such as a cannula or sheet of metal, that extends or wraps at least partially around the strut of the prosthesis to which it is attached. The barb is configured to extend outward from the basal portion to penetrate adjacent tissue. The anchoring element is either permanently affixed to the strut, such as by laser or spot welding, crimping, or some other method of bonding, or allowed to slide longitudinally over the strut between two points or stops in order to relieve any excessive loads placed upon the barb that could cause fracture. The anchoring element and strut may be configured to limit axial rotation of the barb, while still allowing longitudinal movement. In another embodiment, the slidable anchoring element may be manipulated following initial deployment to reorient the barb toward the implantation site.

Claims

1. A medical prosthesis for implantation within the body of a patient, comprising:

a support structure comprising at least one strut;

an anchoring element comprising a thin layer of material having a basal portion with at least one barb extending therefrom;

wherein a thin layer of material comprising the basal portion is disposed on the at least one strut; and

wherein the at least one barb includes at least one extended configuration for penetrating the tissue of a bodily surface when the prosthesis is implanted thereagainst.

2. The medical prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the layer of material comprises a generally tubular configuration.

3. The medical prosthesis of claim 2, wherein the anchoring element comprises a cannula having a first end and a second end, wherein the barb extends from at least one of the first end and the second end.

4. The medical prosthesis of claim 2, wherein the anchoring element comprises a cannula having a first end, a second end and a body portion lying therebetween, the barb being cut from the interior of the cannula body portion and configured to extend at an angle therefrom.

5. The medical prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the anchoring element comprises a sheet of material that is formed at least partially around the strut.

6. The medical prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the anchoring element comprises a shape that is formed from a flat sheet of metal and wrapped at least partially around the strut and affixed thereto.

7. The medical prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the anchoring element is welded to the strut.

8. The medical prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the anchoring element is crimped to the strut

9. The medical prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the anchoring element is soldered to the strut

10. The medical prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the anchoring element is attached to the strut by a bonding agent.

11. The medical prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the anchoring element is slidably attached to the strut.

12. The medical prosthesis of claim 11, wherein the anchoring element is manipulable between a first configuration in which the barb assumes a first orientation and a second configuration in which the barb assumes a second orientation;

wherein the second orientation is better adapted for allowing the barb to engage the tissue adjacent the prosthesis than is the first orientation.

13. The medical prosthesis of claim 11, wherein the strut includes a first stop and a second stop to maintain the anchoring element therebetween.

14. The medical prosthesis of claim 13, wherein at least one of the first stop and the second stop comprises an element affixed to the strut.

15. The medical prosthesis of claim 13, wherein at least one of the first stop and the second stop comprises a bend in the strut.

16. The medical prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the anchoring member comprises a helix configuration wrapped around the strut.

17. The medical prosthesis of claim 16, further comprising one or more laser weld attachments located between the windings of the helix.

18. The medical prosthesis of claim 13, wherein at least one of the first stop and the second stop comprises a widened area of the strut.

19. An medical prosthesis for implantation within a bodily lumen, comprising:

a support structure comprising at least one strut;

an anchoring element comprising a basal portion with at least one barb extending therefrom;

wherein the anchoring element is slidably disposed over the at least one strut such that the basal portion can move relative thereto; and

wherein the prosthesis includes at least one stop to limit the longitudinal movement of the anchoring element relative to the at least one strut.

20. A method of attaching an anchoring element to a medical prosthesis, comprising the steps of:

providing an anchoring element comprising a section of cannula having an integral barb extending from at least one end thereof;

depositing the cannula over a strut of the medical prosthesis and correctly positioning the cannula thereover; and

affixing the cannula to the strut by a method comprising at least one of welding, crimping, bonding, or slidably attaching the anchoring element thereto.