Stents for blood vessels

• US 20080109067A1
• Filed: 01/02/2008
• Published: 05/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Veryan Medical Limited
• Original Assignee: Imperial College of Science Technology & Medicine (Imperial College London)
• Inventors: Doorly, Denis, McLean, Mary, Caro, Colin
• Granted Patent: US 8,066,761 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/11 for performing anastomosis; Buttons for anastomosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12 for ligaturing or otherwise compressing tubular parts of the body, e.g. blood vessels, umbilical cord specially adapted for vas deferens or fallopian tubes A61F6/20; materials for ligaturing blood vessels A61L17/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00867 shape memory effect for prostheses A61F2210/0014
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1107 for blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1135 End-to-side connections, e.g. T- or Y-connections Y-shaped blood vessel prostheses A61F2002/065
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0263 using NMR
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/027 using catheters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/06 Measuring blood flow measuring volume flow in general G01F, e.g. G01F1/66, G01F1/72; measuring speed of fluids in general G01P5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• 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 2/86 Stents in a form characterised by the wire-like elements; Stents in the form characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
• 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 2/90 characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
• 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 2/94 Stents retaining their form, i.e. not being deformable, after placement in the predetermined place
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30014 differing in elasticity, stiffness or compressibility
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30199 Three-dimensional shapes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0076 multilayered, e.g. laminated structures
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0075 sutured, ligatured or stitched, retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0063 : Three-dimensional shapes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0029 : differing in bending or flexure capacity
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0096 : Markers and sensors for detecting a position or changes of a position of an implant, e.g. RF sensors, ultrasound markers

Abstract

A stent for supporting part of a blood vessel which stent includes a supporting portion around which or within which part of an intact blood vessel other than a graft can be placed so that the stent internally or externally supports that part and the supporting portion of the stent is of a shape and/or orientation whereby flow within the vessel is caused to follow a non-planar curve. By maintaining non-planar curvature in the vessel itself, favourable blood flow velocity patterns can be achieved through generation therein of “swirl” flow. Failures in such vessels through diseases such as thrombosis, atherosclerosis, intimal hyperplasia or through blockage, kinking or collapse, can be significantly reduced.

Claims

1-23. -23. (canceled)

24. A method of imposing a shape on an intact blood vessel other than a graft, comprising inserting a stent in the vessel, the stent including a supporting portion which internally supports an interior wall of the vessel, wherein the supporting portion comprises a hollow tube, the walls of which have openings therein so that the interior wall of the vessel is exposed via said openings to fluid flow along the vessel, and wherein the central axis of the hollow tube forms a non-planar, three-dimensional, at least partially helical shape and the hollow tube imposes said three-dimensional, at least partially helical shape on the central axis of the vessel, whereby swirling fluid flow is induced within the stent supported part of the vessel.

25. A method as claimed in claim 24, wherein the stent is in the form of an open lattice generally tubular framework with discrete openings at each end thereof.

26. A method as claimed in claim 24, wherein the stent is fabricated from a linked mesh so as to be at least partly helical.

27. A method as claimed in claim 24, wherein the stent is fabricated from a series of linked wire members so as to be at least partly helical.

28. A method as claimed in claim 24, wherein the stent is in the form of a series of curved rings joined together.

29. A method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the curved rings are joined together by link members.

30. A method as claimed in claim 29, wherein the link members have a wavy form.

31. A method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the curved rings are joined together by spot welds.

32. A method as claimed in claim 24, wherein the stent is fabricated from a shape memory alloy.

33. A method as claimed in claim 24, wherein the rigidity of the stent is reduced at an end thereof.

34. A method as claimed in claim 24, further comprising monitoring the condition of the vessel on which said at least partially helical shape is imposed.

35. A method as claimed in claim 34, further comprising sensing one or more internal flow conditions of the vessel.

36. A method as claimed in claim 35, further comprising transmitting a signal responsive to said one or more internal flow conditions of the vessel.

37. A method as claimed in claim 34, further comprising detecting markers which are indicative of the condition of the vessel, and administering a pharmacological agent based on said detection.

38. A method of imposing a shape on an intact blood vessel other than a graft, comprising:

providing a stent including a supporting portion, wherein the supporting portion comprises a hollow tube, the walls of which have openings therein, and wherein the central axis of the hollow tube forms a non-planar three-dimensional at least partially helical shape;

inserting the stent into the intact blood vessel;

internally supporting an interior wall of the blood vessel with the stent;

exposing the interior wall of the blood vessel to fluid flow along the vessel via the openings in the stent;

imposing the three-dimensional at least partially helical shape of the stent on a central axis of the vessel; and

inducing a swirling fluid flow within the stent supported part of the vessel.

39. The method of claim 38 further comprising monitoring a condition of the vessel on which the partially helical shape is imposed.

40. The method of claim 39 further comprising sensing one or more internal flow conditions of the vessel.

41. The method of claim 40 further comprising transmitting a signal responsive to the one or more internal flow conditions of the vessel.

42. The method of claim 39 further comprising:

detecting markers which are indicative of the condition of the vessel; and

,

administering a pharmacological agent based on the detection.

43. A method of inserting a stent having a supporting portion into an associated intact vessel, comprising the step of placing the stent within the associated intact vessel such that part of the associated intact vessel is disposed around the supporting portion, and so that the stent internally supports the associated vessel part, wherein the supporting portion of the stent is of a shape and/or orientation which imposes a non-planar curve on the associated vessel whereby fluid flow within the stent supported part of the associated vessel follows a non-planar curve to induce swirl flow.