Balloon expandable covered stents

• US 6,475,234 B1
• Filed: 10/26/1998
• Issued: 11/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Medinol Limited (Medinol USA Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Medinol Limited (Medinol USA Incorporated)
• Inventors: Richter, Jacob, Flomenblit, Joseph, Budigina, Natalia
• Primary Examiner(s): Willse, David H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GHERBI, SUZETTE JAIME J
• Application Number:
  US09/178,571
• Time in Patent Office: 1,471 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1, 623/11, 623/12, 623/1.15, 623/1.17, 623/1.18, 623/1.19, 623/1.2, 427/2--
• US Class Current: 623/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• 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 2/95 Instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/958 Inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91541 Adjacent bands are arranged out of phase
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91558 connected peak to peak
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/088 Other specific inorganic materials not covered by A61L31/084 or A61L31/086
• 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 75/04 Polyurethanes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 623/909 Method or apparatus for assembling prosthetic

Abstract

The present invention provides stents for deploying within tubular organs, blood vessels, or other tubular body lumens. Such stents comprise a stent body comprising an elastic material, the stent body being characterized by a free cylindrical shape having a free diameter. The stent body is at least partially covered with a covering that substantially prevents the stent body from expanding towards its free diameter when the stent body is placed into a diameter smaller than the free diameter. In one embodiment, the covering is a metal coating on the stent body. In another embodiment, the covering is a tube, or multiple tubes, around the stent body. Also provided is a method for deploying the stents of the present invention within tubular organs, blood vessels, or other tubular body lumens.

Claims

1. A method for deploying a stent within a body lumen, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a stent comprising a stent body comprising an elastic material, said stent body being characterized by a free cylindrical shape having a free diameter;

deforming said stent body to a diameter smaller than said free diameter;

covering said stent with a covering while said stent body is at said diameter smaller than said free diameter, said covering substantially preventing said stent body from expanding towards said free diameter;

inserting said stent into the body lumen; and

,

mechanically expanding said stent, wherein said step of covering said stent comprises the step of electroplating a metal coating onto said stent.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of covering said stent comprises the step of placing a polymer tube over said stent.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of covering said stent comprises the step of placing multiple rings around said stent.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of mounting said stent onto a balloon catheter prior to the step of inserting said stent into the body.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said step of mechanically expanding said stent comprises the step of inflating said balloon.