Composite self expanding stent device having a restraining element

• US 6,179,878 B1
• Filed: 10/14/1998
• Issued: 01/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dieter Stockel, Thomas Duerig
• Original Assignee: Dieter Stockel, Thomas Duerig
• Inventors: Duerig, Thomas, Stockel, Dieter
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Mickey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tram A.
• Application Number:
  US09/172,053
• Time in Patent Office: 839 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1, 623/11, 623/12, 623/1.1, 623/1.12, 623/1.13, 623/1.18, 623/1.19, 623/1.2, 623/902, 623/903, 606/108, 606/191, 606/194, 606/195, 606/198
• US Class Current: 128/898
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/90 characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/958 Inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0019 operated at only one temperature whilst inside or touching the human body, e.g. constrained in a non-operative shape during surgery, another temperature only occurring before the operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 623/902 Method of implanting

Abstract

A composite stent device comprises a shape memory alloy stent sleeve which is treated so that it can exert an outward force on a lumen in which the stent device is to be deployed, and a restraint element which restricts the maximum transverse dimension to which the stent sleeve can expand outwardly. The restraint sleeve can minimize damage to a lumen by a stent located within it. It can be arranged to allow the stent device to be deformed in a bending mode, for example when the lumen in which the device is located is subjected to a transverse flattening deformation, relying on the enhanced elastic properties of the shape memory alloy stent sleeve to recover to the open, generally rounded configuration.

Claims

1. A method for implanting a composite stent device within a lumen of a patient, said method comprising the steps of:

a. providing a composite stent comprising a tubular stent sleeve having a relaxed configuration, the stent sleeve made from a superelastic shape memory alloy such that the stent sleeve will exert an outward force when transversely constrained to a configuration smaller than the relaxed configuration, and a plastically deformable restraint element covering at least a portion of an exterior of the stent sleeve, the stent sleeve exerting an outward force on the restraint element, the restraint element having sufficient strength to prevent the stent sleeve from expanding to exert a force on a lumen of a vessel until plastic deformation of the restraint element by an expansion device; and

b. inserting said composite stent within said lumen, deforming said composite stent towards said tubular stent sleeve'"'"'s relaxed configuration by applying an outward force along an interior of said composite stent, and removing said outward force upon said composite stent making contact with an internal surface of said lumen.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which the step of deforming said stent towards said tubular stent sleeve'"'"'s relaxed configuration by applying an outward force along an interior of said stent comprises using an inflatable balloon and the method includes the step of inflating the balloon.