Expandable stents and method for making same

• US 5,735,893 A
• Filed: 01/14/1997
• Issued: 04/07/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Lau, Lilip, Frantzen, John J., Hartigan, William M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, Christopher A.
• Application Number:
  US08/783,097
• Time in Patent Office: 448 Days
• Field of Search: 606/191-198, 606/108, 604/93, 604/96, 604/97, 604/280, 604/282, 604/283, 623/1, 623/11, 623/12
• US Class Current: 623/1.16
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/848 having means for fixation to the vessel wall, e.g. barbs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/86 Stents in a form characterised by the wire-like elements; Stents in the form characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
• 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 2/91 made from perforated sheet material or tubes, e.g. perforated by laser cuts or etched holes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/915 with bands having a meander structure, adjacent bands being connected to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/958 Inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91533 characterised by the phase between adjacent bands
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9155 Adjacent bands being connected to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91558 connected peak to peak
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91575 connected peak to trough
• 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: A61M 2025/1081 having sheaths or the like for covering the balloon but not forming a permanent part of the balloon, e.g. retractable, dissolvable or tearable sheaths
• CPC Class Codes: C23F 1/02 Local etching
• CPC Class Codes: C23F 1/04 Chemical milling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 623/901 Method of manufacturing prosthetic device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 623/903 Blood vessel
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 623/921 Blood vessel
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49995 Shaping one-piece blank by removing material

Abstract

The invention is directed to an expandable stent for implantation in a body lumen, such as an artery, and a method for making it from a single length of tubing. The stent consists of a plurality of radially expandable cylindrical elements generally aligned on a common axis and interconnected by one or more interconnective elements. The individual radially expandable cylindrical elements consist of ribbon-like material disposed in an undulating pattern. Portions of the expanded stent project outwardly into engagement with the vessel wall to more securely attach the dtent.

Claims

1. An intravascular stent for expanding and implanting in a body lumen, comprising:

a plurality of spaced apart cylindrical rings positioned along a longitudinal axis, each of the cylindrical rings having a plurality of undulating elements in the form of a repeating pattern of substantially U-shaped members; and

a plurality of connecting members for connecting adjacent cylindrical rings; and

the cylindrical rings being positioned relative to each other so that the substantially U-shaped members of adjacent cylindrical rings are out of phase;

the cylindrical rings having a delivery diameter and an implanted diameter so that as the cylindrical rings are expanded from the delivery diameter to the implanted diameter at lest some of the substantially U-shaped members project radially outwardly.

2. The intravascular stent of claim 1, wherein at least some of the connecting members are substantially parallel to each other.

3. The intravascular stent of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical rings and connecting members are formed from a single piece of hollow tubing.

4. The intravascular stent of claim 1, wherein the substantially U-shaped members have a curved portion having a substantially uniform radius of curvature.

5. The intravascular stent of claim 4, wherein at least some of the curved portions of the substantially U-shaped members deform when the stent is expanded from the delivery diameter, to the larger implanted diameter, the deformed curved portions projecting radially outwardly as the stent is expanded to the larger implanted diameter.

6. The intravascular stent of claim 5, wherein the stent has a first end and a second end, at least some of the curved portions of the substantially U-shaped members forming the first end and the second end project radially outwardly when the stent is expanded from the delivery diameter to the larger implanted diameter.

7. The intravascular stent of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical elements and the connecting members are formed from a flat sheet of material.

8. The intravascular stent of claim 1, wherein the stent is formed from a metal alloy.

9. The intravascular stent of claim 8, wherein the metal alloy is taken from the group of metal alloys comprising stainless steel and nickel-titanium.

10. The intravascular stent of claim 1, wherein the connecting members between adjacent cylindrical elements are substantially the same length.

11. The intravascular stent of claim 1, wherein the plurality of U-shaped members have substantially the same size and shape.

12. The intravascular stent of claim 1, wherein at least five cylindrical elements are interconnected.

13. An intravascular stent for expanding and implanting in a body lumen, comprising:

a plurality of spaced-apart cylindrical rings positioned along a longitudinal axis, each of the cylindrical rings having a plurality of undulating elements in the form of a repeating pattern of substantially U-shaped members;

each of the substantially U-shaped members having a pair of sides connected by a curved portion;

a plurality of struts for connecting adjacent cylindrical rings; and

the cylindrical rings being positioned relative to each other so that the substantially U-shaped members of adjacent cylindrical rings are out of phase;

the cylindrical rings having a delivery diameter and an implanted diameter so that as the cylindrical rings are expanded from the delivery diameter to the implanted diameter at lest some of the substantially U-shaped members project radially outwardly.