Multi-section stent

• US 6,485,510 B1
• Filed: 04/14/2000
• Issued: 11/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mayo Foundation For Medical Education And Research (Mayo Clinic)
• Original Assignee: Mayo Foundation For Medical Education And Research (Mayo Clinic)
• Inventors: Schwartz, Robert S., Holmes, David R. Jr., Camrud, Allan R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Willse, David H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GHERBI, SUZETTE JAIME J
• Application Number:
  US09/549,681
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1.15, 623/1.16, 623/23.7, 623/1.28, 623/1.29, 623/1.38
• US Class Current: 623/1.16
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• 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 2/86 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 2/90 characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/826 more than one stent being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/828 Means for connecting a plurality of stents allowing flexibility of the whole structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0004 bioabsorbable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0031 made from both resorbable and non-resorbable prosthetic parts, e.g. adjacent parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0039 differing in diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0051 differing in tissue ingrowth capacity, e.g. made from both ingrowth-promoting and ingrowth-preventing parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0067 Means for introducing or releasing pharmaceutical products into the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0071 breakable or frangible
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0098 radio-opaque, e.g. radio-opaque markers

Abstract

A stent includes a first stent section, a second stent section, and at least one connecting member. The connecting member has a first end attached to the first stent section, a second end attached to the second stent section and a physically separable portion.

Claims

1. A stent comprising:

a first stent section;

a second stent section; and

at least one connecting member having a first end attached to the first stent section, a second end attached to the second stent section and a physically separable portion.

2. The stent of claim 1, wherein the physically separable portion comprises at least one groove in the connecting member.

3. The stent of claim 2, wherein the groove is formed adjacent to the first end.

4. The stent of claim 2, wherein grooves are formed adjacent to the first end and the second end.

5. The stent of claim 1, wherein the connecting member further includes an angled portion including an angle.

6. The stent of claim 5, wherein the angled portion includes a groove and the physically separable portion comprises the groove.

7. The stent of claim 5, wherein the angle is less than 45°

.

8. The stent of claim 5, wherein the angle is between 45°

and 135°

.

9. The stent of claim 5, wherein the angle is between 135°

and 180°

.

10. The stent of claim 1, wherein the stent includes four connecting members.

11. The stent of claim 1, wherein the stent includes two connecting members.

12. The stent of claim 1, wherein each connecting member includes a first end attached to the first stent section and a second end attached to the second stent section and the first end of the first stent is adjacent to the first end of the second stent.

13. The stent of claim 12, wherein the first end of the first connecting member and the first end of the second connecting member are separated by approximately 180°

.

14. The stent of claim 13, wherein the second end of the first connecting member and the second end of the second connecting member are separated by approximately 180°

.

15. The stent of claim 1, wherein the physically separable portion separates during a deployment of the stent.

16. The stent of claim 1, wherein the physically separable portion separates after a deployment of the stent.

17. The stent of claim 1, wherein the stent sections comprise a shape memory material.

18. A stent comprising:

a first stent section;

a second stent section; and

a pair of connecting members positioned between the stent sections and connecting the stent sections, wherein each connecting member is substantially co-planar over a portion of a length of the connecting member with the at least one stent section and includes a first end attached to the first stent section, a second end attached to the second stent section and a physically separable portion.

19. The stent of claim 18, wherein the physically separable portion of a first connecting member is configured to separate from the first stent section and the physically separable portion of the second connecting member is configured to separate from the second stent section, whereby the first connecting member is configured to reduce tumbling of the first stent section and the second connecting member is configured to reduce tumbling of the second stent section.

20. The stent of claim 18, wherein the stent is fabricated by electron discharge machining.