Implantable helical cuff
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An implantable inflatable cuff which intimately engages the exterior of an elongated body member, the implantable inflatable cuff comprising:
- a coil which follows a spiral axis and turns about a central axis, said coil having a cross sectional shape that remains constant throughout its length, an elastic inside wall facing said central axis, a lumen within said coil and eccentric to said spiral axis and a fluid contained within said lumen; and
a retaining means which is removably positioned about and extends across a plurality of turns of said coil for maintaining said coil in said spiral axis.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention concerns an implantable, inflatable helical cuff which is wrapped about a tubular body member such as a nerve cord, esophagus, colon, intestine, or blood vessel in a pressure transferring relationship. The cuff may be completely inflated to function as an occluder, or partially inflated to function as a pressure sensor or transducer in an appropriate system.
-
Citations
38 Claims
-
1. An implantable inflatable cuff which intimately engages the exterior of an elongated body member, the implantable inflatable cuff comprising:
-
a coil which follows a spiral axis and turns about a central axis, said coil having a cross sectional shape that remains constant throughout its length, an elastic inside wall facing said central axis, a lumen within said coil and eccentric to said spiral axis and a fluid contained within said lumen; and a retaining means which is removably positioned about and extends across a plurality of turns of said coil for maintaining said coil in said spiral axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
-
Specification