Radially expanded prostheses with axial diameter control
First Claim
1. A body insertable prosthesis, including:
- a body compatible prosthesis structure in the form of a braided tube having opposite open selvaged ends and comprising at least two oppositely directed sets of helically wound strands forming multiple intersections of oppositely directed pairs of strands, said braided tube further being enlargeable radially in concert with an axial shortening thereof, and alternatively reducible radially in concert with an axial elongation thereof; and
at least one elongate control member coupled to the prosthesis structure at a first coupling location and further coupled to the prosthesis structure at a second coupling location spaced apart axially from the first coupling location in a manner that allows the control member to travel axially relative to the prosthesis structure while remaining substantially axially fixed relative to the prosthesis structure at the first coupling location, whereby an axial spacing between the first and second coupling locations is adjustable toward a selected spacing amount corresponding to a selected radius profile over a region of the prosthesis structure between the coupling locations, and wherein the first and second coupling locations are located at respective first and second ones of said intersections.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A tubular, radially self-expanding stent includes a latticework of interbraided, helically wound resilient structural strands. An axial control member is secured to the tubular latticework at axially spaced apart proximal and distal coupling locations. At the proximal location, the control member is coupled slidably, to permit an adjustment of the axial distance between the coupling locations, thus to selectively adjust the radius profile of the latticework between the two locations. To set a desired radius profile, the control member either is crimped near the proximal location or fixed within a self-locking connector. The control members, preferably monofilament strands, can be elastic or substantially inextensible. Two or more control members can be used if desired. In an alternative embodiment, recovery metal control members are fixed at their opposite ends to the latticework, then plastically deformed by elongation to axially elongate and radially reduce the latticework. Following deployment, the control members are heated sufficiently to cause the control members to return to their shorter, nominal shapes, to axially shorten and radially enlarge the stent. Both versions preferably feature selvaged ends.
575 Citations
42 Claims
-
1. A body insertable prosthesis, including:
-
a body compatible prosthesis structure in the form of a braided tube having opposite open selvaged ends and comprising at least two oppositely directed sets of helically wound strands forming multiple intersections of oppositely directed pairs of strands, said braided tube further being enlargeable radially in concert with an axial shortening thereof, and alternatively reducible radially in concert with an axial elongation thereof; and at least one elongate control member coupled to the prosthesis structure at a first coupling location and further coupled to the prosthesis structure at a second coupling location spaced apart axially from the first coupling location in a manner that allows the control member to travel axially relative to the prosthesis structure while remaining substantially axially fixed relative to the prosthesis structure at the first coupling location, whereby an axial spacing between the first and second coupling locations is adjustable toward a selected spacing amount corresponding to a selected radius profile over a region of the prosthesis structure between the coupling locations, and wherein the first and second coupling locations are located at respective first and second ones of said intersections. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A braided prosthesis structure including:
-
a plurality of structural strands, intermingled with one another to form a generally tubular prosthesis structure enlargeable radially in concert with an axial shortening thereof and alternatively reducible radially in concert with an axial elongation thereof, the structure having two opposite open ends; a plurality of connectors secured integrally to the strands at at least one of the open ends, to selvage at least one open end; and at least one elongate control strand fixed to the prosthesis structure at a fixation point and slideably received within an associated one of the connectors, whereby an axial spacing between the associated connector and the fixation point is adjustable by movement of the prosthesis structure relative to the control strand, thus to selectively adjust a radius profile of the structure over a region between the fixation point and the associated connector. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
-
-
22. A body insertable and controllably expandable prosthesis, including:
-
a body compatible, generally tubular prosthesis structure formed of a material lacking any substantial shape memory property, said prosthesis structure enlargeable radially in concert with an axial shortening thereof, and alternatively reducible radially in concert with an axial elongation thereof; and at least one control member constructed of a recovery metal, having a nominal shape defining a nominal length between first and second opposite ends thereof, plastically deformable to an altered shape defining an altered length between the opposite ends different than the nominal length, and tending to return to the nominal shape from the altered shape responsive to a predetermined change in temperature; wherein the at least one control member, proximate said first and second ends, is joined integrally with respective first and second axially spaced apart locations along the prosthesis structure, whereby subjecting the plastically deformed control member to said predetermined temperature change alters an axial distance between the first and second locations, thus selectively adjusting a radius profile of the prosthesis structure along a region thereof between the first and second locations. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
-
-
28. A body insertable prosthesis, including:
-
a body compatible and generally tubular prosthesis structure enlargeable radially in concert with an axial shortening thereof, and alternatively reduceable radially in concert with an axial elongation thereof; and a plurality of substantially linear, axially extending strands, each strand having a first end fixed to the prosthesis structure at a first coupling location, each strand further coupled to the prosthesis structure at a second coupling location spaced apart axially from the first coupling location in a manner that allows the strand to travel axially relative to the prosthesis structure, whereby an axial spacing between the first and second coupling locations is adjustable toward a selected amount corresponding to a selected radius profile over a region of the prosthesis structure between the coupling locations. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31)
-
-
32. A body insertable prosthesis, including:
-
a body compatible and generally tubular prosthesis structure enlargeable radially in concert with an axial shortening thereof, and alternatively reduceable radially in concert with an axial elongation thereof; at least one elongate control member coupled to the prosthesis structure at a first coupling location in a manner to substantially fix the elongate control member axially relative to the prosthesis structure; wherein the elongate control member further is coupled to the prosthesis structure at a second coupling location spaced apart axially from the first coupling location, in a manner that allows movement of the control member axially relative to the prosthesis structure to selectively vary an axial spacing between the first and second coupling locations toward a selected spacing amount and thereby selectively vary a radius profile, over a region of the prosthesis structure between the coupling locations toward a selected radius profile; and wherein the control member and the prosthesis structure further are adapted to allow a fixation of the control member axially relative to the prosthesis structure at the second location after so selectively varying the axial spacing, to set the axial spacing at said selected spacing amount and thereby prevent any substantial radial reduction of the prosthesis structure over said region. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
-
-
39. A body insertable prosthesis, including:
-
a body compatible and generally tubular prosthesis structure enlargeable radially in concert with an axial shortening thereof, and alternatively reduceable radially in concert with an axial elongation thereof; at least one elongate control member coupled to the prosthesis structure at a first coupling location in a manner to substantially fix the elongate control member axially relative to the prosthesis structure; wherein the elongate control member further is coupled to the prosthesis structure at a second coupling location spaced apart axially from the first coupling location, in a manner that allows axial movement of the control member relative to the prosthesis structure, to selectively vary an axial spacing between the first and second coupling locations toward a selected spacing amount, thereby to selectively vary a radius profile of the prosthesis structure, at least over a region thereof between the coupling locations, toward a selected radius profile corresponding to the selected spacing amount. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42)
-
Specification