Intraluminal stent for attaching a graft
First Claim
1. A longitudinally flexible stent for implanting in a body lumen and expandable from a contracted condition to an expanded condition, comprising:
- a plurality of adjacent cylindrical elements each having a circumference extending around a longitudinal stent axis and each element being substantially independently expandable in the radial direction, said elements being arranged in alignment along the longitudinal stent axis;
said cylindrical elements formed in a generally serpentine wave pattern transverse to the longitudinal axis and containing a plurality of alternating peaks and valleys;
at least one interconnecting member extending between adjacent cylindrical elements and connecting them to one another;
said serpentine pattern having varying radii of curvature at least in regions of said peaks, the varying radii of curvature being selected to provide a generally uniform radial expansion of said cylindrical elements and a generally uniform expansion of said serpentine pattern around the circumference of each cylindrical element during expansion of the stent from the contracted condition to the expanded condition;
a plurality of hooks and spikes on the stent for attaching the stent to the body lumen; and
the stent, hooks, and spikes formed of a unitary structure such that upon radial expansion of the stent the spikes bend outwardly and engage the body lumen wall.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A grant-and-stent combination is disclosed for deploying by an intravascular delivery system at the site of an aneurysm, the combination being expandable from a first diameter to a second, larger diameter to hold open and press the graft against regions of the body lumen just proximal and distal to the aneurysm. The combination is characterized by one or more stents that are flexible due to independently expandable and interconnected cylindrical elements, which provide sufficient radial strength to the combination when the graft-and-stent are being attached to the vessel, but which nonetheless afford sufficient resiliency to allow a great degree of expansion at a rapid rate when the combination is being deployed. Attachment elements in the form of hooks are provided to securely affix the ends of the stent extending distally and proximally of the graft after expansion to the walls of the vessel just distally and proximally of the aneurysm.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A longitudinally flexible stent for implanting in a body lumen and expandable from a contracted condition to an expanded condition, comprising:
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a plurality of adjacent cylindrical elements each having a circumference extending around a longitudinal stent axis and each element being substantially independently expandable in the radial direction, said elements being arranged in alignment along the longitudinal stent axis; said cylindrical elements formed in a generally serpentine wave pattern transverse to the longitudinal axis and containing a plurality of alternating peaks and valleys; at least one interconnecting member extending between adjacent cylindrical elements and connecting them to one another; said serpentine pattern having varying radii of curvature at least in regions of said peaks, the varying radii of curvature being selected to provide a generally uniform radial expansion of said cylindrical elements and a generally uniform expansion of said serpentine pattern around the circumference of each cylindrical element during expansion of the stent from the contracted condition to the expanded condition; a plurality of hooks and spikes on the stent for attaching the stent to the body lumen; and the stent, hooks, and spikes formed of a unitary structure such that upon radial expansion of the stent the spikes bend outwardly and engage the body lumen wall. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification