STENT HAVING LESS INVASIVE ENDS

• US 20090171438A1
• Filed: 12/18/2008
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cook Medical Incorporated (Cook Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cook Incorporated (Cook Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Dierking, William K., Leewood, Alan R., Roeder, Blayne A., Chuter, Timothy A.M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,370,437 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.130
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/90 characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/915 with bands having a meander structure, adjacent bands being connected to each other
• 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 2220/0016 with sharp anchoring protrusions, e.g. barbs, pins, spikes
• 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 2250/0036 differing in thickness

Abstract

The present examples provide a stent for use in a medical procedure that comprises at least one apex having first and second generally straight portions and a curved portion disposed between the first and second straight portions. The curved portion may comprise at least one region having a cross-sectional area that is less than a cross-sectional area of the first and second straight portions, which may facilitate compression of the stent and insertion of the stent into smaller vessels. The stent may be used alone, or in conjunction with a stent-graft, and may comprise one or more barbs configured to engage an inner wall of a vessel or duct.

Claims

1. A stent for use in a medical procedure, the stent comprising:

at least one apex comprising first and second generally straight portions and a curved portion disposed between the first and second straight portions,

where the curved portion comprises at least one region having a cross-sectional area that is less than a cross-sectional area of the first and second straight portions.

2. The stent of claim 1 further comprising a substantially uniform taper between the first straight portion and a midpoint of the curved portion, and a substantially uniform taper between the second straight portion and the midpoint, such that the midpoint comprises the smallest cross-sectional area of any point along the curved portion.

3. The stent of claim 1 further comprising a variable taper formed along at least a portion of the curved portion, the variable taper forming one or more regions along the curved portion having a reduced cross-sectional area relative to the first and second straight portions.

4. The stent of claim 1 where the curved portion comprises at least one arcuate segment having a cross-sectional area that is less than the cross-sectional area of the first and second straight portions, where the arcuate segment comprises a uniform cross-sectional area along at least a portion of its length.

5. The stent of claim 1 where the stent is coupled to at least a portion of a graft, where at least one distal apex of the stent is coupled to the graft using one or more sutures.

6. The stent of claim 1 further including at least one barb formed integrally with the stent, where the barb is formed along a transition region comprising a first straight portion of a first apex and a second straight portion of an adjacent apex.

7. The stent of claim 1 where the stent comprises multiple proximal apices and multiple distal apices,

where each proximal apex is integrally formed with a next adjacent proximal apex, and where each distal apex is integrally formed with a next adjacent distal apex,

where each of the proximal apices are circumferentially offset from the distal apices, and

where the stent comprises at least one strut segment disposed between a proximal apex and a distal apex, where the strut segment is angled with respect to a longitudinal axis of the stent in an expanded state.

8. The stent of claim 1 where the stent comprises a super-elastic material, and where strains imposed upon the curved portion do not induce substantial permanent strains of the selected material.

9. A stent for use in a medical procedure, the stent comprising:

at least one apex comprising first and second generally straight portions and a curved portion disposed between the first and second straight portions,

where the apex of the stent comprises a generally arcuate expanded shape, and

where the apex of the stent comprises a compressed state in which at least a portion of the curved portion overlaps with itself to reduce the radial profile of the apex in the compressed state.

10. The stent of claim 9 where the curved portion comprises at least one region having a cross-sectional area that is less than a cross-sectional area of the first and second straight portions.

11. The stent of claim 10 further comprising a substantially uniform taper between the first straight portion and a midpoint of the curved portion, and a substantially uniform taper between the second straight portion and the midpoint, such that the midpoint comprises the smallest cross-sectional area of any point along the curved portion.

12. The stent of claim 9 where the stent comprises a super-elastic material, and where strains imposed upon the curved portion due to stent compression do not induce permanent strains of the selected material when the stent is in the compressed state.

13. The stent of claim 9 where the stent is coupled to at least a portion of a graft, where at least one distal apex of the stent is coupled to the graft using one or more sutures.

14. The stent of claim 9 where the stent comprises multiple proximal apices and multiple distal apices,

where each proximal apex is integrally formed with a next adjacent proximal apex, and where each distal apex is integrally formed with a next adjacent distal apex,

where each of the proximal apices are circumferentially offset from the distal apices, and

where the stent comprises at least one strut segment disposed between a proximal apex and a distal apex, where the strut segment is angled with respect to a longitudinal axis of the stent in an expanded state.

15. A stent having proximal and distal ends, the stent comprising:

a series of proximal apices disposed at the proximal end of the stent, where each proximal apex comprises a first generally straight portion, a second generally straight portion, and a curved portion disposed between the first and second straight portions, where the curved portions of the proximal apices comprise at least one region having a cross-sectional area that is less than a cross-sectional area of the first and second straight portions;

a series of distal apices disposed at the distal end of the stent, where each distal apex comprises a first generally straight portion, a second generally straight portion, and a curved portion disposed between the first and second straight sections, where the curved portions of the distal apices comprise at least one region having a cross-sectional area that is less than a cross-sectional area of the first and second straight portions; and

at least one strut segment disposed between a proximal apex and a distal apex,

where each of the proximal apices are circumferentially offset from the distal apices in an expanded state.

16. The stent of claim 15 where the stent is coupled to at least a portion of a graft, where at least one distal apex of the stent is coupled to the graft using one or more sutures.

17. The stent of claim 15 where each proximal apex is integrally formed with a next adjacent proximal apex, and where each distal apex is integrally formed with a next adjacent distal apex.

18. The stent of claim 15 where the strut segment is angled with respect to a longitudinal axis of the stent in an expanded state.

19. The stent of claim 18 where the strut segment is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the stent in a compressed state.

20. The stent of claim 15 further including at least one barb formed integrally with the stent, where the barb is formed along a transition region comprising a first straight portion of a first apex and a second straight portion of an adjacent apex.