Elliptical element for blood pressure reduction

• US 20080033501A1
• Filed: 07/25/2007
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vascular Dynamics Inc.
• Original Assignee: Vascular Dynamics Inc.
• Inventors: Gross, Yossi
• Granted Patent: US 8,923,972 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/44
• 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 2/856 Single tubular stent with a side portal passage
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/065 Y-shaped blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0008 elliptical or oval
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0001 Means for transferring electromagnetic energy to implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0004 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 29/02 Dilators made of swellable material balloon catheters for angioplasty A61M25/104
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/05 for implantation or insertion into the body, e.g. heart electrode A61N1/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/056 Transvascular endocardial electrode systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/326 for promoting growth of cells, e.g. bone cells
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36017 with leads or electrodes penetrating the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36117 for treating hypertension
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/375 Constructional arrangements, e.g. casings

Abstract

Apparatus is provided for treating hypertension of a subject. The apparatus includes an implantable element which has a non-circular shape and which is configured to reduce the hypertension by facilitating an assumption of a non-circular shape by a blood vessel in a vicinity of a baroreceptor of the subject, during diastole of the subject. Other embodiments are also described.

Claims

1. A method for reducing hypertension of a subject, comprising:

coupling an element having a non-circular cross-section to a blood vessel of the subject in a vicinity of a baroreceptor of the subject, by implanting the element; and

reducing the hypertension by facilitating, with the element, an assumption of a non-circular shape by the blood vessel in the vicinity, during diastole of the subject.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein implanting the element comprises implanting a stent which has a non-circular cross-section.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein implanting the element comprises implanting a single ring which has a non-circular cross-section.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein implanting the element comprises implanting a plurality of rings having non-circular cross-sections.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein implanting the element comprises implanting, at respective longitudinal sites of the blood vessel in the vicinity of the baroreceptor, a plurality of rings which are coupled to each other, the rings having non-circular cross-sections.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the element includes a rigid element, and wherein implanting the element comprises implanting the rigid element.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein implanting the element comprises placing a stent inside the blood vessel on one side of the baroreceptor, the stent having a non-circular cross-section.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein implanting the element comprises placing a ring inside the blood vessel on one side of the baroreceptor, the ring having a non-circular cross-section.

11. The method according to claim 1, comprising detecting blood pressure of the subject and changing the cross-section of the non-circular element in response to the detected blood pressure.

18. The method according to claim 11, wherein changing the cross-section of the element comprises driving a current toward the element.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein implanting the element comprises implanting two rings into the blood vessel at a longitudinal separation from each other, the rings having non-circular cross-sections.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein implanting the two rings comprises longitudinally spacing the two rings by between 5 mm and 20 mm.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein implanting the two rings comprises longitudinally spacing the two rings by between 20 mm and 50 mm.

22. The method according to claim 1, wherein the element includes first and second rings having non-circular cross-sections, and wherein implanting the element comprises implanting the first ring on one side of the baroreceptor and implanting the second ring on another side of the baroreceptor.

25. The method according to claim 22, wherein implanting the first ring and the second ring comprises implanting the first and second rings, the rings being coupled to each other.

28. The method according to claim 1, wherein the element includes a flexible ring, and wherein implanting the element comprises implanting the flexible ring.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the ring is configured to flex in response to a cardiac cycle of the subject, and wherein implanting the ring comprises implanting the ring that is configured to flex in response to the cardiac cycle.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein the ring is configured to flex passively in coordination with the cardiac cycle of the subject, and wherein implanting the ring comprises implanting the ring that is configured to flex passively in coordination with the cardiac cycle.

5. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

12-17. -17. (canceled)

23-24. -24. (canceled)

26-27. -27. (canceled)

31-36. -36. (canceled)

37. Apparatus for treating hypertension of a subject, comprising an implantable element which has a non-circular shape and which is configured to reduce the hypertension by facilitating an assumption of a non-circular shape by a blood vessel in a vicinity of a baroreceptor of the subject, during diastole of the subject.

38. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the element comprises a non-circular stent.

39. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the element comprises a single non-circular ring.

40. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the element comprises a plurality of non-circular rings.

49. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the element comprises a plurality of rings which are coupled to each other.

50. The apparatus according to claim 49, comprising a single rod, wherein the rings are coupled to each other by the single rod.

51. The apparatus according to claim 49, comprising exactly two rods, wherein the rings are coupled to each other by the exactly two rods.

52. The apparatus according to claim 49, comprising three or more rods, wherein the rings are coupled to each other by the three or more rods.

53. The apparatus according to claim 49, wherein the element comprises two rings which are coupled to each other and which are separated from each other by a distance that is between 5 mm and 20 mm.

54. The apparatus according to claim 49, wherein the element comprises two rings which are coupled to each other and which are separated from each other by a distance that is between 20 mm and 50 mm.

55. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the element is flexible.

56. The apparatus according to claim 55, wherein the element is configured to flex in coordination with a cardiac cycle of the subject.

57. The apparatus according to claim 56, wherein the element is configured to flex passively in coordination with the cardiac cycle of the subject.

62. The apparatus according to claim 37, comprising an embolic protection device configured to capture emboli during implanting of the element.

63. The apparatus according to claim 62, wherein the embolic protection device comprises a mesh.

41-48. -48. (canceled)

58-61. -61. (canceled)

64-123. -123. (canceled)