Intravascular stent

• US 20060235506A1
• Filed: 04/13/2005
• Published: 10/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Limon, Timothy A., Ta, Diem Uyen, Denison, Andy E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,628,565 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.160
• 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 2/91 made from perforated sheet material or tubes, e.g. perforated by laser cuts or etched holes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/915 with bands having a meander structure, adjacent bands being connected to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91525 within the whole structure different bands showing different meander characteristics, e.g. frequency or amplitude
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91541 Adjacent bands are arranged out of phase
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91558 connected peak to peak
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91575 connected peak to trough
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91583 by a bridge, whereby at least one of its ends is connected along the length of a strut between two consecutive apices within a band
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0037 differing in height or in length
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0067 Means for introducing or releasing pharmaceutical products into the body

Abstract

An expandable stent for implantation in a body lumen, such as an artery, is disclosed. The stent consists of a plurality of radially expandable cylindrical rings generally aligned on a common longitudinal stent axis and interconnected by one or more interconnecting links placed so that the stent is flexible in the longitudinal direction. The link pattern is optimized to reduce strain on the links and enhance longitudinal flexibility and security of the stent. The stent includes a distal end ring and a proximal end ring that have a length that is shorter than the length of the body rings.

Claims

1. A stent, comprising:

a tubular body having a first end ring and a second ring and a plurality of body rings therebetween;

the end rings and the body rings being positioned in an out-of-phase relationship;

first links connecting the end rings to the body rings and second links connecting adjacent body rings;

the first links having a first length and the second links having a second length, the first length being greater than the second length; and

the first end ring and the second end ring each having a first length that is shorter than a second length of the body rings.

2. The stent of claim 1, wherein two first links connecting the first end ring to an adjacent body ring and two first links connecting the second end ring to an adjacent body ring.

3. The stent of claim 2, wherein two second links connect adjacent body rings.

4. The stent of claim 1, wherein the end rings have first bar arms having a first width and the body rings have second bar arms having a second width.

5. The stent of claim 4, wherein the first width of the first bar arms is greater than the second width of the second bar arms.

6. The stent of claim 1, wherein the first and second end rings and the body rings have a substantially uniform radial thickness.

7. The stent of claim 1, wherein the first and second end rings, the body rings, and the first and second links have a substantially uniform radial thickness.

8. The stent of claim 1, wherein the first and second end rings and the body rings have crests, the first and second links extending from a crest on one ring to an axially adjacent crest on an adjacent ring.

9. The stent of claim 1, wherein the first and second end rings have bar arms connected by crests, the bar arms having a width that is greater than a width of the crests.

10. The stent of claim 1, wherein the body rings have bar arms connected by crests, the bar arms having a width that is greater than a width of the crests.

11. The stent of claim 9, wherein the first end ring is connected to an adjacent body ring by two links, the links being spaced apart by two crests in one circumferential direction and by four crests in the other circumferential direction.

12. The stent of claim 10, wherein each body ring is connected to an adjacent body ring by two links, the links being spaced apart circumferentially by one crest.

13. The stent of claim 1, wherein the first links and the second links have substantially the same width.

14. The stent of claim 1, wherein the first and second end rings have crests having a first width and the body rings have crests having a second width, the first width being greater than the second width.

15. The stent of claim 1, wherein the stent is formed from metal alloy taken from the group of metal alloys consisting of stainless steel, nickel-titanium, titanium, tantalum, and cobalt-chromium.

16. The stent of claim 15, wherein the stainless steel is annealed and is one-eighth hardened.

17. The stent of claim 1, wherein the stent is formed from a polymer.

18. The stent of claim 1, wherein the tubular body is laser cut to form the rings and links.

19. The stent of claim 1, wherein two second links connect adjacent body rings, the second links connecting crests of one body ring to crests of an adjacent body ring, the second links being circumferentially offset from one body ring to the adjacent body ring by one and one-half crests in one circumferential direction and two and one-half crests in the opposite circumferential direction.

20. The stent of claim 5, wherein each end ring has a first surface area and each body ring has a second surface area, the first surface area being substantially equal to the second surface area.

21. The stent of claim 5, wherein each end ring has a first surface area and each body ring has a second surface area, the difference between the first surface area and the second surface area being less than one percent surface area.

22. The stent of claim 1, wherein the stent is coated with a therapeutic agent.

23. The stent of claim 22, wherein the therapeutic agent used to coat the stent is taken from a group of therapeutic agents consisting of antineoplastic, antimitotic, antiinflammatory, antiplatelet, anticoagulant, antifibrin, antithrombin, antiproliferative, antibiotic, antioxidant, and antiallergic substances, as well as combinations thereof.

24. A stent, comprising:

a tubular body having a first end ring and a second ring and a plurality of body rings therebetween;

the end rings and the body rings being positioned in an out-of-phase relationship;

first links connecting the end rings to the body rings and second links connecting adjacent body rings;

the first links having a first length and the second links having a second length, the first length being substantially equal to the second length;

the first end ring and the second end ring each having a first length that is substantially equal to a second length of the body rings; and

three links connect each end ring to an adjacent body ring and two links connect adjacent body rings.

25. The stent of claim 24, wherein the first and second end rings and the body rings have a substantially uniform radial thickness.

26. The stent of claim 24, wherein the first and second end rings, the body rings, and the first and second links have a substantially uniform radial thickness.

27. The stent of claim 24, wherein the first and second end rings and the body rings have crests, the first and second links extending from a crest on one ring to an axially adjacent crest on an adjacent ring.

28. The stent of claim 24, wherein the first and second end rings have bar arms connected by crests, the bar arms having a width that is greater than a width of the crests.

29. The stent of claim 24, wherein the body rings have bar arms connected by crests, the bar arms having a width that is greater than a width of the crests.

30. The stent of claim 24, wherein the first and second end rings is connected to the adjacent body rings by three links, the links being spaced apart by three crests.

31. The stent of claim 24, wherein each body ring is connected to an adjacent body ring by two links, the links being spaced apart circumferentially by two crests.

32. The stent of claim 24, wherein the first links and the second links have substantially the same width.

33. The stent of claim 24, wherein the stent is formed from metal alloy taken from the group of metal alloys consisting of stainless steel, nickel-titanium, titanium, tantalum, and cobalt-chromium.

34. The stent of claim 33, wherein the stainless steel is annealed and is one-eighth hardened.

35. The stent of claim 24, wherein the stent is formed from a polymer.

36. The stent of claim 24, wherein the tubular body is laser cut to form the rings and links.

37. The stent of claim 24, wherein two second links connect adjacent body rings, the second links connecting crests of one body ring to crests of an adjacent body ring, the second links being circumferentially offset from one body ring to the adjacent body ring by two and one-half crests in one circumferential direction and two and one-half crests in the opposite circumferential direction.

38. The stent of claim 24, wherein each end ring has a first surface area and each body ring has a second surface area, the first surface area being substantially equal to the second surface area.

39. The stent of claim 24, wherein each end ring has a first surface area and each body ring has a second surface area, the difference between the first surface area and the second surface area being less than one percent surface area.

40. The stent of claim 24, wherein the stent is coated with a therapeutic agent.

41. The stent of claim 40, wherein the therapeutic agent used to coat the stent is taken from a group of therapeutic agents consisting of antineoplastic, antimitotic, antiinflammatory, antiplatelet, anticoagulant, antifibrin, antithrombin, antiproliferative, antibiotic, antioxidant, and antiallergic substances, as well as combinations thereof.