DEVICES AND METHODS FOR TREATMENT OF VASCULAR ANEURYSMS

• US 20070061005A1
• Filed: 11/02/2006
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Endologix
• Original Assignee: Thomas J. Fogarty
• Inventors: Kim, Steven, Shiu, Brian, Holmgren, Nell
• Granted Patent: US 8,562,662 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.210
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12022 Occluding by internal devices, e.g. balloons or releasable wires plugging an opening in the wall of an organ A61B17/0057; occluders for the cervical canal A61F6/146; vas deferens occluders A61F6/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12036 partial occlusion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12118 for positioning in conjunction with a stent
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12136 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12186 liquid materials adapted to be injected
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1219 expandable in contact with liquids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12195 comprising a curable material
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00898 expandable upon contact with fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00986 Malecots, e.g. slotted tubes, of which the distal end is pulled to deflect side struts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1205 Introduction devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3484 Anchoring means, e.g. spreading-out umbrella-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/90 characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/954 for placing stents or stent-grafts in a bifurcation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/958 Inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/065 Y-shaped blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/077 having means to fill the space between stent-graft and aneurysm wall, e.g. a sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/823 Stents, different from stent-grafts, adapted to cover an aneurysm
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0003 having an inflatable pocket filled with fluid, e.g. liquid or gas

Abstract

The present invention relates to devices and methods for the treatment of diseases in the vasculature, and more specifically, devices and methods for treatment of aneurysms found in blood vessels. In a first embodiment of the present invention, a two part prostheses, where one part is an expandable sponge structure and the other part is an expandable tubular mesh structure, is provided. In the first embodiment, the expandable sponge structure is intended to fill the aneurysm cavity to prevent further dilatation of the vessel wall by creating a buffer or barrier between the pressurized pulsating blood flow and the thinning vessel wall. In the first embodiment, the expandable tubular mesh structure is placed across the aneurysm, contacting the inner wall of healthy vessel proximal and distal to the aneurysm.

Claims

1. A method for treating an aneurysm, said method comprising:

positioning at least one double-walled filling structure across the aneurysm;

filling at least one filling structure with a fluid filling medium so that an outer wall conforms to the inside of the aneurysm and an inner wall forms a generally tubular lumen to provide for blood flow;

supporting the tubular lumen while and/or after the filing structure is being filled;

hardening the filling medium while the tubular lumen remains supported; and

removing support after the filling material has hardened.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein the tubular lumen support extends upstream and downstream from the double-walled filling structure so that tubular support aligns and conforms each end of the filling structure with the blood vessel.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein at least an outer wall of the filling structure is formed from a non-compliant material.

4. A method as in claim 3, wherein substantially the entire filling structure is formed from a non-compliant material.

5. A method as in claim 3, wherein the tubular support comprises an inflatable support balloon having a compliant structure.

6. A method as in claim 3, wherein the tubular support comprises a mechanical structure expandable to one or more fixed diameters.

7. A method as in claim 1, further comprising positioning an anchor or sealing element of at least one opening from the tubular lumen of the filing structure to a lumen of the blood vessel.

8. A method as in claim 7, further comprising positioning an anchor or sealing element at each opening.

9. A method as in claim 1, wherein the filling material comprises a flowable polymer which is curable in situ.

10. A method as in claim 9, wherein the polymer comprises a polyurethane or a collagen.

11. A method as in claim 9, wherein the filling material comprises a two-part part curable material which hardened after mixing.

12. A system for treating an aneurysm, said system comprising:

at least one double-walled filling structure having an outer wall and an inner wall, wherein the filling structure is adapted to be filled with a hardenable fluid filling medium so that the outer wall conforms to the inside surface of the aneurysm and the inner surface forms a generally tubular lumen to provide blood flow; and

a delivery catheter having an expandable tubular support which can be positioned within the tubular lumen to carry the double-walled filling structure.

13. A system as in claim 12, wherein the expandable tubular support extends upstream and downstream from the double-walled filling structure so that tubular support aligns and conforms each end of the filling structure with the blood vessel.

14. A system as in claim 12, wherein at least an outer wall of the filling structure is formed from a compliant material.

15. A system as in claim 12, wherein substantially the entire filling structure is formed from a compliant material.

16. A system as in claim 12, wherein the tubular support comprises an inflatable support balloon having a non-compliant structure.

17. A system as in claim 16, wherein the tubular support comprises a mechanical structure expandable to one or more fixed diameters.

18. A system as in claim 12, wherein at least a portion of an exterior surface of the filling structure is modified to enhance sealing or tissue ingrowth.