Expandable stent and method for delivery of same
First Claim
1. An expandable stent comprising:
- a proximal end and a distal end in communication with one another; and
a tubular wall disposed between the proximal end and the distal end, the tubular wall having a longitudinal axis and a porous surface defined by a plurality of intersecting members comprising a series of longitudinal struts disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the stent, each of the longitudinal struts comprising a curved flexure member for substantially complementary extension and compression of a diametrically opposed pair of the longitudinal struts upon flexure of the stent, the flexure member comprising a sinusoidal cycle having a longitudinal length which is less than a longitudinal length of the longitudinal strut, the stent being expandable from a first, contracted position to a second, expanded position upon the application of a radially outward force on the stent.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An expandable stent comprising a proximal end and a distal end in communication with one another and a tubular wall disposed between the proximal end and the distal end. The tubular wall has a longitudinal axis and a porous surface defined by a plurality of intersecting members comprising a series of longitudinal struts disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the stent. Each longitudinal strut in the series comprises flexure means for substantially complementary extension and compression of a diametrically opposed pair of the longitudinal struts upon flexure of the stent. The stent is expandable from a first, contracted position to a second, expanded position upon the application of a radially outward force on the stent. The provision of such flexure means in the series of longitudinal struts leads to a very desirable balance of lateral flexibility of the unexpanded stent and radial rigidity of the expanded stent.
347 Citations
57 Claims
-
1. An expandable stent comprising:
-
a proximal end and a distal end in communication with one another; and
a tubular wall disposed between the proximal end and the distal end, the tubular wall having a longitudinal axis and a porous surface defined by a plurality of intersecting members comprising a series of longitudinal struts disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the stent, each of the longitudinal struts comprising a curved flexure member for substantially complementary extension and compression of a diametrically opposed pair of the longitudinal struts upon flexure of the stent, the flexure member comprising a sinusoidal cycle having a longitudinal length which is less than a longitudinal length of the longitudinal strut, the stent being expandable from a first, contracted position to a second, expanded position upon the application of a radially outward force on the stent. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
-
-
34. An expandable stent comprising:
a tubular wall having a longitudinal axis and a porous surface, the porous surface being defined by a plurality of circumferentially disposed rings of struts interconnected to one another by a plurality of longitudinal struts, at least one of the longitudinal struts comprising a curved sinusoidal flexure member interposed between opposed portions of the longitudinal strut so as to space the sinusoidal flexure member from adjacent circumferentially disposed rings. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37)
-
38. An expandable stent comprising:
a tubular wall having a longitudinal axis and a porous surface, the porous surface comprising (i) a plurality of circumferentially disposed rings of struts interconnected to one another by (ii) a plurality of longitudinal struts, each of the longitudinal struts comprising a curved flexure member, the curved flexure member comprising a pair of curved sections, each curved section having an arc of greater than about 180°
.- View Dependent Claims (39, 40)
-
41. An expandable stent comprising:
a tubular wall having longitudinal axis and a porous surface, the porous surface comprising a plurality of circumferentially disposed rings of struts, each circumferentially disposed ring of struts comprising a plurality of apices, the plurality of apices of adjacent rings of struts being interconnected to one another by a plurality of longitudinal struts, at least one of the longitudinal struts comprising a curved flexure member interposed between opposed portions of the longitudinal strut so as to space the flexure member from the apices of adjacent circumferentially disposed rings, each flexure member comprising (i) one sinusoidal cycle and (ii) first and second sections respectively coupled between the apices and the sinusoidal cycle. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44)
-
45. An expandable stent comprising:
-
a porous tubular structure having a plurality of circumferentially-extending portions coupled to a plurality of longitudinally-extending portions; and
a flexible portion coupled to at least one of the plurality of longitudinally extending portions, said flexible portion comprising two at least 180°
arcs of rotation which have a combined longitudinal length that is less than a longitudinal length of the at least one longitudinally extending portion.- View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
-
-
52. An expandable stent, comprising:
-
a tubular structure having a longitudinal axis and being open at both ends and including;
a plurality of circumferential supports expandable in a radial direction with respect to said longitudinal axis; and
a plurality of longitudinal supports coupled to said plurality of circumferential supports and expandable in an axial direction with respect to said longitudinal axis, at least two of said longitudinal supports each comprising a curved sinusoidal flexure member, wherein one cycle of the sinusoidal flexure member is spaced apart from said circumferential supports on both sides of the sinusoidal flexure member.
-
-
53. A tubular, porous, expandable stent, comprising:
a wall section which includes a plurality of intersecting circumferential and longitudinal supports, each circumferential support being expandable in a radial direction, each longitudinal support having a longitudinal flex member, said longitudinal flex member having no angled portions and comprising a sinusoidal pattern having a longitudinal length which is less than a longitudinal length of the longitudinal support, a connecting section being disposed between each end of the sinusoidal pattern and a respective circumferential support.
-
54. A stent system, comprising:
-
a catheter;
a balloon disposed inside said catheter; and
an expandable stent disposed outside said balloon, said stent including;
a tubular porous wall open at both ends, and having (i) a plurality of radially-expandable supports and (ii) a plurality of axial supports connected to said plurality of radially-expandable supports at a plurality of intersections, each of said plurality of axial supports comprising a curved sinusoidal section which is spaced apart from said plurality of intersections.
-
-
55. A metal stent comprising:
-
a plurality of circumferential supports each of which includes at least one curved member which makes the circumferential support expandable in a radial direction; and
a plurality of longitudinal supports coupled to the plurality of circumferential supports at a plurality of intersections, each of said plurality of longitudinal supports having two about 180°
curved flexible sections expandable in an axial direction, a connecting section being disposed between each of said two about 180°
curved flexible sections and a respective one of said plurality of intersections.
-
-
56. A balloon-mounted expandable stent, comprising:
-
a porous tubular stent having a longitudinal axis and being open at both ends, said stent including;
a plurality of circumferential members, at least two of which are adapted to expand in the radial direction when the balloon expands;
a plurality of longitudinal members, coupled to said plurality of circumferential members; and
a plurality of flex members disposed in said at least two of said plurality of longitudinal members, each said flex member comprising an about 360°
sinusoidal curved portion not in contact with any circumferential member.
-
-
57. An unexpanded stent comprising:
a porous surface defined by a plurality of rows of intersecting members, adjacent rows of intersecting members being interconnected by a series of longitudinal struts, each longitudinal strut comprising two 180°
arcuate lateral sections disposed between adjacent rows of intersecting members to allow for substantially complementary extension and compression of a diametrically opposed pair of the longitudinal struts upon flexure of the stent, the at least two 180°
arcuate lateral sections having a longitudinal dimension less than a distance between adjacent rows of intersecting members connected by the longitudinal strut, the stent being expandable from a first, contracted position to a second, expanded position upon the application of a radially outward force on the stent.
Specification