STENT HAVING ADJACENT ELEMENTS CONNECTED BY FLEXIBLE WEBS

• US 20090182413A1
• Filed: 01/08/2009
• Published: 07/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates (W.L. Gore & Associates)
• Original Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates (W.L. Gore & Associates)
• Inventors: Burkart, Dustin C., Duncan, Jeffrey B., Cully, Edward H., Silverman, James D., Hartman, Cody L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,926,688 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.160
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• 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 2/915 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 2002/826 more than one stent being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/828 Means for connecting a plurality of stents allowing flexibility of the whole structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91558 connected peak to peak

Abstract

A stent incorporating flexible, preferably polymeric, connecting elements into the stent wherein these elements connect adjacent, spaced-apart stent elements. Preferably the spaced-apart adjacent stent elements are the result of forming the stent from a helically wound serpentine wire having space provided between adjacent windings. Other stent forms such as multiple, individual spaced-apart ring-shaped or interconnected stent elements may also be used. The connecting elements are typically web-shaped and result from creating slits or apertures in a covering of graft material applied to the stent and then, for example, applying heat to cause the slits or apertures to enlarge. The remaining graft material forms the interconnecting webs between the adjacent stent elements.

Claims

1. A stent comprising multiple rows of stent elements, each row of said stent elements incorporating apices wherein an apex of one row is connected to a pair of apices of an adjacent row by a pair of film webs.