Expandable stents and method for making same

• US 6,309,412 B1
• Filed: 04/28/2000
• Issued: 10/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Lau, Lilip, Frantzen, John J., Hartigan, William M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Willse, David H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GHERBI, SUZETTE JAIME J
• Application Number:
  US09/561,098
• Time in Patent Office: 550 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1.11, 623/1.15, 606/108
• US Class Current: 623/1.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/848 having means for fixation to the vessel wall, e.g. barbs
• 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 2/88 the wire-like elements formed as helical or spiral coils forming a net-like or mesh-like structure A61F2/90
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/89 the wire-like elements comprising two or more adjacent rings flexibly connected by separate members
• 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 2/958 Inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91533 characterised by the phase between adjacent bands
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9155 Adjacent bands being connected to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91558 connected peak to peak
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91575 connected peak to trough
• 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: A61M 2025/1081 having sheaths or the like for covering the balloon but not forming a permanent part of the balloon, e.g. retractable, dissolvable or tearable sheaths
• CPC Class Codes: C23F 1/02 Local etching
• CPC Class Codes: C23F 1/04 Chemical milling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 623/901 Method of manufacturing prosthetic device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 623/903 Blood vessel
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 623/921 Blood vessel
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49995 Shaping one-piece blank by removing material

Abstract

The invention is directed to an expandable stent for implantation in a body lumen, such as an artery, and a method for making it from a single length of tubing. The stent consists of a plurality of radially expandable cylindrical elements generally aligned on a common axis and interconnected by one or more interconnective elements. The individual radially expandable cylindrical elements consist of ribbon-like material disposed in an undulating pattern. Portions of the expanded stent project outwardly into engagement with the vessel wall to more securely attach the stent.

Claims

1. A stent delivery catheter assembly for delivering and implanting a stent in a body lumen, comprising:

an elongated catheter body having a distal end and a proximal end and an expandable member located adjacent the distal end;

a guide wire lumen extending through a distal portion of the catheter body and having a guide wire exit port on the catheter body adjacent and proximal to the expandable member;

a stent removably mounted on and tightly crimped onto the expandable member, the stent having a plurality of cylindrical elements interconnected together, at least some of the cylindrical elements having a length being shorter than the diameter of the at least some of the cylindrical elements;

a guide wire having a distal end and a proximal end and slidably positioned in the guide wire lumen so that the guide wire can be advanced into the body lumen to a target site, the catheter advanced over the guide wire to position the stent and expandable member at the target site, the expandable member expanded by inflation fluid and thereby expanding and implanting the stent at the target site, deflating the expandable member, and withdrawing the catheter over the guide wire to remove the stent delivery catheter assembly from the body.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical elements of the stent are in phase.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical elements of the stent are out of phase.

4. A stent delivery catheter assembly for delivering and implanting a stent in a body lumen, comprising:

an elongated catheter body having a distal end and a proximal end and an expandable member located adjacent the distal end;

a guide wire lumen extending through a distal portion of the catheter body and having a guide wire exit port in the catheter body and positioned both proximal to the expandable member and closer to the distal end of the catheter body than to the proximal end of the catheter body;

a stent removably mounted on and tightly crimped onto the expandable member, the stent having a plurality of cylindrical elements interconnected together, at least some of the cylindrical elements having a length being shorter than the diameter of the at least some of the cylindrical elements;

a guide wire having a distal end and a proximal end and slidably positioned in the guide wire lumen so that the guide wire can be advanced into the body lumen to a target site, the catheter advanced over the guide wire to position the stent and expandable member at the target site, the expandable member expanded by inflation fluid and thereby expanding and implanting the stent at the target site, deflating the expandable member, and withdrawing the catheter over the guide wire to remove the stent delivery catheter assembly from the body.