Non-shortening helical stent

• US 20060079955A1
• Filed: 10/07/2004
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Scimed Life Systems Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Brown, Brian J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,914,570 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.220
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/88 the wire-like elements formed as helical or spiral coils forming a net-like or mesh-like structure A61F2/90
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/885 comprising a coil including a plurality of spiral or helical sections with alternate directions around a central axis
• 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 2220/0058 soldered or brazed or welded

Abstract

A stent may comprise a helically wound ribbon of material. The stent may comprise a plurality of ribbon turns about a longitudinal axis of the stent. Upon expansion of the stent, the diameter of the stent may increase and the number of ribbon turns may decrease. Upon expansion of the stent, the width of the ribbon may increase. The length of the stent may be the same in unexpanded and expanded states.

Claims

1. A stent comprising a helically wound ribbon of material, the stent having a longitudinal axis extending therethrough, the ribbon having a longitudinal width as measured in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the stent, wherein the stent is constructed and arranged such that the longitudinal width of the ribbon in an expanded state of the stent exceeds the longitudinal width of the ribbon in an unexpanded state of the stent.

2. The stent of claim 1 wherein the ribbon comprises a plurality of loops which lengthen in the longitudinal direction of the stent upon expansion of the stent.

3. The stent of claim 1 wherein adjacent turns of the ribbon are separated by a gap, the gap spiraling continuously from one end of the stent to the other end of the stent.

4. The stent of claim 1 wherein adjacent turns of the ribbon are separated by a gap, the gap spiraling continuously at least 360°

about the longitudinal axis of the stent.

5. The stent of claim 4 wherein in an unexpanded state, the width of the ribbon is constant.

6. The stent of claim 1 wherein adjacent turns of the ribbon are separated by a gap, the gap spiraling continuously at least 720°

about the longitudinal axis of the stent.

7. The stent of claim 1 wherein in an unexpanded state, the width of the ribbon is constant.

8. The stent of claim 1 wherein in an unexpanded state, the width of the ribbon varies over at least a portion of the ribbon.

9. The stent of claim 1, wherein the ribbon comprises a first rail and a second rail, the first rail connected to the second rail by a plurality of connector struts.

10. The stent of claim 9, wherein the first rail is slidably engaged with the second rail.

11. The stent of claim 1, wherein the ribbon has a length, the length of the ribbon in the expanded state of the stent being the same as the length of the ribbon in the unexpanded state of the stent.

12. The stent of claim 1, wherein the ribbon comprises a predetermined number of turns about the stent longitudinal axis in the unexpanded state, the number of turns decreasing upon expansion of the stent.

13. A stent comprising a substantially helically wound ribbon, the ribbon comprising a plurality of turns about a central longitudinal axis of the stent, each turn of the ribbon having a width, wherein the width of each turn increases upon expansion of the stent.

14. The stent of claim 13 wherein adjacent turns of the ribbon are separated by a gap, the gap spiraling continuously from one end of the stent to the other end of the stent.

15. The stent of claim 13 wherein adjacent turns of the ribbon are separated by a gap, and wherein adjacent turns of the ribbon are connected to one another only via the ribbon.

16. The stent of claim 13 wherein the ribbon comprises a plurality of loops which lengthen in the longitudinal direction of the stent upon expansion of the stent.

17. The stent of claim 13 wherein adjacent turns of the ribbon are separated by a gap, the gap spiraling continuously at least 360°

about a longitudinal axis of the stent.

18. The stent of claim 13 wherein adjacent turns of the ribbon are separated by a gap, the gap spiraling continuously at least 720°

about a longitudinal axis of the stent.

19. An unexpanded coil stent comprising:

a strip helically wound about a longitudinal axis of the stent, the strip having a longitudinal width as measured in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the stent;

the strip having a predetermined number of turns about the longitudinal axis,

wherein upon expansion of the stent, the number of turns of the strip about the longitudinal axis decreases and the longitudinal width of the strip increases.

20. The stent of claim 19 wherein the strip comprises a plurality of loops which lengthen in the longitudinal direction of the stent upon expansion of the stent.

21. The stent of claim 19 wherein adjacent turns of the strip are separated by a gap, the gap spiraling continuously from one end of the stent to the other end of the stent.

22. The stent of claim 19 wherein adjacent turns of the strip are separated by a gap, the gap spiraling continuously at least 360°

about the longitudinal axis of the stent.

23. The stent of claim 22 wherein in an unexpanded state, the width of the strip is constant.

24. The stent of claim 19 wherein adjacent turns of the strip are separated by a gap, the gap spiraling continuously at least 720°

about the longitudinal axis of the stent.

25. The stent of claim 19 wherein in an unexpanded state, the width of the strip is constant.

26. The stent of claim 19 wherein in an unexpanded state, the width of the strip varies over at least a portion of the strip.