CONSTRAINING STRUCTURE WITH NON-LINEAR AXIAL STRUTS

• US 20130218181A1
• Filed: 02/07/2013
• Published: 08/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trireme Medical Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Quatro Vascular PE Ltd.
• Inventors: Feld, Tanhum, Konstantino, Eitan
• Granted Patent: US 9,179,936 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/159
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320725 with radially expandable cutting or abrading elements A61B17/32075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/50 Instruments, other than pincettes or toothpicks, for removing foreign bodies from the human body locating otherwise A61B5/06; locating by radiation A61B6/00; removing calculi A61B17/22; from the eyes A61F9/00709
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/915 with bands having a meander structure, adjacent bands being connected to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91558 connected peak to peak
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91566 connected trough to trough
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1084 having features for increasing the shape stability, the reproducibility or for limiting expansion, e.g. containments, wrapped around fibres, yarns or strands
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/104 used for angioplasty
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 29/02 Dilators made of swellable material balloon catheters for angioplasty A61M25/104

Abstract

A constraining structure for use with a balloon catheter can include multiple longitudinal struts and multiple, sinusoidal shaped radial rings. The constraining structure can expand to form a pattern of channels including substantially square windows. The constraining structure can modify, restrict, and control a shape and/or size of the balloon when inflated. Inflating the balloon catheter within the constraining structure can provide nonuniform pressure on a vessel wall adjacent the balloon.

Claims

1. A balloon catheter, comprising

an elongate tubular body;

an inflatable balloon at a distal end of the body;

a constraining structure positioned on the balloon, the constraining structure comprising a plurality of sinusoidal shaped radial rings connected by waved longitudinal struts, the constraining structure comprising an inflated diameter smaller than an inflated diameter of the balloon.

2. The balloon catheter of claim 1, wherein the constraining structure is attached to the catheter at a distal and/or proximal end of the balloon.

3. The balloon catheter of claim 1, wherein a diameter of the constraining structure when expanded is about 0.15-0.3 mm smaller than a diameter of the balloon when expanded.

4. The balloon catheter of claim 1, wherein the balloon comprises pillows protruding through the constraining structure when inflated.

5. A constraining structure, comprising

a plurality of radial rings spaced apart along a length of the constraining structure;

a plurality of longitudinal struts spaced along a circumference of the constraining structure,

wherein the constraining structure is configured to be positioned over a balloon catheter and wherein the constraining structure has an expanded and a collapsed state and is biased to be in the collapsed state.

6. The constraining structure of claim 5, wherein the radial rings comprise one or more first peaks extending towards a proximal end of the constraining structure and one or more second peaks extending towards a distal end of the constraining structure.

7. The constraining structure of claim 6, wherein the longitudinal struts extend from an end of the constraining structure to the radial ring positioned nearest an opposite end of the constraining structure.

8. The constraining structure of claim 7, wherein each longitudinal strut is attached to a peak of the radial ring closest to its point of attachment to the constraining structure.

9. The constraining structure of claim 5, wherein the rings comprise one or more sine waves.

10. The constraining structure of claim 9, wherein a number of struts is twice a number of sine waves in the rings.

11. The constraining structure of claim 5, wherein the longitudinal struts are waved struts.

12. A method of expanding a balloon catheter in a vessel of a patient, the method comprising:

positioning the balloon catheter so that the balloon is adjacent a treatment site in a vessel of a patient, the balloon catheter comprising a constraining structure positioned over the balloon, the constraining structure comprising a plurality of longitudinal struts connecting radial sinusoidal rings, the constraining structure biased to be in a collapsed state; and

inflating the balloon, thereby expanding the constraining structure and providing nonuniform pressure on the vessel wall adjacent the balloon.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein inflating the balloon and expanding the constraining structure produces a pattern of channels comprising a pattern of substantially square windows in the constraining structure.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein inflating the balloon and expanding the constraining structure causes balloon pillows to protrude through the windows.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein expanding the constraining structure comprises expanding the constraining structure in a radial direction.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein expanding the constraining structure comprises at least one of modifying, restricting, and controlling a shape and/or size of the balloon when inflated.