Curable fiber composite stent and delivery system
First Claim
1. A stent for supporting a selected portion of a body lumen, comprising at least one expandable, flexible fiber composite which is formed to engage the wall of a body lumen, wherein the fiber composite comprises a plurality of fibers and a curable material in contact with the fibers, wherein said stent can be positioned within the body lumen, expanded and, upon curing of the curable material, the fibers are bonded together to form a rigid support structure.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A stent for supporting a selected portion of a body lumen, comprising a fibrous material which is treated with a curable material to form a curable fiber composite. The fiber composite is positioned within a body lumen and, upon curing of the curable material, forms a rigid support structure.
-
Citations
25 Claims
- 1. A stent for supporting a selected portion of a body lumen, comprising at least one expandable, flexible fiber composite which is formed to engage the wall of a body lumen, wherein the fiber composite comprises a plurality of fibers and a curable material in contact with the fibers, wherein said stent can be positioned within the body lumen, expanded and, upon curing of the curable material, the fibers are bonded together to form a rigid support structure.
-
17. An apparatus for forming a stent inside a body lumen comprising:
-
a flexible elongated tube having a light transmitting expandable balloon attached to its distal end; at least one expandable, flexible fiber composite desposed about the expandable balloon, the fiber composite comprising a plurality of fibers and a curable material in contact with the fibers; catheter means connected to said flexible tube and said balloon for inflating the balloon; and energy conducting means for transmitting radiation from an outside source to the interior of the balloon, the radiation being of a sufficient energy to cause curing of the curable material, thereby bonding together the fibers of the fiber composite in an expanded state, resulting in the formation of a rigid support structure. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
-
-
20. A method of forming a stent, comprising the steps of:
-
applying a curable material to a plurality of expandable, flexible fibers, thereby forming a curable, expandable fiber composite; shaping the fiber composite into a form suitable for insertion inside a body lumen; mounting the shaped fiber composite over an expandable member; disposing the expandable member in an unexpanded state inside a body lumen; locating the expandable member adjacent to a selected region of the body lumen; inflating the expandable member to expand the fiber composite mounted over the member and to bring the fiber composite into contact with the surrounding lumen wall; and curing the curable material so as to bond together the fibers of the fiber composite in an expanded state, thereby forming a rigid support structure. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
Specification