Removable heat-recoverable tissue supporting device
First Claim
1. A tissue supporting device comprising an undeformed, recoverable member of generally tubular shape of nickel-titanium shape-memory alloy, said alloy having martensitic and austenitic metallurgical states and a transition temperature therebetween, the transition temperature being higher than body temperature, said recoverable member being insertable within a patient while in said undeformed, martensitic state and being elastically deformable from a first configuration while in said martensitic state to a second configuration in the martensitic state, said recoverable member providing tissue support while in said second configuration and being recoverable to said first configuration upon heating of said recoverable member above said transition temperature to said austenitic state for removal of said recoverable member from a patient.
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Abstract
A tissue supporting device, preferably a stent-like member of shape-memory alloy, that is expandable by angioplasty apparatus or the like is subsequently removable by heat recovery to its original, non-expanded configuration.
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Citations
20 Claims
- 1. A tissue supporting device comprising an undeformed, recoverable member of generally tubular shape of nickel-titanium shape-memory alloy, said alloy having martensitic and austenitic metallurgical states and a transition temperature therebetween, the transition temperature being higher than body temperature, said recoverable member being insertable within a patient while in said undeformed, martensitic state and being elastically deformable from a first configuration while in said martensitic state to a second configuration in the martensitic state, said recoverable member providing tissue support while in said second configuration and being recoverable to said first configuration upon heating of said recoverable member above said transition temperature to said austenitic state for removal of said recoverable member from a patient.
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13. A composite tissue supporting device comprising:
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an undeformed, recoverable member of nickel-titanium shape-memory alloy, said alloy having martensitic and austenitic states an a transition temperature therebetween, the transition temperature being higher than body temperature, said recoverable member being insertable into a patient while in said undeformed, martensitic state and being elastically deformable while in said martensitic state from a first configuration to a second configuration in the martensitic state, said recoverable member providing tissue support while in said second configuration and being recoverable to said first configuration upon heating above said transition temperature to said austenitic state; and a reinforcing member connected to said recoverable member, said reinforcing member supporting said recoverable member when both of said members are deformed from a first configuration to a second configuration, said reinforcing member preventing springback of said recoverable member, the support of said reinforcing member being overcome upon recovery of said recoverable member to its austentic state for removal of both of said members from a patient. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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- 18. A tissue supporting device comprising an undeformed, recoverable member of nickel-titanium shape-memory alloy, said recoverable member having a first, undeformed configuration and a second, deformed configuration, said alloy having martensitic and austenitic states and a transition temperature therebetween, the transition temperature being higher than body temperature, said recoverable member being deformable from said first, undeformed configuration to said second, deformed configuration, said recoverable member providing tissue support while in said second, deformed configuration and being recoverable to said first, undeformed configuration upon heating above said transition temperature to said austenitic state.
Specification