Ureteral stent

• US 20050240280A1
• Filed: 04/26/2004
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gyrus ACMI, Inc. (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Gyrus ACMI, Inc. (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Nishtala, Vasu, Aliski, Peter, Tremaglio, Anthony, Shia, Benedict
• Granted Patent: US 7,470,247 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/23.680
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/04 Hollow or tubular parts of organs, e.g. bladders, tracheae, bronchi or bile ducts A61F2/18, A61F2/20 take precedence; devices, other than stent-grafts, providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body other than stent-grafts, e.g. stents A61F2/82; instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts A61F2/95
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 27/008 pre-shaped, for use in the urethral or ureteral tract

Abstract

A ureteral stent comprising an elongated tubular member having a body portion and opposed distal end portion and proximal end portion, the elongated tubular member defining a lumen therein; a retention disk comprising a plurality of generally axial, spaced-apart collapsable struts interconnected with a membrane to form a generalized tube with a retention disk lumen therein, the retention disk lumen in fluid communication with the lumen of the body portion, the struts and the membrane couple to the body portion proximal end at a retention disk distal end and terminate at a retention disk proximal end, each strut having a widthwise folding hinge substantially dividing the length of the strut, the struts adapted to have an expanded state wherein the struts are unfolded and substantially straight, as well as a free-resting state wherein each strut folds in upon itself at the folding hinge to form an inverted umbrella-like disk-shaped configuration; and a valve, wherein the inverted umbrella-like configuration provides a conformal shape to the ureteral orifice.

Claims

1. A stent comprising:

an elongated tubular member having a body portion, a proximate end portion and a distal end portion, the tubular member having an axial lumen therein adapted to provide fluid communication from the distal end portion to the proximal end portion; and

a retention disk comprising a plurality of generally axial, spaced-apart collapsable struts interconnected with a membrane to form a generalized tube with a retention disk lumen therein, the retention disk lumen in fluid communication with the lumen of the body portion, the struts and the membrane couple to the body portion proximal end at a retention disk distal end and terminate at a retention disk proximal end, each strut having a widthwise folding hinge substantially dividing the length of the strut, the struts adapted to have an expanded state wherein the struts are unfolded and substantially straight, as well as a free-resting state wherein each strut folds in upon itself at the folding hinge to form an inverted umbrella-like disk-shaped configuration.

2. The stent of claim 1, wherein the inverted umbrella-like configuration is adapted to provide a conformal shape to the ureteral orifice.

3. The stent of claim 1, wherein the umbrella-like configuration substantially prevents the stent from irritating the trigone area of the bladder.

4. The stent of claim 1, wherein the umbrella-like configuration provides a seal between the ureteral orifice and the retention disk.

5. The stent of claim 1, wherein the struts comprise nickel-titanium alloy.

6. The stent of claim 1, wherein the membrane comprises a relatively low durometer material

7. The stent of claim 1, wherein the membrane comprise a material that is elastic and allows for the radially expansion of the struts.

8. The stent of claim 1, wherein the membrane comprises a non-elastic material that folds down in the pre-deployed configuration.

9. The stent of claim 1, further comprising a valve coupled to the retention disk proximal end, the valve comprising at least two valve lips that couple to the retention disk proximal end and converge in engagement at a valve opening, the valve lips defining a lumen therebetween and in communication with the retention disk lumen.

10. The stent of claim 9, wherein the valve lips press together at the valve opening creating a tight seal against the passage of fluids up to a certain head pressure.

11. The stent of claim 9, wherein the valve lips are held elastically in a closed position by means of a force inherent in the shape and material of valve lips.

12. The stent of claim 9, wherein the valve lips open under the force due to the pressure of the fluid coming from the lumen, the force exceeding the force due to the elasticity of the materials.

13. The stent of claim 9, wherein the valve is functionally sealed by the valve lips when pressure in the bladder is increased, such as during voiding.

14. The stent of claim 9, wherein the valve opening remains slightly open in the relaxed state to permit fluid flow and closes tightly upon increased pressure in the bladder, such as during voiding.

15. The stent of claim 1, further comprising:

at least a portion of the proximal end portion comprises a flexible portion adapted to provide both longitudinal elasticity allowing for stretch and recoil, as well as radial elasticity allowing for bending and recovery.

16. The stent of claim 15, wherein the flexible portion is a region having material of differing material properties than the body portion.

17. The stent of claim 15, wherein the flexible portion is characterized as a region of thinning of a wall of the tubular member.

18. The stent of claim 15, wherein the flexible portion comprises a geometric change adapted to impart a more flexible property.

19. The stent of claim 15, wherein the body portion is adapted to be positioned within the ureter, the stent thereby provides fluid communication along its length from the distal end portion to the proximal end portion, to the valve, and to the bladder.

20. A ureteral stent for maintaining drainage between the kidney and bladder comprising:

an elongated tubular member having a body portion, a proximate end portion and a distal end portion, the tubular member having an axial lumen therein adapted to provide fluid communication from the distal end portion to the proximal end portion; and

a retention disk comprising a plurality of generally axial, spaced-apart collapsable struts interconnected with a membrane to form a generalized tube with a retention disk lumen therein, the retention disk lumen in fluid communication with the lumen of the body portion, the struts and the membrane couple to the body portion proximal end at a retention disk distal end and terminate at a retention disk proximal end, each strut having a widthwise folding hinge substantially dividing the length of the strut, the struts adapted to have an expanded state wherein the struts are unfolded and substantially straight, as well as a free-resting state wherein each strut folds in upon itself at the folding hinge to form an inverted umbrella-like disk-shaped configuration.

21. The stent of claim 20, further comprising a valve coupled to the retention disk proximal end, the valve comprising at least two valve lips that couple to the retention disk proximal end and converge in engagement at a valve opening, the valve lips defining a lumen therebetween and in communication with the retention disk lumen.

22. The stent of claim 20, further comprising:

at least a portion of the proximal end portion comprises a flexible portion adapted to provide both longitudinal elasticity allowing for stretch and recoil, as well as radial elasticity allowing for bending and recovery.

23. A ureteral stent for maintaining drainage between the kidney and bladder comprising:

an elongated tubular member having a body portion, a proximate end portion and a distal end portion, the tubular member having an axial lumen therein adapted to provide fluid communication from the distal end portion to the proximal end portion; and

a valve coupled to the retention disk proximal end, the valve comprising at least two valve lips that couple to the retention disk proximal end and converge in engagement at a valve opening, the valve lips defining a lumen therebetween and in communication with the retention disk lumen.

24. The stent of claim 23, further comprising:

a retention disk comprising a plurality of generally axial, spaced-apart collapsable struts interconnected with a membrane to form a generalized tube with a retention disk lumen therein, the retention disk lumen in fluid communication with the lumen of the body portion, the struts and the membrane couple to the body portion proximal end at a retention disk distal end and terminate at a retention disk proximal end, each strut having a widthwise folding hinge substantially dividing the length of the strut, the struts adapted to have an expanded state wherein the struts are unfolded and substantially straight, as well as a free-resting state wherein each strut folds in upon itself at the folding hinge to form an inverted umbrella-like disk-shaped configuration.