Stent configurations including spirals

• US 6,033,433 A
• Filed: 04/25/1997
• Issued: 03/07/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Scimed Life Systems Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Ehr, Timothy G. J., Kveen, Graig L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Mickey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tram A.
• Application Number:
  US08/846,164
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1, 623/11, 623/12, 606/191, 606/194-198, 606/108
• US Class Current: 623/1.16
• 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 2002/91525 within the whole structure different bands showing different meander characteristics, e.g. frequency or amplitude
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91533 characterised by the phase between adjacent bands
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91541 Adjacent bands are arranged out of phase
• 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 2002/91583 by a bridge, whereby at least one of its ends is connected along the length of a strut between two consecutive apices within a band
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped

Abstract

The invention is directed to an expandable stent which is longitudinally flexible in both the unexpanded and expanded conditions. The stent includes spiral structures which at least partially unwind upon expansion of the stent to limit stent recoil. Regions of low strain in the stent during expansion are provided by the spiral structures.

Claims

1. An expandable stent in the form of a generally tubular body formed of interconnected spiral elements, each spiral element formed of a plurality of spiral members, at least one spiral member of each spiral element intersecting at least one spiral member of a circumferentially adjacent spiral element in an oblique angle.

2. The stent of claim 1 including annular serpentine elements at the ends of the stent.

3. A stent comprised of:

a plurality of longitudinally aligned and expandable segments of generally cylindrical configuration;

a pair of connector elements extending from a segment to join a corresponding pair of connector elements extending from an adjacent segment, the connector elements forming a spiral configuration between the segments, the connector elements at least partially unwinding upon expansion of the adjoining segments.

4. The stent of claim 3 wherein at least two of the connecting elements extend in a substantially longitudinal direction.

5. The stent of claim 3 wherein the connecting elements are substantially curvilinear.

6. A stent comprised of:

a plurality of expandable segments of annular serpentine configuration, each segment having a plurality of loops, the loops having ends;

connector elements extending between adjacent serpentine segments, the connector elements forming spiral configurations between the segments, the spiral configurations formed exclusively of connector elements terminating in annular segments, each spiral configuration defined by a center about which the connector elements spiral, all of the connector elements spiraling in excess of a quarter revolution about the center.

7. The stent of claim 6 wherein the connector elements extend from the loop ends.

8. The stent of claim 6 wherein the spiral configurations are arranged in rows, the rows of spirals alternating with the expandable segments along the stent.

9. The stent of claim 6 wherein the loops are oriented at an oblique angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the stent.

10. The stent of claim 6 wherein each loop includes a portion which is oriented in a substantially circumferential direction.

11. A stent comprised of:

a plurality of expandable segments of annular serpentine configuration, each segment having a plurality of loops, the loops having ends;

connector elements extending between adjacent serpentine segments, the connector elements forming spiral configurations between the segments, the spiral configurations formed exclusively of connector elements terminating in annular segments,

the spiral configurations arranged in rows, the rows of spirals alternating with the expandable segments along the stent, wherein pairs of adjacent spiral configurations extend from a common loop end.

12. An expandable stent in the form of a generally tubular body formed of interconnected spiral elements, each spiral element comprising a plurality of connector elements which are spiraled about a center, each connector element spiraled in excess of a quarter revolution about the center, each spiral element formed of at least three connector elements.

13. An expandable stent in the form of a generally tubular body formed of interconnected spiral elements, each spiral element comprising a plurality of connector elements which are spiraled about a center, each connector element spiraled in excess of a quarter revolution about the center, the stent further comprising expandable segments of annular serpentine configuration forming a plurality of loops having ends, each spiral element having at least two connector elements connected to adjacent expandable segments.