Apparatus and method for sensor deployment and fixation

• US 20060200031A1
• Filed: 09/22/2005
• Published: 09/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings Ii S.A.R.L.
• Original Assignee: CardioMEMS Incorporated
• Inventors: White, Jason, Tumlin, Kelly
• Granted Patent: US 8,118,749 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/486
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0215 by means inserted into the body catheters A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/03 Detecting, measuring or recording fluid pressure within the body other than blood pressure, e.g. cerebral pressure; Measuring pressure in body tissues or organs A61B5/205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/076 Permanent implantations telemetry using implanted circuitry A61B5/0031; implanted stimulators for therapy A61N1/3605, A61N1/362, A61N1/372
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6882 Anchoring means
• 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 2/95 Instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/9522 Means for mounting a stent or stent-graft onto or into a placement instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9511 the retaining means being filaments or wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0002 for data transfer

Abstract

An implant assembly is implanted in vivo within a vascular system in which a vessel divides at a furcation into two sub-vessels, each sub-vessel having a diameter smaller than the diameter of said vessel. An implant assembly is released into a vessel such as a pulmonary arterial vessel of a patient. The implant assembly has a diameter smaller than or substantially equal to the inner diameter of the vessel and larger than the inner diameter of each of the sub-vessels. The implant assembly is configured so that it moves downstream within the vessel along with the flow of blood. When the implant assembly reaches a furcation where the vessel divides, the implant assembly is too large and not sufficiently compliant to fit through either of the smaller branch vessels. The implant assembly thus lodges at the furcation, prevented from moving downstream by being too large and stiff to fit into the branch vessels, and prevented from moving upstream by the flow of blood through the arteries. Alternatively, the implant assembly has a diameter greater than a vessel and compliance characteristics such that, upon release, the implant assembly travels down a narrowing vessel until an interference fit is created between the anchor structure and the vessel wall, thereby preventing further distal movement.

Claims

1. A method of implanting an implant assembly comprising an intracorporeal device and an anchoring structure in vivo within a vascular system in which a vessel divides at a furcation into sub-vessels, each subvessel having a diameter smaller than the diameter of said vessel, and said vascular system having a flow of blood therethrough in a direction from upstream to downstream, comprising the steps of:

releasing into said vessel an implant assembly larger than the diameter of said sub-vessels;

permitting said implant assembly to move downstream within said vessel along with said flow of blood to said furcation; and

permitting said implant assembly to lodge at said furcation, prevented from moving downstream by said anchor structure, and prevented from moving upstream by said flow of blood through said vascular system.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising the further step of:

preventing said implant assembly from substantial rotation about an axis of rotation perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said vessel.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said step of preventing said implant assembly from substantial rotation about an axis of rotation perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said vessel comprises the step of:

providing an anchor structure having a length greater than said diameter of said vessel.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said step of providing an anchor structure having a length greater than said diameter of said vessel comprises the step of:

providing an intracorporeal device comprising an intracorporeal device body having a length shorter than said diameter of said vessel, said implant assembly comprising at least one anchor structure extending from said intracorporeal device body such that the overall length of said implant assembly is greater than said diameter of said vessel.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said step of providing implant assembly comprising at least one anchor structure extending from said intracorporeal device body comprises the step of providing an implant assembly comprising at least one wire loop extending from said intracorporeal device body.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of releasing into said vessel an implant assembly having a diameter larger than said sub-vessels comprises the step of releasing into said vessel said implant assembly comprising at least one anchor structure extending from said intracorporeal device body such that the overall diameter of said implant assembly is larger than each of said sub-vessels.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said step of releasing into said vessel an implant assembly comprising a intracorporeal device body having an anchor structure extending therefrom comprises the step of releasing into said vessel an implant assembly comprising an intracorporeal device body having wire loops extending therefrom.

8. An in vivo implant assembly for placement within a vessel, comprising:

an intracorporeal device body having a diameter smaller than a vessel into which said implant assembly is intended to be placed;

a longitudinal anchor structure extending from said intracorporeal device body, said overall length of said intracorporeal device body and said longitudinal anchor structure being greater than the diameter of said vessel.

9. The implant assembly of claim 8, wherein said longitudinal anchor structure comprises a first wire loop extending longitudinally from a first end of said intracorporeal device body.

10. The implant assembly of claim 9, wherein said longitudinal anchor structure further comprises a second wire loop extending longitudinally from a second end of said intracorporeal device body opposite said first end.

11. The implant assembly of claim 8, wherein said overall length of said intracorporeal device body and said longitudinal anchor structure is at least two times the diameter of the a vessel into which said implant assembly is intended to be placed.

12. The implant assembly of claim 11, wherein said overall length of said intracorporeal device body and said longitudinal anchor structure is approximately five times the diameter of a vessel into which said implant assembly is intended to be placed.

13. The implant assembly of claim 8, wherein said radial anchor structure comprises a first wire loop extending radially from said intracorporeal device body.

14. The implant assembly of claim 13, wherein said radial anchor structure further comprises a second wire loop extending radially from said intracorporeal device body.

15. A method of implanting an implant assembly including an intracorporeal device and an anchoring structure in vivo within a vessel having a flow of blood therethrough in a direction from upstream to downstream, said vessel narrowing in a downstream direction, said method comprising the steps of:

releasing into a vessel of said vasculature system an implant assembly;

permitting said implant assembly to move downstream within said narrowing vessel along with said flow of blood to a site at which said implant assembly forms an interference fit with the walls of said narrowing vessel; and

permitting said implant assembly to lodge at said site, prevented from moving downstream by said interference fit between said anchor structure and the walls of said narrowing vessel, and prevented from moving upstream by said flow of blood through said vascular system.

16. The method of claim 15, comprising the further step of:

preventing said implant assembly from substantial rotation about an axis of rotation perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said vessel.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said step of preventing said implant assembly from substantial rotation about an axis of rotation perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said vessel comprises the step of:

providing an anchor structure having a length greater than said diameter of said vessel.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said step of providing an anchor structure having a length greater than said diameter of said vessel comprises the step of:

providing an intracorporeal device comprising an intracorporeal device body having a length shorter than said diameter of said vessel, said implant assembly comprising at least one anchor structure extending from said intracorporeal device body such that the overall length of said implant assembly is greater than said diameter of said vessel.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said step of providing implant assembly comprising at least one anchor structure extending from said intracorporeal device body comprises the step of providing an implant assembly comprising at least one wire loop extending from said intracorporeal device body.

20. (canceled)