ALTERNATING CIRCUMFERENTIAL BRIDGE STENT DESIGN AND METHODS FOR USE THEREOF

• US 20110106237A1
• Filed: 11/04/2010
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Confluent Medical Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Confluent Medical Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Kleshinski, Stephen J., BONSIGNORE, Craig
• Granted Patent: US 10,092,427 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/915 with bands having a meander structure, adjacent bands being connected to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/046 Tracheae
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91541 Adjacent bands are arranged out of phase
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91575 connected peak to trough
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0018 differing in elasticity, stiffness or compressibility
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0019 differing in hardness, e.g. Vickers, Shore, Brinell
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0036 differing in thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3655 Arterio-venous shunts or fistulae

Abstract

A stent includes a first section and a second section. The first section and the second section each include a plurality of expandable modules and a plurality of bridging modules. Each expandable module includes a plurality of strut elements that join together at a plurality of apices, and each bridging module includes bridging elements that connect an apex of a first module with an apex of a second module. In some aspects, the first section is more flexible along the longitudinal axis of the stent than the second section and is configured to be placed in a specific region of a vessel that requires flexibility to accommodate surrounding anatomy. In some aspects, the first section is more radially stiff than the second section and is configured to be placed in a specific region of the vessel that requires radial stiffness to counteract crushing force caused by surrounding anatomy.

Claims

1. A stent comprising:

a first section and a second section aligned with the first section along a longitudinal axis of the stent, the first section and the second section each including;

a plurality of expandable modules, each expandable module including a plurality of strut elements that join together at a plurality of apices; and

a plurality of bridging modules, each bridging module including bridging elements that connect an apex of a first module with an apex of a second module;

wherein the first section is more flexible along the longitudinal axis than the second section and is configured to be placed in a specific region of a vessel that requires flexibility to accommodate surrounding anatomy.

2. The stent of claim 1, wherein the second section is more radially stiff than the first section and is configured to be placed in a specific region of the vessel that requires radial stiffness to counteract crushing force caused by surrounding anatomy.

3. The stent of claim 1, wherein the plurality of bridging modules are arranged to alternate along the longitudinal axis between clockwise bridging modules and counterclockwise bridging modules, the clockwise bridging modules including bridging elements that extend at a clockwise angle with respect to the longitudinal axis, and the counterclockwise bridging modules including bridging elements that extend at a counterclockwise angle with respect to the longitudinal axis.

4. The stent of claim 3, wherein the clockwise bridging modules are configured to counterbalance any rotation caused by the counterclockwise bridging modules.

5. The stent of claim 1, wherein there are a greater number of bridging elements around a circumference of the first section than a circumference of the second section.

6. The stent of claim 1, wherein a length of each bridging element of the first section is greater than a length of each bridging element of the second section.

7. The stent of claim 1, wherein a pitch of the bridging elements within each bridging module of the first section is greater than a pitch of the bridging elements within each bridging module of the second section.

8. The stent of claim 1, wherein a width of each bridging element of the first section is less than a width of each bridging element of the second section.

9. The stent of claim 1, wherein a thickness of each bridging element of the first section is less than a thickness of each bridging element of the second section.

10. The stent of claim 1, wherein there are a greater number of strut elements around a circumference of the first section than a circumference of the second section.

11. The stent of claim 1, wherein a length of each strut element of the first section is less than a length of each strut element of the second section.

12. The stent of claim 1, wherein a width of each strut element of the first section is less than a width of each strut element of the second section.

13. The stent of claim 1, wherein a thickness of each strut element of the first section is less than a thickness of each strut element of the second section.

14. The stent of claim 1, wherein the vessel is a left iliac vein, and wherein the specific region is proximate to where a left common iliac vein crosses an inguinal ligament.

15. The stent of claim 1, wherein the vessel is a superficial femoral artery, and wherein the specific region is between a profunda and an adductor hiatus.

16. The stent of claim 1, wherein the vessel is a coronary artery, and wherein the specific region is near a branch vessel.

17. The stent of claim 1, wherein the vessel is a renal artery, and wherein the specific region is near an ostium.

18. The stent of claim 1, wherein the vessel is a carotid artery, and wherein the specific region is near a carotid sinus.

19. A method of inserting a stent, comprising:

inserting a stent into a vessel, the stent comprising a first section and a second section, wherein the first section is more flexible along a longitudinal axis of the stent than the second section, the first section and the second section each including;

a plurality of expandable modules, each expandable module including a plurality of strut elements that join together at a plurality of apices; and

a plurality of bridging modules, each bridging module including bridging elements that connect an apex of a first module with an apex of a second module; and

aligning the first section with a specific region of the vessel that requires flexibility to accommodate surrounding anatomy.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the second section is more radially stiff than the first section, the method further comprising aligning the second section with a specific region of the vessel that requires radial stiffness to counteract crushing force caused by surrounding anatomy.