Endoluminal prostheses and therapies for highly variable body lumens

• US 6,283,991 B1
• Filed: 07/22/1998
• Issued: 09/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Ave Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Will, Allan, Cox, Brian, Evans, Michael A., Lenker, Jay A., Kim, Steven W., Freislinger, Kirsten
• Primary Examiner(s): Milano, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US09/121,226
• Time in Patent Office: 1,140 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1.11, 623/1.13, 623/1.22, 623/1.44
• US Class Current: 623/1.13
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/848 having means for fixation to the vessel wall, e.g. barbs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/88 the wire-like elements formed as helical or spiral coils forming a net-like or mesh-like structure A61F2/90
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/885 comprising a coil including a plurality of spiral or helical sections with alternate directions around a central axis
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/89 the wire-like elements comprising two or more adjacent rings flexibly connected by separate members
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/90 characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
• 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 2/92 Stents in the form of a rolled-up sheet expanding after insertion into the vessel , e.g. with a spiral shape in cross-section
• 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 2/958 Inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/041 Bile ducts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/044 Oesophagi or esophagi or gullets
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/046 Tracheae
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/047 Urethrae
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/048 Ureters
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/065 Y-shaped blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/075 the stent being loosely attached to the graft material, e.g. by stitching
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30199 Three-dimensional shapes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30327 : differing in diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30604 : modular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/828 : Means for connecting a plurality of stents allowing flexibility of the whole structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0041 : using additional screws, bolts, dowels or rivets, e.g. connecting screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/005 : using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0058 : soldered or brazed or welded
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0075 : sutured, ligatured or stitched, retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/001 : Figure-8-shaped, e.g. hourglass-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 : V-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0063 : Three-dimensional shapes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0067 : conical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0095 : Saddle-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0039 : differing in diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/006 : modular
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/34 : Macromolecular materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/10 : Macromolecular materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/18 : Materials at least partially X-ray or laser opaque
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 67/00 : Compositions of polyesters obtained by reactions forming a carboxylic ester link in the main chain of polyester-amides C08L77/12; of polyester-imides C08L79/08; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers

Abstract

The present invention provides a branching endoluminal prosthesis for use in branching body lumen systems which includes a trunk lumen and first and second branch lumens. The prostheses comprises a radially expandable tubular trunk portion having a prosthetic trunk lumen, and radially expandable tubular first and second branch portions with first and second prosthetic branch lumens, respectively. A radially expandable tubular Y-connector portion provides fluid communication between the prosthetic trunk lumen and the first and second prosthetic branch lumens. Although it is often considered desirable to maximize the column strength of endoluminal prostheses, and although the trunk portion will generally have a larger cross-section than much of the remainder of a branching endoluminal prostheses, the expanded trunk portion is more axially flexible than the expanded Y-connector portion, as insufficient flexibility along the trunk portion may result in leakage between the prosthesis and the trunk lumen of the body lumen system. In contrast, the Y-connector portion benefits form a less axially flexible structure to avoid distortion of the flow balance between the luminal branches.

Claims

1. An endoluminal prosthesis comprising:

a plastically expansive tubular liner having a lumen which defines an axis; and

an elongatable helical coil supporting the liner, the coil defining a plurality of loops, wherein the loops are separated to enhance axial flexibility of the prosthesis, and wherein the helical coil elongates during plastic expansion of the liner to avoid unwinding of the coil relative to the liner.

2. An endoluminal prosthesis as in claim 1, wherein the liner comprises a polymer tube having integral ribbing disposed between the separated loops of the coil.

3. An endoluminal prosthesis as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coil is attached to the liner at a plurality of attachment points along the length of the coil.

4. An endoluminal prosthesis as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coil comprises a shape memory alloy or a shape memory polymer.

5. The endoluminal prosthesis as in claim 1,

wherein the coil comprises linked diamond-shaped elements.

6. The endoluminal prosthesis as in claim 1,

wherein the liner material is chosen from a list of materials consisting of:

woven polyester such as Dacron, plastically expansible material such as PTFE, partially oriented yarn, annealed composite fiber, and wrapped composite fiber.

7. An endoluminal prosthesis comprising:

a plastically expansible liner material forming a liner tube; and

a coil-shaped stent structure having coils separated from each other by a helical separation distance, said coil-shaped stent structure includes a series of linked expandible elements, said coil-shaped stent structure surrounds said liner tube,

wherein said liner tube is attached to said coil-shaped stent structure at a plurality of attachment locations around a perimeter of said liner tube such that when said liner tube is expanded, said series of linked expandible elements are stretched between said plurality of attachment locations.

8. The endoluminal prosthesis of claim 7,

wherein said series of linked expandible elements are a series of linked diamond-shaped elements.

9. The endoluminal prosthesis of claim 7,

wherein said helical separation distance is sized to allow said liner material to flex.

10. The endoluminal prosthesis of claim 7,

wherein said liner tube comprises a polymer tube having integral ribbing disposed between adjacent turns of said coils.

11. The endoluminal prosthesis of claim 7,

wherein said coil-shaped stent structure is made of a self-expanding material.

12. The endoluminal prosthesis of claim 11,

wherein said self-expanding material comprises a shape memory alloy or a shape memory polymer.

13. The endoluminal prosthesis of claim 7,

wherein said liner material is chosen from a list of materials consisting of:

woven polyester such as Dacron, plastically expansible material such as PTFE, partially oriented yarn, annealed composite fiber, and wrapped composite fiber.

14. The endoluminal prosthesis of claim 7,

wherein said coil-shaped stent structure is made of a malleable material.