Vascular and endoluminal stents with iridium oxide coating
First Claim
1. A vascular stent constructed to be implanted in a blood vessel of a human patient to enhance the flow of blood therethrough, comprising an elongate metal member which is biologically compatible with the blood and tissue of the human body, said metal member having a cylindrical shape to form a tubular sidewall with a multiplicity of openings lying in a predetermined pattern therethrough and with open ends, and having an insertion outer diameter which is sufficiently small to enable the metal member to be inserted into and traverse a portion of the vascular system of the body to a preselected site within a coronary artery, and a thin adherent coating of iridium oxide substantially covering the surface of the tubular sidewall.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vascular stent adapted to be implanted in a blood vessel of a human patient to enhance the flow of blood therethrough, includes an elongate biocompatible metal member of cylindrical shape and tubular sidewall with a pattern of multiple openings therethrough and open ends. The stent has an insertion outer diameter sufficiently small to enable it to be inserted into and advanced through a portion of the vascular system of the body to a preselected point within a coronary artery. The sidewall has a thin adherent coating of iridium oxide covering substantially its entire exposed surface, including the outward-facing surface between openings, the edges of the openings, the inward-facing surface between openings, and the edge of each of the open ends. The coating is of substantially uniform thickness throughout its coverage of the surface of the sidewall, and serves to reduce irritation of tissue of the inner lining of the vessel wall into which the outward-facing surface of the stent comes into contact. The tissue may project as well into the openings in the sidewall to contact the edges thereof. The iridium oxide coating has a biodegradable carrier of drugs applied thereto for beneficial localized action, as by incorporating into the carrier along the inward-facing surface an anticoagulant drug to reduce attachment of thrombi with blood flow through the lumen of the stent. Although it may be composed of multiple layers, the iridium oxide coating is sufficiently thin and flexible to resist flaking during deployment, and the core member has sufficient rigidity when so deployed to resist collapse.
188 Citations
22 Claims
- 1. A vascular stent constructed to be implanted in a blood vessel of a human patient to enhance the flow of blood therethrough, comprising an elongate metal member which is biologically compatible with the blood and tissue of the human body, said metal member having a cylindrical shape to form a tubular sidewall with a multiplicity of openings lying in a predetermined pattern therethrough and with open ends, and having an insertion outer diameter which is sufficiently small to enable the metal member to be inserted into and traverse a portion of the vascular system of the body to a preselected site within a coronary artery, and a thin adherent coating of iridium oxide substantially covering the surface of the tubular sidewall.
- 17. A vascular or endoluminal stent for deployment in a human body to hold a natural duct or tract thereof open for passage of fluids or solids therethrough, comprising a metal duct or tract of selected length having open ends and a wall laced with openings therethrough and expandable radially from a first diameter smaller than the lumen diameter of the natural duct or tract in which the stent is to be deployed to a second diameter at least slightly larger than said lumen diameter, with sufficient rigidity in its deployed expanded state to resist collapse under radial pressure exerted inwardly on the wall of the stent by the wall of the natural duct or tract in which it is deployed, and a thin coating of iridium oxide on at least the outer surface of the wall of the stent.
Specification