Inflatable intraluminal vascular stent

• US 6,293,968 B1
• Filed: 10/21/1999
• Issued: 09/25/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Corporation
• Original Assignee: Taheri, Syde A.
• Inventors: Taheri, Syde A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Gary
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRUONG, KEVIN THAO
• Application Number:
  US09/422,747
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1.25, 623/1.15, 623/1.16, 623/1.2, 623/1.34, 623/1.24, 606/194, 606/195, 606/191, 606/198
• US Class Current: 623/1.15
• 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 2/91 made from perforated sheet material or tubes, e.g. perforated by laser cuts or etched holes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9534 for repositioning of stents
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0003 having an inflatable pocket filled with fluid, e.g. liquid or gas

Abstract

The present invention describes an inflatable intraluminal vascular stent which incorporates fine conduits of synthetic material in a meshwork like structure forming a tubular vascular prosthesis. The conduits provide for inflating and deflating the meshwork structure to deploy the stent, adjust its supporting force and for repositioning or removing the stent, if needed. Accordingly, the present invention includes a method for repairing a treatment zone in a vasculature and the like by positioning the inflatable intraluminal vascular stent bridging the treatment zone. Following insertion of the stent into the vasculature spanning the treatment zone, the meshwork structure is inflated to expand the stent against the vasculature wall. Importantly, the inflation pressure is controllable to regulate the supporting force of the stent as it conforms to the shape of the vasculature.

Claims

1. A stent for a treatment zone in a body passageway, which comprises:

a) at least one tubular shaped prosthesis made from a meshwork of intersecting inflatable conduit members and plural openings extending traverse to the inflatable conduit members, the tubular shaped prosthesis having an outer surface, an interior and first and second open ends, and further having a first diameter which permits intraluminal delivery of the at least one tubular shaped prosthesis into the body passageway; and

b) a valve in fluid flow communication with the meshwork to provide for inflation of the prosthesis to a second diameter greater than the first diameter to thereby support a portion of the body passageway at the treatment zone.

2. The stent of claim 1 wherein the meshwork is of a plurality of intersecting conduit members that are in fluid flow communication with each other intermediate the first and second ends.

3. The stent of claim 1 wherein the meshwork is of at least first and second conduit members that intersect with each other at an acute angle.

4. The stent of claim 1 wherein the meshwork is of at least first and second conduit members that intersect with each other at right angles with the prosthesis in a deflated condition.

5. The stent of claim 1 wherein the meshwork is of conduit members of a synthetic polymeric material.

6. The stent of claim 5 wherein the synthetic polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyacrylonitrite, polythylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polytetrafluorothylene, silicones, natural and synthetic rubber, and mixtures thereof.

7. The stent of claim 1 wherein the valve is a check valve for opening and closing communication with the meshwork.

8. The stent of claim 1 wherein the prosthesis includes a radiopaque marker.

9. The stent of claim 1 wherein the prosthesis is inflatable by moving an inflation material selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, air, a flowable gelatinous material and a metallic powder into the prosthesis.

10. A method for supporting a vasculature side wall at a treatment zone, comprising the steps of:

a) providing at least one tubular shaped prosthesis made from a meshwork of intersecting inflatable conduit members and plural opening extending traverse to the inflatable conduit members, the tubular shaped prosthesis having an outer surface, an interior and first and second open ends, and further having a first diameter which permits intraluminal delivery of the at least one tubular shaped prosthesis into the body passageway and a valve in fluid flow communication with the meshwork to provide for inflation of the prosthesis;

b) moving the prosthesis to the treatment zone in the vasculature;

c) opening the valve and introducing an inflation medium into the prosthesis to provide the prosthesis having a second diameter greater than the first for supporting the vasculature side wall; and

d) closing the valve.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the meshwork has a plurality of intersecting conduit members that are in fluid flow communication with each other intermediate the first and second ends.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the meshwork has at least first and second conduit members that intersect with each other at an acute angle.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the meshwork has at least first and second conduit members that intersect with each other at right angles with the prosthesis in a deflated condition.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the meshwork has conduit members of a synthetic polymeric material.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the prothesis has a radiopaque marker.

16. A kit for positioning a prosthesis in a treatment zone in a vasculature of a human body, the kit comprising:

a) at least one tubular shaped prosthesis made from a meshwork of intersecting inflatable conduit members and plural interstitial passageway openings between non-intersecting portions of the inflatable conduit members, the tubular shaped prosthesis having an outer surface, an interior and first and second open ends, and further having a first diameter which permits intraluminal delivery of the at least one tubular shaped prosthesis into the body passageway;

b) a valve in fluid flow communication with the meshwork to provide for inflation of the prosthesis to a second diameter greater than the first diameter to thereby support a portion of the body passageway at the treatment zone; and

c) an inflation conduit matable with the valve for inflating the prosthesis.

17. The kit of claim 16 wherein one of the valve and the inflation conduit is provided with a threaded female fitting that is matable with a threaded male fitting of the other of the valve and the inflation conduit.

18. The kit of claim 16 wherein the valve of the prosthesis comprises a ball check valve and the inflation conduit has an internal wire that is movable towards the ball check valve to open fluid flow communication with the prosthesis and movable away from the ball check valve to close communication with the prosthesis.

19. The kit of claim 16 including a release device for removing inflation material from the prosthesis.