System for repairing an anatomical canal by means of an implant with a progressive opening

• US 6,302,891 B1
• Filed: 05/11/1998
• Issued: 10/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: B. Braun Celsa
• Original Assignee: B. Braun Celsa
• Inventors: Nadal, Guy
• Primary Examiner(s): SNOW, BRUCE EDWARD
• Application Number:
  US09/075,184
• Time in Patent Office: 1,254 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1, 623/12, 623/1.11, 623/1.12, 606/108, 606/192, 606/194, 606/195
• US Class Current: 606/108
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/95 Instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9511 the retaining means being filaments or wires

Abstract

The system-for repairing an anatomic duct comprises an implant having a tubular body adapted to be radially expanded, once the implant is arranged in the duct and also a device for installing the implant in said duct. The device comprises a tie for maintaining the body in a restricted configuration, for the implantation thereof in the duct, and means for releasing the tie in order to allow the implant to radially expand.

Claims

1. A system for repairing an anatomical duct of a patient in which a fluid circulates, said system comprising:

an implant having a generally tubular body adapted for channeling the fluid along a major axis of the implant, the implant having a first configuration for being implanted in the duct and a second Configuration once implanted in the duct, the implant having an overall radial dimension with respect to the axis which is smaller when the implant is in the first configuration than when the implant is in the second configuration and the generally tubular body having a length along the axis; and

a device for installing the implant in the duct, the device for installing comprising;

at least one retaining tie having a rigidity and configured to maintain the body of the implant substantially in the first configuration, the at least one retaining Lie forming a succession of loops passing at least partially around the body and extending at least over a major portion of its length to form a chain, said at least one retaining tie terminating towards a distal end of the implant in a distal knot or loop, and

a flexible, elongated element for restraining, then releasing, the at least one retaining tie, the flexible, elongated element having a rectilinear cross section and sufficient rigidity so that a free distal end of the flexible, elongated element holds the distal knot or loop and the retaining tie in a predetermined position, the flexible, elongated element extending outside the body of the implant and at least over said major portion of its length, the flexible, elongated element being long enough to extend from outside the body of a patient to the distal end of the implant, the free distal end of the flexible, elongated element there locking the distal knot or loop to keep the implant in its first configuration until the flexible, elongated element is removed, whereupon the distal knot is released and thus the implant is able to assume its second configuration, wherein said at least one retaining tie loops substantially in a hairpin shape around the elongated element, passing periodically on one side thereof and then on the other while being disposed at least over the major portion of the length of the generally tubular body until said at least one retaining tie terminates in the releasable knot or loop substantially at the distal end of the elongated element, and wherein the rigidity of the elongated element is sufficiently greater than the rigidity of said at least one retaining tie that, when the implant is in the first configuration with the smaller overall radial dimension, the elongated element resists kinking, coiling, or other deformation which otherwise would result from shear stresses caused by the alternating passage of the at least one retaining tie around the elongated element.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a sheath for placing the implant in position in the duct, the sheath having a distal end to be introduced deepest into the body of the patient to be treated, with the implant placed inside maintained in its first configuration.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the flexible, elongated element is a metal rod.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the flexible, elongated element is a plastic rod.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the flexible, elongated element has a flattened cross-section.

6. A system for repairing an anatomical duct of a patient in which a fluid circulates, said system comprising:

an implant including a body having a generally tubular surface and adapted for channeling the fluid along a major axis of the implant, the implant having a first configuration for being implanted in the duct and a second configuration once implanted in the duct, the implant having an overall radial dimension with respect to the axis which is smaller when the implant is in the first configuration than when the implant is in the second configuration and the generally tubular body having a length along the axis; and

a device for installing the implant in the duct, the device for installing comprising;

at least one retaining tie having a rigidity and configured to maintain the body of the implant substantially in the first configuration, the at least one retaining tie forming a succession of loops passing at least partially around the body and extending at least over a major portion of its length to form a chain, said at least one retaining tie terminating towards a distal end of the implant in a distal knot or loop, and

a flexible, elongated element for restraining, then releasing, the at least one retaining tie, the flexible, elongated element having sufficient rigidity so that a distal end of the flexible, elongated element holds the distal knot or loop and the retaining tie in a predetermined position, the flexible, elongated element extending outside the body of the implant and at least over said major portion of its length, the flexible, elongated element being long enough to extend from outside the body of a patient to the distal end of the implant, the distal end of the flexible, elongated element there locking the distal knot or loop to keep the implant in its first configuration until the flexible, elongated element is removed, whereupon the distal knot is released and thus the implant is able to assume its second configuration,

wherein, when the implant is in the first configuration, with the smaller overall radial dimension, the distal end of said elongated element is free, and up to said distal end, the elongated element is naturally continuously rectilinear, so that, beyond the body of the implant, said elongated element extends continuously in the axial extent of the tubular surface of said body, and the rigidity of the elongated element is sufficiently greater than the rigidity of said at least one retaining tie that the elongated element resists kinking, coiling, or other deformation which otherwise would result from shear stresses caused by the alternating passage of the at least one retaining tie around the elongated element.

7. A system for repairing an anatomical duct of a patient in which a fluid circulates, said system comprising:

an implant having a generally tubular body adapted for channeling the fluid along a major axis of the implant, the implant having a first configuration for being implanted in the duct and a second configuration once implanted in the duct, the implant having an overall radial dimension with respect to the axis which is smaller when the implant is in the first configuration than when the implant is in the second configuration and the generally tubular body having a length along the axis; and

a device for installing the implant in the duct, the device for installing comprising;

at least one retaining tie having a rigidity and configured to maintain the body of the implant substantially in the first configuration, the at least one retaining tie forming a succession of loops passing at least partially around the body and extending at least over a major portion of its length to form a chain, said at least one retaining tie terminating towards a distal end of the implant in a distal knot or loop, and

a flexible, elongated element for restraining, then releasing, the at least one retaining tie, the flexible, elongated element having sufficient rigidity so that a free distal end of the flexible, elongated element holds the distal knot or loop and the retaining tie in a predetermined position, the flexible, elongated element extending outside the body of the implant and at least over said major portion of its length, the flexible, elongated element being long enough to extend from outside the body of a patient to the distal end of the implant, the free distal end of the flexible, elongated element there locking the distal knot or loop to keep the implant in its first configuration until the flexible, elongated element is removed, whereupon the distal knot is released and thus the implant is able to assume its second configuration, wherein the flexible elongated element has a flattened cross section.

8. A system for repairing an anatomical duct of a patient in which a fluid circulates, said system comprising:

an implant including a body having a generally tubular surface and adapted for channeling the fluid along a major axis of the implant, the implant having a first configuration for being implanted in the duct and a second configuration once implanted in the duct, the implant having an overall radial dimension with respect to the axis which is smaller when the implant is in the first configuration than when the implant is in the second configuration and the generally tubular body having a length along the axis; and

a device for installing the implant in the duct, the device for installing comprising;

at least one retaining tie having configured to maintain the body of the implant substantially in the first configuration, the at least one retaining tie forming a succession of loops passing at least partially around the body and extending to form a chain, said at least one retaining tie terminating in a knot or loop, and

a flexible, elongated element for restraining, then releasing, the at least one retaining tie, the flexible, elongated element having sufficient rigidity so that a distal end of the flexible, elongated element holds the distal knot or loop and the retaining tie in a predetermined position, the flexible, elongated element extending outside the body of the implant and at least over said major portion of its length, the flexible, elongated element being long enough to extend from outside the body of a patient to the distal end of the implant, the distal end of the flexible, elongated element there locking the knot or loop to keep the implant in its first configuration until the flexible, elongated element is removed, whereupon the knot is released and thus the implant is able to assume its second configuration, a central catheter around which is disposed the implant, in the first configuration,

wherein, when the implant is in said first configuration with the smaller overall radial dimension, the distal end of said elongated element is free, so that it is deprived of any fastening engagement with said internal catheter, and up to said distal end, the elongated element is naturally continuously rectilinear, so that beyond the body of the implant, said elongated element extends continuously in the axial extent of the tubular surface of said body, and is thus free from penetrating in said internal catheter.