Intravascular stent

• US 6,221,096 B1
• Filed: 02/09/1999
• Issued: 04/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Metal Industries Limited (Nippon Steel Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kanto Special Steel Works Ltd. (Nippon Steel Corporation)
• Inventors: Aiba, Mitsuru, Ishimaru, Shin
• Primary Examiner(s): Willse, David H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GHERBI, SUZETTE JAIME J
• Application Number:
  US09/242,110
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1.11, 623/1.12, 623/1.18, 623/1.19, 623/1.16, 623/1.23, 623/1.3, 623/1.31, 608/108
• US Class Current: 623/1.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/86 Stents in a form characterised by the wire-like elements; Stents in the form characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/95 Instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/075 the stent being loosely attached to the graft material, e.g. by stitching
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/825 having longitudinal struts
• 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: A61F 2220/0008 Fixation appliances for connecting prostheses to the body

Abstract

An intravascular stent 11 has an elastic self-expandable cylindrical stent proper 12. The stent proper 12 is connected to metal support wires 18 that are long enough to reach outside of the body of a patient through a catheter 31. Manipulation of the support wires 18 pushes the stent proper 12 into a blood vessel from within the catheter, thereby allowing it to expand there, and then contracts and retracts the stent proper 12 into the catheter 31, repeatedly.

Claims

1. An intravascular stent adapted to be inserted into a catheter, said intravascular stent comprising:

a cylindrical stent proper comprising;

a connecting wire having a tail end and a leading end and comprising multiple metal wires disposed parallel to each other and circumferentially spaced from each other, and

a plurality of short, diametrically expandable, cylindrical, elastic rings fastened to said leading end of said connecting wire at intervals along a length of said connecting wire, wherein said cylindrical stent proper is operable to automatically expand to a diameter greater than an inside diameter of the catheter when outside of the catheter; and

a support wire extending from said tail end of said connecting wire of said cylindrical stent proper having a length long enough to pass through the catheter, said support wire being operable to allow proper placement of said cylindrical stent proper.

2. An intravascular stent according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said cylindrical stent proper and said support wire comprises a superelastic deformable segment made of shape-memory alloy wires exhibiting superelasticity substantially at 37°

C.

3. An intravascular stent according to claim 1, further comprising an artificial blood vessel comprising a thin polyester film, wherein said cylindrical stent proper is fastened to said artificial blood vessel by stitching.

4. An intravascular stent adapted to be inserted into a catheter, said intravascular stent comprising:

a cylindrical stent proper comprising;

a connecting wire having a tail end and a leading end and comprising multiple metal wires disposed parallel to each other and circumferentially spaced from each other, and

a plurality of short, diametrically expandable, cylindrical, elastic rings, each of which being formed of a metal wire bent in a zigzag fashion and fastened at a bent portion to said leading end of said connecting wire at intervals along a length of said connecting wire, wherein said cylindrical stent proper is operable to automatically expand to a diameter greater than an inside diameter of the catheter when outside of the catheter; and

a support wire extending from said tail end of said connecting wire of said cylindrical stent proper having a length long enough to pass through the catheter, said support wire being operable to allow proper placement of said cylindrical stent proper.

5. An intravascular stent according to claim 4, wherein at least one of said cylindrical stent proper and said support wire comprises a superelastic deformable segment made of shape-memory alloy wires exhibiting superelasticity substantially at 37°

C.

6. An intravascular stent according to claim 4, further comprising an artificial blood vessel comprising a thin polyester film, wherein said cylindrical stent proper is fastened to said artificial blood vessel by stitching.