Stent for treating pathological body vessels

• US 6,485,524 B2
• Filed: 02/16/1999
• Issued: 11/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ernst-Peter Strecker
• Original Assignee: Ernst-Peter Strecker
• Inventors: Strecker, Ernst-Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): McDermott, Corrine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pellegrino, Brian E.
• Application Number:
  US09/250,714
• Publication Number:
  US 20010003801A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,379 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1, 623/12, 623/1.15, 623/1.22, 623/1.51, 623/1.53, 623/1.54, 623/1.16, 606/194, 606/200
• US Class Current: 623/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12022 Occluding by internal devices, e.g. balloons or releasable wires plugging an opening in the wall of an organ A61B17/0057; occluders for the cervical canal A61F6/146; vas deferens occluders A61F6/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12045 double occlusion, e.g. during anastomosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12118 for positioning in conjunction with a stent
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12172 having a pre-set deployed three-dimensional shape methods of manufacturing A61B2017/00526
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• 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 2/90 characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/954 for placing stents or stent-grafts in a bifurcation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/016 made from wire-like elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/065 Y-shaped blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/077 having means to fill the space between stent-graft and aneurysm wall, e.g. a sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3008 radio-opaque, e.g. radio-opaque markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30092 using shape memory or superelastic materials, e.g. nitinol
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30467 using hook and loop-type fasteners
• 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: A61F 2220/005 using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0058 soldered or brazed or welded
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0083 using hook and loop-type fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0006 circular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/001 Figure-8-shaped, e.g. hourglass-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0069 : cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0098 : radio-opaque, e.g. radio-opaque markers

Abstract

A known method for treating pathological body vessels is the implantation of stents as an extended filament, by means of a catheter, which springs into a given form at the implantation site, as a result of its thermo-memory property or its elasticity. The invention relates to a new kind of stent, created in order to improve the flexibility and stability of the stent. This is achieved in that the stent filament or stent filaments are present in the form of at least two opposed spirals. The filament consists of a material with high elasticity or with thermo-memory properties. The stent can be covered with a structure made of pieces of fabric and/or fibers and serves in this way as a stent graft. The new stent demonstrates high stability and flexibility. The stent can be introduced into a body vessel by means of a catheter lumen, which essentially corresponds to the outside diameter of the filaments forming the stent which expands in the point of destination to a larger-lumen tube-shaped implant.

Claims

1. A stent for treating pathological body vessels comprising at least two longitudinally extended filaments that can be delivered into a body vessel with an implantation device, the stent having a delivery state and an implanted state at the site of implantation such that at least two filaments form opposed spirals in the implanted state over at least a part of the longitudinal extent of the stent, each of the at least two filaments spiraling about the stent circumference in opposing directions, wherein at least one filament has an arc-shaped segment running along a periphery of the stent and wherein two filaments have an alternating structure in which at least one complete spiral loop follows at least one arc-shaped segment, and filaments are displaced such that a spiral loop of one filament crosses over an arc-shaped segment of a second filament.

2. The stent of claim 1, further characterized in that the filaments comprise of a material with a superelastic property or a thermo-memory property.

3. The stent of claim 1, further characterized in that the filaments of opposed spirals comprise a single filament wire, which has a bend at a joining site of the two spirals.

4. The stent of claim 1, further characterized in that the filaments of opposed spirals comprise a single piece.

5. The stent of claim 1, further characterized in that the filaments have the same direction of rotation over at least a part of the total length of stent.

6. The stent of claim 1, further characterized in that two filaments have arc-shaped segments opposed to one another at least over a part of the longitudinal extent of stent.