Replenishable stent and delivery system

• US 20050256565A1
• Filed: 07/21/2005
• Published: 11/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1994
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Corporation
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Corporation
• Inventors: Barry, James
• Granted Patent: US 7,998,185 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.420
• 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 2/958 Inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0067 Means for introducing or releasing pharmaceutical products into the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0057 Catheters delivering medicament other than through a conventional lumen, e.g. porous walls or hydrogel coatings
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1013 with concentrically mounted balloons, e.g. being independently inflatable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/105 having a balloon suitable for drug delivery, e.g. by using holes for delivery, drug coating or membranes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1093 having particular tip characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/104 used for angioplasty

Abstract

Apparatus and a method for treating an irregularity in a wall of a vessel of a patient defined by an irregular or afflicted wall portion with adjacent normal wall portions comprises a catheter having a distal end portion for being guided through the vessel to the site of the irregularity. A balloon associated with said distal end portion of the catheter for selective inflating to contact the walls of the vessel urges a stent carried by the distal end portion of the catheter in a constricted condition for passage through the vessel into an expanded form with the stent spanning the afflicted wall portion and contacting the adjacent wall portions. The catheter is formed with lumens for inflating the balloon, for receiving a guidewire for guiding the catheter through the vessel, and for connecting a port in the catheter proximate the afflicted wall portion to enable delivery of a therapeutic agent into the vessel to contact the stent and the irregular wall portion.

Claims

1-11. -11. (canceled)

12. A stent assembly for deployment within a patient'"'"'s body comprising:

a. frame means for defining the shape of the assembly;

b. reservoir means carried by said frame means for delivering a therapeutic agent from said stent; and

c. delivery means connected to said reservoir means for enabling addition of the therapeutic agent to said reservoir means in vivo.

13. A stent assembly as recited in claim 12 wherein said frame means comprises an expansible form for insertion into a patient'"'"'s body in a compact condition and for deployment in an expanded condition.

14. A stent assembly as recited in claim 13 wherein said reservoir means overlies said frame means.

15. A stent assembly as recited in claim 14 wherein said reservoir means comprises a hydrophilic membrane overlying said frame means to define thereby a reservoir for receiving the therapeutic agent.

16. A stent assembly as recited in claim 15 wherein said delivery means is a port formed in said membrane.

17. A stent assembly as recited in claim 12 wherein said reservoir means overlies said frame means.

18. A stent assembly as recited in claim 15 wherein said reservoir means comprises a polymeric membrane overlying said frame means to define thereby a reservoir for receiving the therapeutic agent.

19. A stent assembly as recited in claim 18 wherein said polymeric membrane is composed of a hydrophilic material.

20. A stent assembly as recited in claim 18 wherein said polymeric membrane is composed of a hydrophobic material.

21. A stent assembly as recited in claim 16 wherein said delivery means is a port formed in said membrane.

22. A stent assembly as recited in claim 12 wherein said reservoir means includes a hydrophilic membrane supported by said frame means to define thereby a reservoir for receiving the therapeutic agent.

23. A stent assembly as recited in claim 22 wherein said delivery means is a port formed in said membrane.

24. A therapeutic agent delivery system for replenishing a reservoir of a replenishable stent comprising:

a. insertion means having a distal end for inserting within the body of a patient and a proximal end for control by an operator of said insertion means;

b. transfer means proximate the distal end of said insertion means for connecting with the reservoir;

c. lumen means in said insertion means for connecting said transfer means with the proximal end of said insertion means; and

d. means associated with the proximal end of said insertion means for urging a therapeutic agent through said lumen means and transfer means to enable thereby replenishment of the reservoir of the replenishable stent.

25. A therapeutic agent delivery system as recited in claim 24 wherein said insertion means comprises a catheter-like tubular member.

26. A therapeutic agent delivery system as recited in claim 25 wherein said transfer means comprising a fitting corresponding to and mating with a fitting connected with the reservoir of the replenishable stent.

27. A therapeutic agent delivery system as recited in claim 26 wherein said proximal end of said tubular member includes a port for replenishing a reservoir of a replenishable stent comprising:

a. catheter means having a distal end for insertion within the body of a patient and a proximal end for control by an operator of said catheter means;

b. port means proximate the distal end of said catheter means for connecting with the reservoir;

c. lumen means in said catheter means for connecting said port means with the proximal end of said catheter means; and

d. means for urging a therapeutic agent through said lumen means and port means thereby to replenish the reservoir.

28. A system comprising:

a. insertion means having a distal end for inserting within the body of a patient and a proximal end for control by an operator of said insertion means;

b. stent means carried proximate the distal end of said insertion means in a compact condition for deployment in the body of a patient in an expanded condition, said stent means including;

i. frame means for defining the form of said stent means in the expanded condition,

ii. reservoir means for enabling the seepage therefrom of a therapeutic agent disposed in the reservoir, and

iii. port means communicating with said reservoir means for enabling a therapeutic agent to be inserted into said reservoir means;

c. deployment means carried by said catheter means for urging said stent from the compact condition to the expanded condition to enable selective deployment of said stent; and

d. filling means for connecting said port means with a therapeutic agent source to enable insertion of a therapeutic agent into said reservoir means.