Remotely removable covering and support

• US 6,224,627 B1
• Filed: 06/15/1998
• Issued: 05/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates (W.L. Gore & Associates)
• Original Assignee: Gore Enterprise Holdings Incorporated
• Inventors: Vonesh, Michael, Armstrong, Joseph Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Willse, David H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Koh, Choon P
• Application Number:
  US09/098,103
• Time in Patent Office: 1,051 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1, 623/11, 623/12, 623/1.11, 623/1.12, 623/1.13, 623/1.2, 623/1.23, 623/1.5, 623/1.51, 623/1.52, 606/108, 606/191, 606/194, 606/195, 606/198, 66/81
• US Class Current: 623/1.23
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/82 Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents stent-grafts for tubular structures of the body other than blood vessels A61F2/04; stent-grafts for blood vessels A61F2/07; instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts A61F2/95; for closing wounds, or holding wounds closed A61B17/04 - A61B17/115; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/856 Single tubular stent with a side portal passage
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/90 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 2/954 for placing stents or stent-grafts in a bifurcation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9505 having retaining means other than an outer sleeve, e.g. male-female connector between stent and instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9511 the retaining means being filaments or wires
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 21/20 specially adapted for knitting articles of particular configuration
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 25/02 Tubular machines

Abstract

The invention creates a thin tubular multiple filament (film or fiber) structure that can hold high internal pressures. When desired, an extension of the filaments can be pulled in any direction to unfurl the structure. This device is useful for self expanding stent or stent graft delivery systems, balloon dilatation catheters, removable guide wire lumens for catheters, drug infusion or suction catheters, guide wire bundling casings, removable filters, removable wire insulation, removable packaging and other applications.

Claims

1. A tubular device suitable for insertion in a body during a medical procedure comprising

a tubular structure;

a removable cover, comprising multiple interlocking strands in the form of a warp knit, in contact with the tubular structure;

wherein at least one strand of the knit is separated from the warp knit to cause the cover to unravel with the application of tension; and

wherein the strands are configured to separate when tension is applied to one end of the removable cover, causing the removable cover to separate from the tubular structure.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the removable cover unravels to form a single multi-filament cord.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the strands are oriented to be removed with a tension applied along a single vector.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein

the tubular structure comprises at least one compressed self-expanding structure; and

the removable cover is oriented around the self-expanding structure to prevent the self-expanding structure from expanding until the removable cover is separated from the structure.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the self-expanding structure comprises an endovascular prosthesis.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the tubular structure comprises a balloon.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the tubular structure comprises a plastically deformable device.

8. The device of claim 7 the further comprises a balloon mounted within the plastically deformable device.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the tubular structure comprises a guidewire.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein

the tubular device includes a longitudinal length;

and

wherein the knit unravels into a contiguous rip cord that separates in essentially a straight line along the longitudinal length of the device.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the multiple interlocking strands comprises a fiber.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the fiber comprises a polytetrafluoroethylene.

13. The device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the multiple interlocking strands comprises a film.

14. The device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the strands is radio opaque.

15. The device of claim 1 wherein

the device has a length;

and

the warp knit has varying density along the length of the device.

16. The device of claim 1 wherein the device includes multiple removable covers, each removable cover being separately removable from the device.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein the multiple covers are concentric with each other.

18. The device of claim 16 wherein the multiple covers are mounted axially displaced from one another.

19. The device of claim 16 wherein each removable cover has a separate multi filament rip cord.

20. The device of claim 1 wherein no single strand comprising the multiple stranded removable cover completely surrounds the tubular structure.

21. The device of claim 4 wherein the removable cover imposes a uniform distribution of radial constraint on the self-expanding structure.

22. The device of claim 1 wherein the tubular structure comprises one or more fixed diameter structures.

23. The device of claim 1 wherein the removable cover is oriented around the tubular structure so as to alter longitudinal flexibility of the tubular structure.

29. The cover of claim 1 wherein the interlocking strands comprise a variable density knit.

24. An implantable stent assembly comprising

a expandable stent device;

a removable cover surrounding the stent device;

the removable cover comprising multiple interlocking strands formed in a warp-knit configuration;

wherein the strands are oriented to unravel when tension is applied to one end of the removable cover, causing the removable cover to separate from the stent device;

wherein the stent assembly includes a longitudinal length; and

wherein the knit unravels with tension in essentially a straight line along the longitudinal length of the assembly.

25. The stent assembly of claim 24 wherein

the expandable stent device comprises a compressed self-expanding structure; and

the removable cover is oriented around the self-expanding structure to prevent the self-expanding structure from expanding until the removable cover is separated from the structure.

26. The stent assembly of claim 24 wherein

at least one strand of the knit is separated from the knit to cause the cover to unravel.

27. The stent assembly of claim 24 wherein the assembly includes multiple removable covers, each removable cover being separately removable from the assembly.

28. The stent assembly of claim 24 wherein

the assembly has a length;

and

the knit has varying density along the length of the assembly.

30. The cover of claim 24 wherein the interlocking strands comprise a variable density knit.

31. A tubular device suitable for insertion in a body during a medical procedure comprising

a tubular structure;

a removable cover, comprising multiple interlocking strands in the form of a warp knit, in contact with the tubular structure;

wherein the strands are configured to separate when tension is applied to one end of the removable cover, causing the removable cover to separate from the tubular structure;

wherein the tubular structure comprises at least one compressed self-expanding structure; and

the removable cover is oriented around the self-expanding structure to prevent the self-expanding structure from expanding until the removable cover is separated from the structure.

32. The device of claim 31 wherein the self-expanding structure comprises an endovascular prosthesis.

40. The device of claim 32 wherein each removable cover has a separate multi filament rip cord.

33. A tubular device suitable for insertion in a body during a medical procedure comprising

a tubular structure;

a removable cover, comprising multiple interlocking strands in the form of a warp knit, in contact with the tubular structure;

wherein the strands are configured to separate when tension is applied to one end of the removable cover, causing the removable cover to separate from the tubular structure; and

wherein the tubular structure comprises a balloon.

34. A tubular device suitable for insertion in a body during a medical procedure comprising

a tubular structure;

a removable cover, comprising multiple interlocking strands in the form of a warp knit, in contact with the tubular structure;

wherein the strands are configured to separate when tension is applied to one end of the removable cover, causing the removable cover to separate from the tubular structure;

wherein the tubular device includes a longitudinal length; and

wherein the knit unravels into a contiguous rip cord that separates in essentially a straight line along the longitudinal length of the device.

35. A tubular device suitable for insertion in a body during a medical procedure comprising

a tubular structure;

a removable cover, comprising multiple interlocking strands in the form of a warp knit, in contact with the tubular structure;

wherein the strands are configured to separate when tension is applied to one end of the removable cover, causing the removable cover to separate from the tubular structure; and

wherein at least one of the multiple interlocking strands comprises a film.

36. A tubular device suitable for insertion in a body during a medical procedure comprising

a tubular structure;

a removable cover, comprising multiple interlocking strands in the form of a warp knit, in contact with the tubular structure;

wherein the strands are configured to separate when tension is applied to one end of the removable cover, causing the removable cover to separate from the tubular structure;

wherein the device has a length; and

the warp knit has varying density along the length of the device.

37. A tubular device suitable for insertion in a body during a medical procedure comprising

a tubular structure;

a removable cover, comprising multiple interlocking strands in the form of a warp knit, in contact with the tubular structure;

wherein the strands are configured to separate when tension is applied to one end of the removable cover, causing the removable cover to separate from the tubular structure; and

wherein the device includes multiple removable covers, each removable cover being separately removable from the device.

38. The device of claim 37 wherein the multiple covers are concentric with each other.

39. The device of claim 37 wherein the multiple covers are mounted axially displaced from one another.

41. A tubular device suitable for insertion in a body during a medical procedure comprising

a tubular structure;

a removable cover, comprising multiple interlocking strands in the form of a warp knit, in contact with the tubular structure;

wherein the strands are configured to separate when tension is applied to one end of the removable cover, causing the removable cover to separate from the tubular structure; and

wherein the interlocking strands comprise a variable density knit.

42. An implantable stent assembly comprising

a expandable stent device;

a removable cover surrounding the stent device;

the removable cover comprising multiple interlocking strands formed in a warp-knit configuration; and

wherein the strands are oriented to unravel when tension is applied to one end of the removable cover, causing the removable cover to separate from the stent device;

wherein the expandable stent device comprises a compressed self-expanding structure; and

the removable cover is oriented around the self-expanding structure to prevent the self-expanding structure from expanding until the removable cover is separated from the structure.

43. An implantable stent assembly comprising

a expandable stent device;

a removable cover surrounding the stent device;

the removable cover comprising multiple interlocking strands formed in a warp-knit configuration; and

wherein the strands are oriented to unravel when tension is applied to one end of the removable cover, causing the removable cover to separate from the stent device; and

wherein at least one strand of the knit is separated from the knit to cause the cover to unravel.

44. An implantable stent assembly comprising

a expandable stent device;

a removable cover surrounding the stent device;

the removable cover comprising multiple interlocking strands formed in a warp-knit configuration; and

wherein the strands are oriented to unravel when tension is applied to one end of the removable cover, causing the removable cover to separate from the stent device; and

wherein the interlocking strands comprise a variable density knit.