VENA CAVA FILTER WITH FILAMENT

• US 20100030253A1
• Filed: 11/17/2006
• Published: 02/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: C.R. Bard, Inc. (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: C.R. Bard, Inc. (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Diclaudio, Karen A., Smale, Joshua A., Chanduszko, Andrzej J., Harris, Keith S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,131,999 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/200
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/01 Filters implantable into blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/011 Instruments for their placement or removal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/016 made from wire-like elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/018 made from tubes or sheets of material, e.g. by etching or laser-cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/075 the stent being loosely attached to the graft material, e.g. by stitching
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0004 bioabsorbable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0014 using shape memory or superelastic materials, e.g. nitinol
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0016 with sharp anchoring protrusions, e.g. barbs, pins, spikes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0006 circular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0067 conical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0091 helically-coiled or spirally-coiled, i.e. having a 2-D spiral cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/001 for adjusting a diameter

Abstract

A vena cava filter is described, having one or more frame members or an elongated member arranged in helical fashion. A plurality of filaments connect frame members or portions of the elongated member. The filaments may be made of suture material. Hooks may be placed on a free end of the filaments, along the length thereof, or on one or more frame members to engage the blood vessel wall and anchor the filter. A retrieval member may be positioned on the filter to facilitate withdrawal of the filter from the blood vessel.

Claims

1. A blood vessel filter, comprising

two or more generally arcuate frame members spaced apart and arranged along a longitudinal axis that extends through the two or more frame members;

and

a plurality of filaments connecting the frame members.

2. The filter according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the frame members and filaments comprise suture material.

3. The filter according to claim 1, wherein each of the filaments are looped at least one time around each of the frame members along the longitudinal axis.

4. The filter according to claim 1, wherein at least some of the filaments include a hook that engages a wall of a blood vessel.

5. The filter according to claim 4, wherein the hooks are positioned on a free end of the filaments.

6. The filter according to claim 1, wherein the frame members have a generally circular configuration.

7. The filter according to claim 6, wherein each frame member has a first diameter and a second diameter, and wherein at least the first diameter of successive members increases along the longitudinal axis.

8. The filter according to claim 7, wherein each frame member comprises a continuous member.

9. The filter according to claim 8, wherein the continuous member comprises a shape memory material.

10. The filter according to claim 7, wherein at least one of the frame members comprises a bio-resorbable material.

11. The filter according to claim 10, wherein the shape memory material is selected from a group consisting essentially of shape memory alloy, shape memory polymer, super elastic shape memory metal alloy, linear elastic shape memory alloy, and combinations thereof.

12. The filter according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the frame members includes at least one hook disposed thereon.

13. The filter according to claim 12, wherein the at least one hook comprises a linear portion connected to an arcuate portion that terminates in a point, the arcuate member having a cross-sectional area smaller than the cross-sectional area of the linear portion.

14. The filter according to claim 1, wherein each of the frame members comprises a first section that has at least one portion disposed inside a second section in a first configuration of the filter, and wherein the at least one portion is disposed outside the second section in a second configuration of the filter.

15. The blood vessel filter according to claim 14, further comprising a hook or barb positioned on one or more of the filaments.

16. The blood vessel filter according to claim 14, wherein the first configuration defines a first outer perimeter smaller than a second outer perimeter of the second configuration.

17. The blood vessel filter according to claim 16, wherein one of the first portion and second portion comprises a limit member to prevent separation of the first section from the second section.

18. The blood vessel filter according to claim 16, wherein one of the first portion and second portion comprises a lock to prevent further adjustment of the first section relative to the second section.

19. The blood vessel filter of claim 17, wherein at least one of the frame members comprises a bio-resorbable material.

20. The blood vessel filter of claim 17, further comprising at least one hook disposed on at least one of the frame members.

21. The blood vessel filter of claim 20, wherein the at least one hook comprises a linear portion connected to an arcuate portion that terminates to a point, the arcuate member having a cross-sectional area smaller than the cross-sectional area of the linear portion.

22. A blood vessel filter, comprising:

an elongated member arranged in a helical radially expanding path about and along a longitudinal axis; and

a plurality of filaments connected to the member.

23. The blood vessel filter according to claim 22, wherein each filament is looped around successive windings of the member along the longitudinal axis.

24. The blood vessel filter according to claim 22, wherein the filament is selected from a group consisting essentially of suture material, polymer, Nitinol, and combinations thereof.

25. The blood vessel filter according to claim 22, wherein the filaments are proximally attached to the member adjacent a free end of the wire.

26. The blood vessel filter according to claim 22, further comprising a retrieval member attached to a proximal portion of the member.

27. The blood vessel filter according to claim 26, further comprising hooks disposed on at least one of the filaments and the member.

28. The blood vessel filter according to claim 27, wherein the at least one hook comprises a linear portion connected to an arcuate portion that terminates to a point, the arcuate member having a cross-sectional area smaller than the cross-sectional area of the linear portion.

29. The blood vessel filter according to claim 27, wherein the elongated member comprises a bio-resorbable material.

30. An implantable medical device, comprising:

a continuous generally circular member defining a frame having an open interior portion; and

a plurality of filaments attached to the frame, each filament having a first end connected to the frame at a first point and a second opposite end connected to the frame at a second point different from the first point, the filaments together defining a generally planar mesh-like surface spanning the interior portion of the frame.

31. The implantable medical device according to claim 30, further comprising blood vessel engaging hooks positioned on a surface of the frame.

32. The implantable medical device according to claim 31, wherein at least one of the frame and hooks comprises a bio-resorbable material.

33. The implantable medical device according to claim 30, wherein the frame comprises Nitinol and the filament is selected from a group consisting essentially of suture material, polymer, Nitinol, and combinations thereof.

34. The implantable medical device according to claim 30, further comprising a retrieval member attached to at least one of the frame and the filament

35. The implantable medical device according to claim 30, wherein connection points of adjacent filaments on the frame are spaced approximately equidistant.

36. The implantable medical device according to claim 30, wherein the frame comprises a first section that has at least one portion disposed inside a second section in a first configuration of the device, and wherein the at least one portion is disposed outside the second section in a second configuration of the device.

37. The implantable medical device according to claim 30, wherein the frame comprises a single continuous member defining a generally circular outer perimeter.

38. An implantable medical device, comprising:

a support structure having an open proximal end; and

one or more filaments attached to the support structure to define a generally planar mesh-like surface spanning the open proximal end.

39. The implantable medical device according to claim 38, the support structure including one or more blood vessel engaging hooks.

40. The implantable medical device according to claim 39, wherein at least one of the support structure and hooks comprises a bio-resorbable material.

41. The implantable medical device according to claim 38, wherein the support structure comprises Nitinol and the filament is selected from a group consisting essentially of suture material, polymer, Nitinol, and combinations thereof.

42. The implantable medical device according to claim 38, further comprising a retrieval member attached to at least one of the support structure and the one or more filaments.

43. The implantable medical device according to claim 38, further comprising a covering material disposed on at least one of the surfaces of the support structure.

44. The implantable medical device according to claim 43, wherein the covering material includes a first graft member positioned on an inner surface of the support structure and a second graft member positioned on an outer surface of the support structure.

45. The implantable medical device according to claim 38, further comprising one or more markers attached to the support structure.