Stents of enhanced biocompatibility and hemocompatibility
First Claim
1. An expandable stent for supporting a blood, urinary, or gastrointestinal vessel from collapsing inward, the stent having enhanced hemocompatibility, comprising:
- (a) a radially outwardlly expandable stent body for insertion in a tubular conduit of a living body, said stent body having outer surfaces and a longitudinal bore therethrough for receiving a means for expanding said stent body radially outwardly; and
(b) anchoring means on said outer surfaces for engaging said tubular conduit and anchoring said stent body in a radially outward expanded position thereby supporting said tubular conduit from collapsing inward;
the stent at least partially fabricated from a biocompatible and hemocompatible low elastic modulus metal alloy comprising;
(i) titanium; and
(ii) from about 10 wt. % to about 20 wt. % niobium or from about 35 wt. % to about 50 wt. % niobium;
wherein the alloy is free of toxic elements, except such amounts of said toxic elements as may occur as impurities in the alloy and as contaminants as a result of an alloying process.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Cardiovascular and other medical implants fabricated from low-modulus Ti-Nb-Zr alloys to provide enhanced biocompatibility and hemocompatibility. The cardiovascular implants may be surface hardened by oxygen or nitrogen diffusion or by coating with a tightly adherent, hard, wear-resistant, hemocompatible ceramic coating. The cardiovascular implants include heart valves, total artificial heart implants, ventricular assist devices, vascular grafts, stents, electrical signal carrying devices such as pacemaker and neurological leads, defibrillator leads, and the like. It is contemplated that the Ti-Nb-Zr alloy can be substituted as a fabrication material for any cardiovascular implant that either comes into contact with blood thereby demanding high levels of hemocompatibility, or that is subject to microfretting, corrosion, or other wear and so that a low modulus metal with a corrosion-resistant, hardened surface would be desirable.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. An expandable stent for supporting a blood, urinary, or gastrointestinal vessel from collapsing inward, the stent having enhanced hemocompatibility, comprising:
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(a) a radially outwardlly expandable stent body for insertion in a tubular conduit of a living body, said stent body having outer surfaces and a longitudinal bore therethrough for receiving a means for expanding said stent body radially outwardly; and (b) anchoring means on said outer surfaces for engaging said tubular conduit and anchoring said stent body in a radially outward expanded position thereby supporting said tubular conduit from collapsing inward; the stent at least partially fabricated from a biocompatible and hemocompatible low elastic modulus metal alloy comprising; (i) titanium; and (ii) from about 10 wt. % to about 20 wt. % niobium or from about 35 wt. % to about 50 wt. % niobium; wherein the alloy is free of toxic elements, except such amounts of said toxic elements as may occur as impurities in the alloy and as contaminants as a result of an alloying process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An expandable stent for supporting a blood, urinary, or gastrointestinal vessel from collapsing inward, the stent having enhanced hemocompatibility, comprising:
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(a) a radially outwardlly expandable stent body for insertion in a tubular conduit of a living body, said stent body having outer surfaces and a longitudinal bore therethrough for receiving a means for expanding said stent body radially outwardly; and (b) anchoring means on said outer surfaces for engaging said tubular conduit and anchoring said stent body in a radially outward expanded position thereby supporting said tubular conduit from collapsing inward; the stent at least partially fabricated from a biocompatible and hemocompatible low elastic modulus metal alloy comprising; (i) titanium; and (ii) niobium and tantalum, wherein the combined wt. % of niobium and tantalum is from about 10 wt. % to about 20 wt. % or from about 35 wt. % to about 50 wt. %; wherein the alloy is free of toxic elements, except such amounts of said toxic elements as may occur as impurities in the alloy and as contaminants as a result of an alloying process. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification