Biodegradable stent
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An expandable, biodegradable stent for use within a body lumen comprising a hollow tube made from a copolymer of L-lactide and ε
- -caprolactone that, in unexpanded form, is of a first diameter sufficient to be retained upon a balloon catheter for placement within the body lumen, and that is not plastically expandable at normal body temperatures, and that is expandable using thermo-mechanical means at a temperature between about 38°
-55°
C. when the balloon catheter is inflated to a second diameter sufficient to be retained within the body lumen.
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Abstract
An expandable, biodegradable stent for use within a body lumen comprises a hollow tube made from a copolymer of L-lactide and ε-caprolactone that is not plastically expandable at normal body temperatures, and that is expandable using thermo-mechanical means at a temperature between about 38°-55° C. using a balloon catheter. The invention also relates to a method of making such a stent and to a method of deploying such a stent within the body.
718 Citations
51 Claims
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1. An expandable, biodegradable stent for use within a body lumen comprising a hollow tube made from a copolymer of L-lactide and ε
- -caprolactone that, in unexpanded form, is of a first diameter sufficient to be retained upon a balloon catheter for placement within the body lumen, and that is not plastically expandable at normal body temperatures, and that is expandable using thermo-mechanical means at a temperature between about 38°
-55°
C. when the balloon catheter is inflated to a second diameter sufficient to be retained within the body lumen. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
- -caprolactone that, in unexpanded form, is of a first diameter sufficient to be retained upon a balloon catheter for placement within the body lumen, and that is not plastically expandable at normal body temperatures, and that is expandable using thermo-mechanical means at a temperature between about 38°
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15. An expandable, biodegradable stent for use within a body lumen comprising a hollow tube made from a copolymer of L-lactide and ε
- -caprolactone that, in unexpanded form, is of a first diameter sufficient to be retained upon a balloon catheter for placement within the body lumen, and that is not plastically expandable at normal body temperatures, and that is expandable using thermo-mechanical means at a temperature between about 38°
-55°
C. when the balloon catheter is inflated to a second diameter sufficient to be retained within the body lumen, further comprising a lubricious coating. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
- -caprolactone that, in unexpanded form, is of a first diameter sufficient to be retained upon a balloon catheter for placement within the body lumen, and that is not plastically expandable at normal body temperatures, and that is expandable using thermo-mechanical means at a temperature between about 38°
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21. A method for making a stent comprising the steps of:
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providing a copolymer of L-lactide and ε
-caprolactone that is not expandable at normal body temperatures, and that is thermo-mechanically expandable at a temperature between about 38°
-55°
C.;creating a tube from the copolymer having a diameter sufficient to permit the tube to be retained upon an unexpanded balloon catheter for insertion into a body lumen; and cutting the tube into lengths for use as a stent within the body lumen. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method for making a stent comprising the steps of:
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providing a copolymer of L-lactide and ε
-caprolactone that is not expandable at normal body temperatures, and that is thermo-mechanically expandable at a temperature between about 38°
-55°
C.;creating a tube from the copolymer having a diameter sufficient to permit the tube to be retained upon an unexpanded balloon catheter for insertion into a body lumen; cutting the tube into lengths for use as a stent within the body lumen; and
,thermo-mechanically expanding the stent within the body lumen to increase the hoop strength of the stent by a sufficient amount to substantially support the body lumen. - View Dependent Claims (35)
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36. A method of deploying an expandable, biodegradable stent within a body lumen, comprising the steps of:
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providing percutaneous access to the body lumen; placing the unexpanded stent, in the form of an unexpanded hollow, nonwoven tube made from a copolymer of L-lactide and ε
-caprolactone, upon a balloon portion of a balloon catheter;transporting the stent to a desired location in the body lumen using the catheter; heating the stent to a temperature between 38°
-55°
C., to permit thermo-mechanical expansion of the stent;expanding the stent to a desired diameter by inflating the balloon catheter; allowing the stent to cool at least below about 38°
C. without applying any positive cooling;deflating the balloon portion of the catheter; and
,withdrawing the catheter. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A method of deploying an expandable, biodegradable stent within a body lumen, comprising the steps of:
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providing percutaneous access to the body lumen; placing the unexpanded stent, in the form of an unexpanded hollow, nonwoven tube made from a copolymer of L-lactide and ε
-caprolactone, upon a balloon portion of a balloon catheter;transporting the stent to a desired location in the body lumen using the catheter; heating the stent to a temperature between 38°
-55°
C., to permit thermo-mechanical expansion of the stent;expanding the stent to a desired diameter by inflating the balloon catheter so that the draw ratio of the expanded stent is greater than 2.0; allowing the stent to cool at least below about 38°
C.;deflating the balloon portion of the catheter; and
,withdrawing the catheter.
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Specification