Implantable Device For Promoting Repair Of A Body Lumen
First Claim
1. An implantable stent comprising a tubular stent body having a plurality of interconnected microholes distributed throughout said stent body substantially uniformally along the entire length of said stent body, said plurality of microholes being sufficiently small so as to promote an organized growth pattern of infiltrating cells throughout said stent body, and said stent body being otherwise substantially free of holes larger than said microholes.
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Abstract
An implantable stent having surface features adapted to promote an organized growth pattern of infiltrating cells when implanted in a tubular organ is provided. The surface features comprise depressions, pores, projections, pleats, channels or grooves in the stent body and are designed to increase turbulence or stagnation in the flow of a liquid, such as blood through the stent, and/or to promote the growth of infiltrating cells in an organized pattern. Alternatively, the invention stent can be populated with living cells prior to implant and can be heatable from an external source of energy, thereby inducing production of therapeutic bioactive agents from ingrowing cells. The invention also provides an implantable heatable stent for transcutaneously monitoring the flow of fluid through a lumen into which the stent is implanted by measuring the rate at which the heated stent cools in response to blood flow when the source of heat is removed.
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Citations
20 Claims
- 1. An implantable stent comprising a tubular stent body having a plurality of interconnected microholes distributed throughout said stent body substantially uniformally along the entire length of said stent body, said plurality of microholes being sufficiently small so as to promote an organized growth pattern of infiltrating cells throughout said stent body, and said stent body being otherwise substantially free of holes larger than said microholes.
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7. A method for treating a tubular body organ in a subject in need thereof said method comprising:
promoting the ingrowth of living cells in a stent having a plurality of interconnected microholes distributed within said stent body substantially uniformally along the entire length of said stent body, said plurality of microholes being sufficiently small in size so as to promote ingrowth of the cells, and said stent body being otherwise substantially free of holes larger than said microholes, and, implanting the stent into the tubular organ of the subject prior to or following the promoting of the ingrowth of the living cells so as to treat the tubular organ. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20)
Specification