ASYMMETRIC STENT APPARATUS AND METHOD

• US 20090082846A1
• Filed: 09/26/2007
• Published: 03/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Endologix
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Corporation
• Inventors: Chobotov, Michael V.
• Granted Patent: US 8,663,309 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.130
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• 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 2/848 having means for fixation to the vessel wall, e.g. barbs
• 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 2/95 Instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/075 the stent being loosely attached to the graft material, e.g. by stitching
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/8483 Barbs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91558 connected peak to peak
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9511 the retaining means being filaments or wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0016 with sharp anchoring protrusions, e.g. barbs, pins, spikes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0013 Horseshoe-shaped, e.g. crescent-shaped, C-shaped, U-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped

Abstract

A stent-graft system comprising a graft member and a stent having a connection end interconnected with the graft member and a free end opposed thereto. The stent includes a plurality of struts extending between the connection end and the free end and at least two of the struts having different lengths such that the free end has a nonuniform profile. A method of securing at least one end of a stent-graft within a vessel is also provided.

Claims

1. A stent-graft system comprising:

a graft member;

a stent having a connection end interconnected with the graft member and a free end opposed thereto;

wherein the stent includes a plurality of struts extending between the connection end and the free end and at least two of the struts having different lengths such that the free end has a nonuniform profile.

2. The stent-graft system according to claim 1 wherein the struts include opposed long struts and each of the struts therebetween is shorter than the long struts.

3. The stent-graft system according to claim 2 wherein the strut lengths slope to a pair of short struts offset approximately ninety degrees relative to the long struts.

4. The stent-graft system according to claim 3 wherein the belt retaining structure includes a plurality of through holes extending through the crowns.

5. The stent-graft system according to claim 3 wherein the short struts are configured to be aligned with an inner radial curvature and outer radial curvature of an angulated vessel.

6. The stent-graft system according to claim 1 wherein the struts define a sinusoidal profile at the free end of the stent.

7. The stent-graft system according to claim 1 wherein one or more barbs extend from the stent struts.

8. The stent-graft system according to claim 2 wherein a secondary stent is connected to the free end of the pair of long struts.

9. The stent-graft system according to claim 8 wherein the secondary stent has a uniform profile at a free end thereof.

10. The stent-graft system according to claim 1 wherein a marker is provided on at least one of the struts to identify an orientation of the stent within the vessel.

11. The stent-graft system according to claim 1 wherein at least one belt is releasably secured about the stent between the connection end and the free end and is releasable therefrom.

12. The stent-graft system according to claim 1 wherein the stent connection end includes a plurality of connection elements configured for attachment to corresponding connection members on the tubular graft.

13. A method of securing at least one end of a stent-graft within a vessel, comprising:

positioning within the vessel a stent-graft comprising a stent and a graft with a connection end of the stent connected to an end of the graft, the stent having a free end opposite the connection end, the stent including a plurality of nonuniform struts such that the free end has at least one short strut and at least one long strut;

positioning the stent-graft within the vessel such that the at least one short strut is aligned with an inner radial curvature of the vessel; and

deploying the stent.

14. The method according to claim 13 wherein the stent includes a second short stent which is aligned with an outer radial curvature of the vessel.

15. The method according to claim 13 wherein the vessel is an abdominal aorta.