Intraluminal stent

• US 5,405,377 A
• Filed: 02/21/1992
• Issued: 04/11/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lifeport Sciences LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Endotech Limited
• Inventors: Cragg, Andrew H.
• Primary Examiner(s): KRUTER, JEROME
• Application Number:
  US07/839,911
• Time in Patent Office: 1,145 Days
• Field of Search: 604/281, 606/108, 606/191, 606/192, 606/194, 606/198, 623/1, 623/12, 139/387 R, 140/11
• US Class Current: 623/1.2
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/88 the wire-like elements formed as helical or spiral coils forming a net-like or mesh-like structure A61F2/90
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/89 the wire-like elements comprising two or more adjacent rings flexibly connected by separate members
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/90 characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/95 Instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/075 the stent being loosely attached to the graft material, e.g. by stitching
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30092 using shape memory or superelastic materials, e.g. nitinol
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30462 retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/823 Stents, different from stent-grafts, adapted to cover an aneurysm
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0019 operated at only one temperature whilst inside or touching the human body, e.g. constrained in a non-operative shape during surgery, another temperature only occurring before the operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0066 stapled
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0075 sutured, ligatured or stitched, retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00017 Iron- or Fe-based alloys, e.g. stainless steel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00023 Titanium or titanium-based alloys, e.g. Ti-Ni alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00131 Tantalum or Ta-based alloys

Abstract

An intraluminal stent includes a continuous helix of zig-zag wire and loops which connect adjacent apices of the wire. The stent is compressible and self-expandable substantially to a pre-compressed configuration. A method of forming the stent includes bending a length of wire into a zig-zag configuration and a helix and connecting adjacent apices of the wire. A method implanting this stent includes compressing the stent radially, implanting it in a predetermined location of a body vessel, and allowing it to recoil to the configuration it had before compression.

Claims

1. An intraluminal stent comprising:

a predetermined length of elastic wire having a zig-zag configuration and defining a continuous helix with a plurality of hoops;

a plurality of loop members for connecting adjacent apices of adjacent helix hoops;

the loop members and the wire being separate members and made of different materials, the stent being compressible and self-expandable substantially to a pre-compressed configuration.

2. The stent of claim 1, wherein the loop members connect the adjacent apices of the helix hoops in abutting relation.

3. The stent of claim 1, wherein the elastic wire is a high shape memory nitinol alloy.

4. The stent of claim 1, wherein the loop members have a substantially greater flexibility than the wire.

5. An intraluminal stent comprising:

a predetermined length of elastic wire having a zig-zag configuration and defining a continuous helix with a plurality of hoops;

a plurality of loop members for connecting adjacent apices of adjacent helix hoops, each said loop member including a single ligature of suture material tied into a loop;

the stent being compressible and self-expandable substantially to a pre-compressed configuration.

6. The stent of claim 5, wherein the suture material is made of polypropylene.