Flexible segmented stent

• US 6,409,754 B1
• Filed: 07/02/1999
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Scimed Life Systems Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Smith, Scott R., Killion, Douglas P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong, Kevin T.
• Application Number:
  US09/346,826
• Time in Patent Office: 1,089 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1.16, 623/1.15, 623/1.18, 623/1.2, 623/1.46, 606/198, 606/191, 606/195
• US Class Current: 623/1.16
• 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 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 2002/91591 Locking connectors, e.g. using male-female connections
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped

Abstract

A radially expandable segmented stent having plastic, i.e., permanent deformation, connectors interconnecting each segment.

Claims

1. A segmented stent comprising a plurality of generally annular and radially expandable stent segments, segments which are adjacent to one another being interconnected by at least one interconnector element of a plastically deformable material wherein the stent segments are made of a material which does not exhibit permanent deformation.

2. The segemented stent of claim 1 wherein the stent segments are of closed cell construction.

3. The segmented stent of claim 1 wherein the stent segments are coated with a polymeric material and the interconnector elements of plastically deformable material are fused to the polymeric material.

4. The segmented stent of claim 3 wherein the polymeric material and the interconnector elements of plastically deformable material are of different composition.

5. The segmented stent of claim 1 including at least one segment having at least one anchor point means for receiving one of the interconnector elements and the interconnector element received by the anchor point means includes interfitting means for connection to the anchor point means.

6. The segmented stent of claim 5 wherein the anchor point means forms a raised portion and the interfitting means on the interconnector element comprises an opening sized to fit over the anchor point means and interlock therewith.

7. The segmented stent of claim 5 wherein the interconnector element includes at each end a raised portion and the stent segments each include at least one opening sized to receive a raised portion and interlock therewith.

8. The segmented stent of claim 1 wherein each stent segment is designed and arranged as an independent stent body capable of individual support in a body vessel.

9. The segmented stent of claim 1 wherein the interconnector elements are biodegradable.

10. The segmented stent of claim 1 wherein the stent segments are of closed cell construction and are self-expandable.

11. A segmented stent comprising a plurality of generally annular and radially expandable stent segments, segments which are adjacent one another being interconnected by at least one interconnector element of a plastically deformable material having deformation properties which differ from those of the segments to provide flexible yet constrained relative motions between the stent segments wherein the stent segments are of self-expanding construction.

12. The segmented stent of claim 11 wherein the stent segments are of a shape memory material.

13. A segmented stent comprising a plurality of generally annular and radially expandable stent segments, segments which are adjacent one another being interconnected by at least one interconnector element of a plastically deformable material to provide flexible yet constrained relative motions between the stent segments wherein the stent segments are of balloon expandable construction and are of metal and the interconnector elements are of a different metal, exhibiting different permanent deformation characteristics than the stent segments.

14. A stent comprising a plurality of generally annular and radially self-expanding stent segments, segments which are adjacent one another being interconnected by at least one interconnector element of a viscoelastically deformable material to provide flexible yet constrained relative motions between the stent segments.

15. The segmented stent of claim 14 wherein the stent segments are of closed cell construction.

16. The segmented stent of claim 14 wherein the stent segments are of balloon expandable construction and are of metal and the interconnector elements are of a different metal, exhibiting different permanent deformation characteristics than the stent segments.

17. The segmented stent of claim 14 wherein each stent segment is designed and arranged as an independent stent body capable of individual support in a body vessel.

18. The segmented stent of claim 14 wherein the interconnector elements are biodegradable.

19. The segmented stent of claim 14 wherein the stent segments are of closed cell construction and are self-expandable.

20. A stent comprising a plurality of generally annular and radially expandable metal stent segments of non-viscoelastically deformable material, segments which are adjacent one another being interconnected by at least one interconnector element of a viscoelastically deformable material to provide flexible yet constrained relative motions between the stent segments.

21. The segmented stent of claim 20 wherein the stent segments are of a shape memory material.

22. The segmented stent of claim 20 wherein the stent segments are coated with a polymeric material and the interconnector elements are fused to the polymer coating.

23. The segmented stent of claim 22 wherein the polymeric material and the interconnectors are of different compositions.

24. The segmented stent of claim 20 including at least one segment having at least one anchor point means for receiving one of the interconnector elements and the interconnector element received by the anchor point means includes interfitting means for connection to the anchor point means.

25. The segmented stent of claim 24 wherein the anchor point means forms a raised portion and the interfitting means on the interconnector comprises an opening sized to fit over the anchor point means and interlock therewith.

26. The segmented stent of claim 24 wherein the interconnector includes at each end a raised portion and the stent segments each include at least one opening sized to receive a raised portion and interlock therewith.

27. The segmented stent of claim 24 wherein the interconnector elements are of polymeric material.

28. An expandable stent comprising a plurality of generally annular stent segments made of a first material, segments which are adjacent one another being interconnected by at least one interconnector element of a second material having different deformation properties from the first material, the first material being a shape memory material and the second material plastically deformable.

29. The stent of claim 28 wherein the shape memory material is a shape memory metal.

30. An expandable stent comprising a plurality of generally annular stent segments including a first annular segment and a second annular segment, the first and second annular segments made of a first material and interconnected by at least one interconnector element of a second material, the second material of different composition from the first material.