Implantable prosthetic device for connection to a fluid flow pathway of a patient

• US 20060167539A1
• Filed: 01/24/2005
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Technology Advanced Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Technology Advancement Group, Inc.
• Inventors: McEwan, John Arthur
• Granted Patent: US 7,963,989 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.350
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4851 Prosthesis assessment or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/06 Measuring instruments not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/01 Filters implantable into blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/06 Blood vessels
• 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 2002/018 made from tubes or sheets of material, e.g. by etching or laser-cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0006 circular

Abstract

An implantable prosthetic for connection to a fluid flow pathway of a patient. The prosthetic is comprised of a primary tube structure which is in communication with a plurality of secondary tube structures each of which contains filters for trapping embolic particles, such as blood clots, air bubbles, thrombus. etc. within a fluid flow pathway within a patient. The prosthetic also contains a monitoring device to non-invasively the flow of fluids through a patient'"'"'s fluid flow pathway.

Claims

1. An implantable prosthetic device for connection to the fluid flow pathway of a patient, comprising:

a primary tube structure having a proximal end, a distal end, and a wall, wherein said wall defines an interior lumen of predetermined diameter;

wherein said primary tube structure is furcated at a predefined position between said proximal end and distal end into a plurality of secondary tube structures, wherein each of said secondary tube structures comprises a wall which defines an interior lumen of predetermined diameter, and wherein the interior lumen defined by the wall of said each of primary tube structures is in communication with the interior lumen defined by each of said secondary tube structures; and

a filter disposed in the lumen of each of said secondary tube structures.

2. The implantable prosthetic device of claim 1, wherein said primary tube structure and said secondary tube structures have a biocompatible exterior surface.

3. The implantable prosthetic device of claim 1, wherein said primary tube structures and said secondary tube structures consist of polytetrafluoroethylene.

4. The implantable prosthetic device of claim 3, wherein said polytetrafluoroethylene is selected from the group consisting of expanded tetrafluoroethylene, stretched polytetrafluoroethylene, and stretched and expanded polytetrafluoroethylene.

5. The implantable prosthetic device of claim 1, wherein said primary tube structures and said secondary tube structures consist of copolymeric material.

6. The implantable prosthetic device of claim 1, wherein said expandable filter is comprised of a frame and a porous covering coupled to said frame such that said porous covering covers the space defined by said frame.

7. The implantable prosthetic device of claim 6, wherein the pore size of said porous covering is about 20 to about 300 microns.

8. The implantable prosthetic device of claim 6, wherein the said porous covering is a flexible polymeric material comprising regularly-spaced holes therein.

9. The implantable prosthetic device of claim 8, wherein said flexible polymeric material is chosen from the group consisting of polyurethane, polyethylene or a copolymer thereof.

10. The implantable prosthetic device of claim 8, wherein said flexible polymeric material is an elastomeric material capable of stretching to achieve the diameter of a fluid flow pathway.

11. The implantable prosthetic device of claim 1, wherein said filter is removable.

12. The implantable prosthetic device of claim 1, wherein each of said secondary tube structures includes at least one fluid flow indicator.

13. The implantable prosthetic device of claim 1, wherein said at least one fluid flow indicator is a thin wire filament.

14. The implantable prosthetic device of claim 1, wherein said at least one fluid flow indicator is an impeller.

15. A method for inserting an implantable prosthetic device for connection to the fluid flow pathway of a patient, comprising the steps of:

providing an implantable prosthetic device comprising a primary tube structure having a proximal end, a distal end, and a wall, wherein said wall defines an interior lumen of predetermined diameter, wherein said tube primary tube structure is furcated at a predefined position between said proximal end and distal end into a plurality of secondary tube structures, wherein each of said secondary tube structures comprises a wall defining an interior lumen of predetermined diameter, wherein the interior lumen defined by the walls of said primary tube structure is in communication with the interior lumen defined by the wall of each of said secondary tube structures, and wherein a filter is disposed in each of said secondary tube structures;

surgically exposing a predefined region for insertion of said implantable prosthetic device into a fluid flow pathway; and

securing said implantable prosthetic device in said predefined region.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said primary tube structure and said secondary tube structures have a biocompatible exterior surface.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said primary tube structure and said secondary tube structures consist of polytetrafluoroethylene.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein said polytetrafluoroethylene is selected from the

group consisting of expanded tetrafluoroethylene, stretched polytetrafluoroethylene, and stretched and expanded polytetrafluoroethylene.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein said primary tube structure and said secondary tube structures consist of copolymeric material.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein said filter is comprised of a frame and a porous covering coupled to said frame such that said porous covers the space defined by said frame.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the pore size of said porous covering is about 20

to about 300 microns.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the said porous covering is a flexible polymeric material comprising regularly-spaced holes therein.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said flexible polymeric material is chosen from the

group consisting of polyurethane, polyethylene or a copolymer thereof.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein said flexible polymeric material is an elastomeric

material capable of stretching to achieve the diameter of a fluid flow pathway.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein said expandable filter is removable.

26. The method of claim 15, wherein each of said secondary structures includes at least one fluid flow indicator.

27. The implantable prosthetic device of claim 26, wherein said at least one fluid flow indicator is a thin wire filament.

28. The implantable prosthetic device of claim 26, wherein said at least one fluid flow indicator is an impeller.

29. A method of non-invasively monitoring fluid flow through an implantable prosthetic

connected to a fluid flow pathway of a patient, comprising the steps of:

locating an external anatomical area on a patient proximate the situs of an implantable prosthetic device implanted within a fluid flow pathway of the patient, wherein said implantable prosthetic device comprises a primary tube structure having a proximal end, a distal end, and a wall, wherein said wall defines an interior lumen of predetermined diameter, wherein said tube primary tube structure is furcated at a predefined position between said proximal end and distal end into a plurality of secondary tube structures, wherein each of said secondary tube structures comprise a wall defining an interior lumen of predetermined diameter, wherein the interior lumen defined by the walls of each of said primary tube structure is in communication with the interior lumen defined by the wall of each of said secondary tube structures, and wherein a filter is disposed in each of said secondary tube structures; and

detecting fluid flow through said implantable prosthetic device implanted within a patient'"'"'s fluid flow pathway using a fluid flow monitoring device.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said fluid flow monitoring device is an imaging device.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein said fluid flow monitoring device is a listening device.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein said fluid flow device is a x-ray photography device.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein said fluid flow device is one of a magnetic resonance imaging device, a magnetic induction device, and a radio frequency (RF) device.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein said fluid flow monitoring device is a stethoscope.

35. The method of claim 29, wherein said primary tube structure and said secondary tube structures have a biocompatible exterior surface.

36. The method of claim 29, wherein said primary tube structures and said secondary tube structures consist of polytetrafluoroethylene.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein said polytetrafluoroethylene is selected from the group consisting of expanded tetrafluoroethylene, stretched polytetrafluoroethylene, and stretched and expanded polytetrafluoroethylene.

38. The method of claim 29, wherein said primary tube structures and said secondary tube structures consist of copolymeric material.

39. The method of claim 29, wherein said expandable filter is comprised of a frame and a porous covering coupled to said frame such that said porous covering covers the space defined by said frame.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the pore size of said porous covering is about 20 to about 300 microns.

41. The method claim 39, wherein the said porous covering is a flexible polymeric material comprising regularly-spaced holes therein.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein said flexible polymeric material is chosen from the group consisting of polyurethane, polyethylene or a copolymer thereof.

43. The method claim 41, wherein said flexible polymeric material is an elastomeric material capable of stretching to achieve the diameter of a fluid flow pathway.

44. The method of claim 39, wherein said filter is removable.

45. The method of claim 39, wherein each of said secondary tube structures include at least one fluid flow indicator.

46. The implantable prosthetic device of claim 45, wherein said at least one fluid flow indicator is a thin wire filament.

47. The implantable prosthetic device of claim 45, wherein said at least one fluid flow indicator is an impeller.