Surgical device for repairing aneurysms

• US 5,709,702 A
• Filed: 10/15/1996
• Issued: 01/20/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Giuseppe Cogita
• Original Assignee: Giuseppe Cogita
• Inventors: Cogita, Giuseppe
• Primary Examiner(s): LEWIS, WILLIAM W
• Application Number:
  US08/730,456
• Time in Patent Office: 462 Days
• Field of Search: 606/1, 606/108, 606/191, 606/192, 606/194, 606/195, 606/198, 604/96, 128/898, 128/899, 623/1, 623/12
• US Class Current: 623/1.22
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/24 Heart valves ; Vascular valves, e.g. venous valves; Heart implants, e.g. passive devices for improving the function of the native valve or the heart muscle; Transmyocardial revascularisation [TMR] devices; Valves implantable in the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2476 Valves implantable in the body not otherwise provided for
• 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 2/95 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

Abstract

A surgical device is provided to reduce the size of and relieve the pressure within an aneurysm. The surgical device is comprised of catheter tubing containing a spring wound under stress. The catheter is inserted through the aneurysm to be repaired and the catheter is then pulled back leaving the spring to expand within the aneurysm. The spring has a one-way helical flap mounted between the spring coils. The flap allows the blood to flow from the swollen part of the aneurysm but not to enter it.

Claims

1. A surgical device, comprising:

a length of flexible catheter tubing; and

a helical coil spring within said catheter tubing, said spring being wound under stress within said catheter tubing so that said spring will expand radially when released from said catheter tubing, a helical flap positioned between the coils of said helical spring and attached on one side thereof to said spring, said flap being arranged to allow flow from the exterior of said spring to the interior of the spring, but prevent flow through the coils of said spring from the interior of said spring to the exterior of the spring.

2. A surgical device according to claim 1, wherein said spring is coaxially wound so that there is substantially no space between the coils of said spring within said catheter tubing, said coils separating when said spring expands upon release from said catheter tubing.

3. A surgical device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a ram within said catheter tubing engaging the distal end of said spring to hold said spring in place within an artery while said catheter tubing is pulled back to release said spring in an artery.

4. A method of repairing an aneurysm, using the surgical device of claim 1, comprising the steps of:

placing said surgical device in an artery at the site of said aneurysm; and

pulling said catheter tubing back leaving said spring in said artery and removing said tubing from said blood vessel, thereby releasing said spring so that so spring expands at the site of said aneurysm, said spring relieving the swollen part of said aneurysm of systolic pressure by permitting flow from the swollen part of said aneurysm through the coils of said spring but preventing flow from within said spring through the coils of said spring into the swollen part of said aneurysm.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein said spring is held in place within a blood vessel at the site of an aneurysm as said catheter tubing is pulled back by means of a ram within said catheter tubing engaging a distal end of said spring within said catheter.

6. A surgical device, comprising:

a length of flexible catheter tubing; and

a helical coil spring within said catheter tubing, said spring being wound under stress within said catheter tubing so that said spring will expand radially when released from said catheter tubing,

said catheter tubing being tapered at said distal end, and said distal end being further comprised of pie-shaped flexible flaps.

7. A stent for repairing an aneurysm comprising a helical coil spring, a helical one-way flap positioned between the coils of said spring and attached on one side thereof to said spring, said flap being arranged to permit radially inward flow through the coils of said spring and to prevent radially outward flow through the coils of said spring.