Re-expandable endoprosthesis
First Claim
1. A method for fabricating a radially expandable endoprosthesis device comprising the steps offorming an elongated radially outwardly expandable sleeve member (12) including a wall (14) and a longitudinal axis (20) extending through the length thereof,forming at least one lateral slot (24) parallel to said longitudinal axis (20) disposed in said wall (14) including a pair of opposing edges (26,28) extending parallel of said longitudinal axis (20) and defining an open region (30) between the opposing edges (26,28),forming expansion limiting means including at least one connecting strip (22),disposing the expansion limiting means on the sleeve member (12) across the lateral slot (24) for initially limiting to a first circumference the radially outward expansion of the sleeve member (12).
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A radially expandable endoprosthesis device (10) comprises an elongated sleeve member (12) in which the radially outward expansion of the sleeve member (12) is initially limited by connecting strips (22) which are operatively connected to the sleeve member (12). The connecting strips (22) are selectively removable to allow further radial outward expansion. Further, the sleeve can be C-shaped in cross sections when expanded, allowing space for growth of a vessel contained therein.
292 Citations
14 Claims
-
1. A method for fabricating a radially expandable endoprosthesis device comprising the steps of
forming an elongated radially outwardly expandable sleeve member (12) including a wall (14) and a longitudinal axis (20) extending through the length thereof, forming at least one lateral slot (24) parallel to said longitudinal axis (20) disposed in said wall (14) including a pair of opposing edges (26,28) extending parallel of said longitudinal axis (20) and defining an open region (30) between the opposing edges (26,28), forming expansion limiting means including at least one connecting strip (22), disposing the expansion limiting means on the sleeve member (12) across the lateral slot (24) for initially limiting to a first circumference the radially outward expansion of the sleeve member (12).
-
6. A method for reinforcing a vessel with an endoprosthesis device (10) while allowing for secondarily reinforcing the vessel following further radial change of the vessel comprising the steps of:
-
positioning an elongated sleeve member (12), including a wall (14), a longitudinal axis (20) extending through a length thereof, at least one lateral slot (24) parallel to the longitudinal axis (20) in the wall (14), the sleeve member (12) being expandable radially outwardly relative to said longitudinal axis (20), in an unexpanded configuration transluminally within a body vessel; expanding the sleeve member (12) radially outwardly thereby expanding the lateral slot (24); limiting the radially outward expansion of the sleeve member (12) initially to a first circumference corresponding to the lumen of the body vessel by at least one connecting strip (22) disposed across the lateral slot (24); and removing the limiting of radially outward expansion thereby allowing further expansion of the lateral slot (24) and secondary expansion of the sleeve member (12) to accommodate further radial change of the vessel. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A method for reinforcing a vessel with an endoprosthesis device (10) while allowing for radial growth of the vessel comprising the steps of
preparing an elongated sleeve member (12), including a longitudinal axis (20) extending through a length thereof, the sleeve member (12) being expandable radially outwardly relative to said longitudinal axis (20), forming at least one open lateral slot (24) parallel to the longitudinal axis (20) in the sleeve member (12), and forming a pair of opposing edges within the lateral slot (24) parallel to the longitudinal axis (20) with expansion limiting means including at least one connecting strip (22) disposed across the lateral slot (24), positioning the elongated sleeve member (12), in an unexpanded configuration transluminally within a lumen of a body vessel, expanding the sleeve member (12) radially outwardly to a first circumference corresponding to the lumen of the body vessel and maintaining the expansion by the expansion limiting means thereby opening up the lateral slot (24) between the opposing edges (26,28) forming an open region (30) for growth of the vessel; - and
expanding the sleeve member (12) radially outwardly by continuing to open up the lateral slot (24), as the vessel grows circumferentially, by disengaging the expansion limiting means.
- and
Specification