Intravascular stent

• US 20080086194A1
• Filed: 10/06/2006
• Published: 04/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Miller, Jessica P., Kreidler, Marc S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,778,009 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/89 the wire-like elements comprising two or more adjacent rings flexibly connected by separate members
• 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 2002/91508 the meander having a difference in amplitude along the band
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91516 the meander having a change in frequency along the band
• 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 2002/91533 characterised by the phase between adjacent bands
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91541 Adjacent bands are arranged out of phase
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91566 connected trough to trough
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91575 connected peak to trough

Abstract

A stent design reduces the likelihood of contact among structural members when the stent diameter is reduced before insertion into the body. In one approach, an undulating link has a J-shaped profile or has an angled portion on one side at the peak of the link, in order to reduce contact during crimping. The stent may also include structural features that improve such aspects as flexibility, the coatibility of a drug coating onto the stent, flare reduction, stent retention within the body and/or reduction of the minimum diameter of the stent during crimping.

Claims

1. A flexible intravascular stent for use in a body lumen, comprising:

a plurality of cylindrical rings aligned along a common longitudinal axis and interconnected to form the stent, each cylindrical ring having a first delivery diameter and a second implanted diameter;

at least some of the cylindrical rings each having a plurality of first peaks and second peaks, each of the peaks having a height, the second peaks being shorter than the first peaks;

at least one undulating link attaching each cylindrical ring to an adjacent cylindrical ring, at least one undulating link having a J-shaped portion which includes a first curve that has a radius greater than a radius of the second peak, so that the J-shaped portion is prevented from contacting the second peak radius when the stent is compressed to the first delivery diameter.

2. The stent of claim 1, wherein the stent is formed from a shape memory alloy.

3. The stent of claim 1, wherein the stent is formed from a superelastic or pseudoelastic metal alloy.

4. The stent of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the stent has a variable thickness configuration.

5. The stent of claim 1, wherein at least some of the first peaks have a first radius and the second peaks have a second radius, the second radius being greater than the first radius.

6. The stent of claim 1, wherein at least some of the first peaks have a pair of first struts and at least some of the second peaks have a pair of second struts, the first struts being longer than the second struts.

7. The stent of claim 1, wherein the stent further comprises a short crest having an upward angulation.

8. The stent of claim 1, wherein the stent further comprises means for improving flexibility of the stent.

9. The stent of claim 1, wherein the stent further comprises means for improving coatibility of a drug coating onto the stent.

10. The stent of claim 1, wherein the stent further comprises means for reducing flaring.

11. The stent of claim 1, wherein the stent further comprises means for improving stent retention.

12. A flexible intravascular stent for use in a body lumen, comprising:

a plurality of cylindrical rings aligned along a common longitudinal axis and interconnected to form the stent, each cylindrical ring having a first delivery diameter and a second implanted diameter;

at least some of the cylindrical rings each having a plurality of first peaks and second peaks, each of the peaks having a height, the second peaks being shorter than the first peaks;

at least one undulating link attaching each cylindrical ring to an adjacent cylindrical ring, the undulating links having a curved portion extending transverse to the stent longitudinal axis toward the second peak;

at least one undulating link having a first arm and a second arm, the first arm being substantially straight, and the second arm having a first substantially straight portion and a second, angled portion leading to the curve.

13. The stent of claim 12, wherein the stent is formed from a shape memory alloy.

14. The stent of claim 12, wherein the stent is formed from a superelastic or pseudoelastic metal alloy.

15. The stent of claim 12, wherein at least a portion of the stent has a variable thickness configuration.

16. The stent of claim 12, wherein at least some of the first peaks have a first radius and the second peaks have a second radius, the second radius being greater than the first radius.

17. The stent of claim 12, wherein at least some of the first peaks have a pair of first struts and at least some of the second peaks have a pair of second struts, the first struts being longer than the second struts.

18. The stent of claim 12, wherein the stent further comprises means for improving flexibility of the stent.

19. The stent of claim 12, wherein the stent further comprises means for improving coatibility of a drug coating onto the stent.

20. The stent of claim 12, wherein the stent further comprises means for reducing flaring.

21. The stent of claim 12, wherein the stent further comprises means for improving stent retention.

22. A flexible intravascular stent for use in a body lumen, comprising:

a plurality of cylindrical rings aligned along a common longitudinal axis and interconnected to form the stent, each cylindrical ring having a first delivery diameter and a second implanted diameter;

at least some of the cylindrical rings each having a plurality of first peaks and second peaks, each of the peaks having a height, the second peaks being shorter than the first peaks;

at least one undulating link attaching each cylindrical ring to an adjacent cylindrical ring, the undulating links having a curved portion extending transverse to the stent longitudinal axis toward the second peak, the height of the second peak being sized so that as the stent is compressed to the first delivery diameter, the curved portion of the undulating link is longitudinally aligned with the second peak; and

means for preventing contact between the at least one undulating link and the second peak when the stent is compressed to the first delivery diameter.

23. The stent of claim 22, wherein at least one undulating link comprises at least one curved portion connected to a substantially straight portion, the substantially straight portion being substantially perpendicular to the stent longitudinal axis.

24. The stent of claim 23, wherein the substantially straight portion of the at least one undulating link is perpendicular to the stent longitudinal axis when the stent is in the first delivery diameter configuration.

25. The stent of claim 23, wherein the substantially straight portion of the at least one undulating link is perpendicular to the stent longitudinal axis when the stent is in the second implanted diameter configuration.

26. The stent of claim 22, wherein at least one of the undulating links comprise a plurality of curved portions.

27. The stent of claim 22, wherein the first peaks of each cylindrical ring are in phase with the first peaks of an adjacent cylindrical ring.

28. The stent of claim 22, wherein the stent is formed from a shape memory alloy.

29. The stent of claim 22, wherein the stent is formed from a superelastic or pseudoelastic metal alloy.

30. The stent of claim 22, wherein at least a portion of the stent has a variable thickness configuration.

31. The stent of claim 22, wherein the first peaks have a first radius and the second peaks have a second radius, the second radius being greater than the first radius.

32. The stent of claim 22, wherein each of the first peaks has a pair of first struts and each of the second peaks has a pair of second struts, the first struts being longer than the second struts.

33. The stent of claim 22, wherein the stent comprises an end ring having a plurality of first peaks and second peaks having a height, the height of the first and second peaks being uniform.

34. The stent of claim 22, wherein the undulating link has a “

J”

shaped configuration.

35. The stent of claim 22, wherein the stent further comprises means for improving flexibility of the stent.

36. The stent of claim 22, wherein the stent further comprises means for improving coatibility of a drug coating onto the stent.

37. The stent of claim 22, wherein the stent further comprises means for reducing flaring.

38. The stent of claim 22, wherein the stent further comprises means for improving stent retention.

39. The stent of claim 22, wherein the at least one undulating link comprises a J-shaped portion which includes a first curve having a radius greater than a radius of the second peak so that the J-shaped portion is prevented from contacting the second peak radius when the stent is compressed to the first delivery diameter.

40. A flexible intravascular stent for use in a body lumen, comprising:

a plurality of cylindrical rings aligned along a common longitudinal axis and interconnected to form the stent, each cylindrical ring having a first delivery diameter and a second implanted diameter;

at least some of the cylindrical rings each having a plurality of first peaks and second peaks, each of the peaks having a height, the second peaks being shorter than the first peaks;

at least one undulating link attaching each cylindrical ring to an adjacent cylindrical ring, the undulating links having a curved portion extending transverse to the stent longitudinal axis toward the second peak; and

an end ring having a plurality of first peaks and second peaks having a height, the height of the first and second peaks being uniform.

41. The stent of claim 41, wherein at least one undulating link comprises at least one curved portion connected to a substantially straight portion, the substantially straight portion being substantially perpendicular to the stent longitudinal axis.

43. The stent of claim 41, in which the end ring constitutes five symeetric crests of equal dimension.

44. The stent of claim 41, wherein at least one of the undulating links comprise a plurality of curved portions.

45. The stent of claim 41, wherein the first peaks of each cylindrical ring are in phase with the first peaks of an adjacent cylindrical ring.

46. The stent of claim 41, wherein the stent is formed from any of the group of metal alloys consisting of stainless steel, tantalum, nickel-titanium, cobalt-chromium and titanium.

47. The stent of claim 41, wherein the stent is formed from a shape memory alloy.

48. The stent of claim 41, wherein the stent is formed from a superelastic or pseudoelastic metal alloy.

49. The stent of claim 41, wherein at least a portion of the stent has a variable thickness configuration.

50. The stent of claim 41, wherein the first peaks have a first radius and the second peaks have a second radius, the second radius being greater than the first radius.

51. The stent of claim 41, wherein each of the first peaks has a pair of first struts and each of the second peaks has a pair of second struts, the first struts being longer than the second struts.

52. The stent of claim 41, in which the undulating link has a “

J”

shaped configuration.

54. The stent of claim 41, in which the stent further comprises means for improving flexibility of the stent.

55. The stent of claim 41, in which the stent further comprises means for improving coatibility of a drug coating onto the stent.

56. The stent of claim 41, in which the stent further comprises means for reducing flaring.

57. The stent of claim 41, in which the stent further comprises means for improving stent retention.

58. The stent of claim 41, wherein the at least one undulating link comprises a J-shaped portion which includes a first curve having a radius greater than a radius of the second peak so that the J-shaped portion is prevented from contacting the second peak radius when the stent is compressed to the first delivery diameter.

42. The stent of claim 42, wherein the substantially straight portion of the at least one undulating link is perpendicular to the stent longitudinal axis when the stent is in the first delivery diameter configuration.

53. The stent of claim 53, wherein the stent further comprises a short crest having an upward angulation.

59. A flexible intravascular stent for use in a body lumen, comprising:

a plurality of cylindrical rings aligned along a commong longitudinal axis;

at least one link connecting adjacent cylindrical rings; and

a proximal end ring having five symmetric crests of equal height.

60. The stent of claim 60, wherein the stent further comprises at least one undulating link attaching each cylindrical ring to an adjacent cylindrical ring, the undulating links having a curved portion extending transverse to the stent longitudinal axis toward the second peak;

at least one undulating link having a first arm and a second arm, the first arm being substantially straight and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, and the second arm having a first substantially straight portion that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and a second, angled portion leading to the curve.

61. The stent of claim 60, wherein the stent is formed from a shape memory alloy.

62. The stent of claim 60, wherein the stent is formed from a superelastic or pseudoelastic metal alloy.

63. The stent of claim 60, wherein at least a portion of the stent has a variable thickness configuration.

64. The stent of claim 60, wherein at least some of the first peaks have a first radius and the second peaks have a second radius, the second radius being greater than the first radius.

65. The stent of claim 60, wherein at least some of the first peaks have a pair of first struts and at least some of the second peaks have a pair of second struts, the first struts being longer than the second struts.

66. The stent of claim 60 further comprising means for improving flexibility of the stent.

67. The stent of claim 60, wherein the stent further comprises means for improving coatibility of a drug coating onto the stent.

68. The stent of claim 60, wherein the stent further comprises means for reducing flaring.

69. The stent of claim 60, wherein the stent further comprises means for improving stent retention.

70. The stent of claim 60, wherein the stent has at least two cells, a first cell having two long crests and one short crest, and a second cell having one long crest and one short crest.

71. The stent of claim 60, wherein the stent further comprises at least one undulating link attaching each cylindrical ring to an adjacent cylindrical ring, at least some of the undulating links having a “

J”

shaped configuration.

72. The stent of claim 72, wherein the stent further comprises a short crest having an upward angulation.