Hybrid stent

• US 6,565,599 B1
• Filed: 12/28/2000
• Issued: 05/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Limon, Timothy A., Hong, James
• Primary Examiner(s): McDermott, Corrine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Phan, Hieu
• Application Number:
  US09/753,232
• Time in Patent Office: 873 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1.13, 623/1.14, 623/1.15, 623/1.23, 623/1.27, 623/1.3, 623/1.31, 623/1.32
• US Class Current: 623/1.15
• 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 2002/825 having longitudinal struts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91533 characterised by the phase between adjacent bands
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91575 connected peak to trough
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91591 Locking connectors, e.g. using male-female connections
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/005 using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0013 Horseshoe-shaped, e.g. crescent-shaped, C-shaped, U-shaped

Abstract

The invention is directed to an expandable stent for implantation in a body lumen, such as a coronary artery. The stent consists of radially expandable cylindrical rings generally aligned on a common axis and interconnected by one or more links. At least some of the links are formed of a polymer material providing longitudinal and flexural flexibility to the stent while maintaining sufficient column strength to space the rings along the longitudinal axis.

Claims

1. An intravascular stent, comprising:

a plurality of flexible cylindrical rings being expandable in a radial direction, each of the rings having a first delivery diameter and a second implanted diameter and being aligned on a common longitudinal axis;

each of the rings being formed of a metallic material;

a plurality of flexible links formed of a polymer and each of the links having sufficient column strength to axially separate the cylindrical rings;

each of the polymer links has a first end and a second end, the first and second ends being attached to adjacent cylindrical rings to connect adjacent cylindrical rings together; and

at least one link being attached between adjacent rings to form the stent.

2. The stent of claim 1, wherein the metallic material forming the cylindrical rings consists of stainless steel, titanium, tantalum, nickel titanium, and cobalt-chrome.

3. The stent of claim 1, wherein in the polymer material forming the links is taken from the group of polymers consisting of polyurethanes, polyetherurethanes, polyesterurethanes, silicone, thermoplastic elastomer (C-flex), polyether-amide thermoplastic elastomer (Pebax), fluoroelastomers, fluorosilicone elastomer, styrene-butadiene rubber, butadiene-styrene rubber, polyisoprene, neoprene (polychloroprene), ethylene-propylene elastomer, chlorosulfonated polyethylene elastomer, butyl rubber, polysulfide elastomer, polyacrylate elastomer, nitrile, rubber, a family of elastomers composed of styrene, ethylene, propylene, aliphatic polycarbonate polyurethane, polymers augmented with antioxidents, polymers augmented with image enhancing materials, polymers having a proton (H+) core, polymers augmented with protons (H+), butadiene and isoprene (Kraton) and polyester thermoplastic elastomer (Hytrel).

4. The stent of claim 1, wherein at least some of the links are formed from a nylon material having a tensile strength of at least 15,000 psi.

5. The stent of claim 1, wherein at least some of the links are formed from a metal.

6. The stent of claim 1, wherein each of the polymer links has a locking head at the first end and at the second end of the link.

7. The stent of claim 6, wherein a portion of the cylindrical ring has a first cavity for receiving the locking head at the first end of the link and an adjacent ring having a second cavity for receiving the locking head on the second end of the link.

8. The stent of claim 1, wherein at least some of the cylindrical rings have a locking head for insertion into a first end or a second end of the polymer link.

9. The stent of claim 8, wherein the locking head on the cylindrical ring has a plurality of teeth for engaging the polymer link.

10. The stent of claim 1, wherein at least some of the links are formed from Nylon 12 having a tensile strength of at least 15,000 psi.