Mechanical locking of an X-ray marker in the eyelet of a stent or in another bodily implant

• US 20060259129A1
• Filed: 04/26/2006
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ADMEDES Schuessler GmbH
• Original Assignee: ADMEDES Schuessler GmbH
• Inventors: Hegel, Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 8,425,589 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.340
• 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 2250/0098 radio-opaque, e.g. radio-opaque markers

Abstract

A bodily implant, in particular a stent, for insertion or implantation into a living body, having a marker element made of an X-ray visible material which is inserted into a cutout in an implant structure is disclosed. The cutout has expansions on both of its opening sides, and the marker element is pressed or riveted into the cutout so that a positive fit is formed between the marker element and the implant structure.

Claims

1. An apparatus for insertion or implantation into a living body comprising:

a marker element made of an X-ray visible material which is inserted into a cutout in an implant structure, the cutout having expansions on both of its opening sides so that a conical shape of an exterior side of the implant structure lies adjacent to a conical expansion of an interior side of the implant structure to form a double cone, wherein the marker element is pressed or riveted into the cutout.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cutout has an essentially circular shape, and the expansions are essentially conical.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the cone angle (a, β

) of the expansions is in the range of approximately 5 degrees to approximately 120 degrees.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the marker element is essentially cylindrical before being pressed in, and after pressing or riveting has the shape of a double cone.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein after pressing or riveting the marker element, the marker element is essentially flush with the implant structure on the inside and outside.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the marker element comprises gold, platinum, tantalum, platinum alloy, platinum-iridium, or niobium.

7. A method for increasing or enabling the X-ray visibility of a bodily implant, the method comprising:

forming a cutout in an implant structure by means of a laser so that the cutout assumes a conical shape on an exterior side of an implant structure;

providing a conical expansion of an interior side of the implant structure so that the conical shape lies adjacent to the conical expansion to form a double cone;

inserting an essentially cylindrical marker element into the cutout; and

pressing the marker element.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the conical expansion is applied on the interior side by drilling.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the conical expansion is applied in essentially up to half the wall thickness of the bodily implant.

10. A method for manufacturing a bodily implant having an X-ray visible marker element, the method comprising:

forming a cutout in an implant structure;

expanding the cutout outwardly on both opening sides so that a conical shape on an exterior side of the implant structure lies adjacent to a conical expansion of an interior side of the implant structure to form a double cone; and

pressing or riveting in the marker element.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the conical expansion is applied on the interior side by drilling.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the conical expansion is applied in essentially up to half the wall thickness of the bodily implant.