Method and apparatus for treating hypertrophy of the prostate gland
First Claim
1. An apparatus for relieving the symptoms of hypertrophy of the prostate gland, comprising:
- an axially elongate catheter shaft comprising at least one lumen therethrough and having an annular recess thereon for receiving a stent;
an expandable balloon mounted on said shaft in said recess and in communication with said lumen; and
a removably mounted, radially outwardly deformable and expandable tubular stent coaxially disposed about said balloon and situated in said recess, wherein said stent has an opening at each axial end and a central lumen therethrough, wherein said stent is radially expandable by deformation to a preselected configuration in response to pressure from said balloon, and the outside diameter of the stent, in its unexpanded state, is not substantially greater than the outside diameter of the adjacent catheter shaft, and wherein said adjacent catheter shaft has a substantially uniform diameter.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for treatment of hypertrophy of the prostate gland. The apparatus comprises an expansion catheter having an expandable tubular stent associated therewith, adapted for transurethral insertion via the external opening of the urethra and placement within a stenotic region of the urethral lumen caused by a hypertrophied prostate gland. Force exerted by the expansion catheter upon the tubular expandable stent causes an opening of the lumen within the prostatic urethra. Removal of the expansion catheter, leaving in place the expanded tubular stent, ensures a long-term patency of the urethral lumen. Also disclosed is an apparatus for reducing in diameter and thereafter removing a previously implanted and expanded tubular stent made and inserted in accordance with the present invention.
499 Citations
17 Claims
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1. An apparatus for relieving the symptoms of hypertrophy of the prostate gland, comprising:
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an axially elongate catheter shaft comprising at least one lumen therethrough and having an annular recess thereon for receiving a stent; an expandable balloon mounted on said shaft in said recess and in communication with said lumen; and a removably mounted, radially outwardly deformable and expandable tubular stent coaxially disposed about said balloon and situated in said recess, wherein said stent has an opening at each axial end and a central lumen therethrough, wherein said stent is radially expandable by deformation to a preselected configuration in response to pressure from said balloon, and the outside diameter of the stent, in its unexpanded state, is not substantially greater than the outside diameter of the adjacent catheter shaft, and wherein said adjacent catheter shaft has a substantially uniform diameter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 17)
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9. An elongate, cylindrical expandable stent, comprising:
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a first end; a second end; a plurality of elongate members extending from said first end to said second end; a plurality of nodes interconnecting adjacent members, said nodes arranged along the length of said adjacent members so that, progressing from said first end to said second end, each member is alternately connected to members on either side thereof, and wherein the cross-sectional area of each said member is non-uniform, such that for at least one node along the length of each member, the cross-sectional area of said member is greater adjacent to said one node than at a point removed from said one node. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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10. An elongate, cylindrical expandable stent, comprising:
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a first end; a second end; a plurality of elongate members having a rounded, non-rectangular cross section extending from said first end to said second end; and a plurality of nodes interconnecting adjacent members, wherein said elongate members and said nodes are integrally formed from a single piece of material and said stent exhibits a generally smooth outer profile. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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14. A method for making a catheter having an expandable balloon positioned in a recess at the distal end thereof, comprising the steps of:
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providing a catheter comprising an interior shaft and a concentric exterior shaft over said interior shaft, said exterior shaft having an outer diameter that is greater than the outer diameter of said interior shaft, wherein said exterior shaft terminates proximally of the distal end of said catheter and the interior shaft extends distally of the distal end of said exterior shaft; attaching an inflatable balloon to said catheter so that the balloon is over the extending portion of said interior shaft, the proximal end of the balloon is bonded over the distal end of the exterior shaft, and the distal end of said balloon is bonded to said interior shaft, and so that a distal-most portion of said interior shaft extends distally of said balloon; placing an expandable tubular stent over said balloon; and attaching an end piece over said distal-most portion of said interior shaft to retain said stent over balloon, wherein said end piece has an outer diameter at least as great as the outer diameter of said stent. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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Specification