Compliant intraluminal stents

• US 6,572,649 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2001
• Issued: 06/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wake Forest University Health Sciences
• Original Assignee: Wake Forest University
• Inventors: Moore, James E., Berry, Joel L.
• Primary Examiner(s): McDermott, Corrine
• Assistant Examiner(s): STEWART, ALVIN J
• Application Number:
  US09/817,469
• Publication Number:
  US 20010011188A1
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1.15, 623/1.16, 606/194, 606/198, 606/1.17
• 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 2/958 Inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/825 having longitudinal struts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91525 within the whole structure different bands showing different meander characteristics, e.g. frequency or amplitude
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91533 characterised by the phase between adjacent bands
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91566 connected trough to trough
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91575 connected peak to trough
• 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 2230/0013 Horseshoe-shaped, e.g. crescent-shaped, C-shaped, U-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped

Abstract

An expandable, intraluminal tubular stent is provided for insertion and expansion within the lumen of a vessel. The stent includes a plurality of longitudinal struts. A series of arcuate or V-shaped end links are connected between the ends of the longitudinal struts. A series of deformable cross-links are circumferentially connected between adjacent longitudinal struts at a center portion of the longitudinal struts to permit the stent to be expanded from a first smaller diameter into a second larger diameter upon insertion into the vessel.

Claims

1. An expandable, generally tubular, intraluminal stent, having a longitudinal axis, for insertion within the lumen of a vessel, comprising:

a. a rigid center portion to internally support the vessel; and

b. a plurality of end links disposed in a ring at each end of the center portion, the end links having first and second ends, the first end of each end link being connected to the second end of an adjacent end link, each end link having a first and a second leg joined at a fulcrum so that moment arms provided by the first and second legs permit radial flexibility of the stent to gradually decrease from the ends of the stent toward the center portion of the stent, wherein the end links have a width which is greatest at the fulcrum and tapers towards the first and second ends.

2. An expandable, generally tubular, intraluminal stent, having a longitudinal axis, for insertion within the lumen of a vessel, comprising:

a. a rigid center portion to internally support the vessel; and

b. a plurality of end links disposed in a ring at each end of the center portion, the end links having first and second ends, the first end of each end link being connected to the second end of an adjacent end link, each end link having a first and a second leg joined at a fulcrum so that moment arms provided by the first and second legs permit radial flexibility of the stent to gradually decrease from the ends of the stent toward the center portion of the stent, wherein the end links have a width which is greatest at the fulcrum and tapers towards the ends of the legs.

3. An expandable, generally tubular, intraluminal stent, having a longitudinal axis, for insertion within the lumen of a vessel, comprising:

a. a plurality of end struts extending a predetermined distance less than the length of the stent;

b. a rigid center portion to internally support the vessel; and

c. a plurality of end links disposed in a ring at each end of the center portion, the end links having first and second ends, the first end of each end link being connected to the second end of an adjacent end link, the first end and the second end of at least a pair of adjacent end links joined at a tip junction to a respective end strut, to permit flexibility of the stent to gradually decrease from the ends of the stent toward the center portion of the stent, wherein the end links have a width which is greatest at the fulcrum and tapers towards the first and second ends.

4. An expandable, generally tubular, intraluminal stent, having a longitudinal axis, for insertion within the lumen of a vessel, comprising:

a. a plurality of end struts extending a predetermined distance less than the length of the stent;

b. a rigid center portion to internally support the vessel; and

c. a plurality of end links disposed in a ring at each end of the center portion, the end links having first and second ends, the first end of each end link being connected to the second end of an adjacent end link, the first end and the second end of at least a pair of adjacent end links joined at a tip junction to a respective end strut, to permit flexibility of the stent to gradually decrease from the ends of the stent toward the center portion of the stent, wherein the end links have a width which is greatest at the fulcrum and tapers towards the ends of the legs.

5. An expandable, generally tubular, intraluminal stent, having a longitudinal axis, for insertion within the lumen of a vessel, comprising:

a. a plurality of linked rings disposed along the length of the stent, each ring comprising a plurality of deformable links, the links having first and second ends, the first end of each link being connected to the second end of an adjacent link; and

b. a plurality of end links disposed in a ring at each end of the stent, the end links having first and second ends, the first end of each end link being connected to the second end of an adjacent end link, the end links having a greater flexibility than the rings to permit the flexibility of the stent to gradually decrease from the ends of the stent toward the center portion of the stent, wherein the end links have a width which is greatest at the fulcrum and tapers towards the first and second ends.

6. An expandable, generally tubular, intraluminal stent, having a longitudinal axis, for insertion within the lumen of a vessel, comprising:

a. a plurality of linked rings disposed along the length of the stent, each ring comprising a plurality of deformable links, the links having first and second ends, the first end of each link being connected to the second end of an adjacent link; and

b. a plurality of end links disposed in a ring at each end of the stent, the end links having first and second ends, the first end of each end link being connected to the second end of an adjacent end link, the end links having a greater flexibility than the rings to permit the flexibility of the stent to gradually decrease from the ends of the stent toward the center portion of the stent, wherein the end links have a width which is greatest at the fulcrum and tapers towards the ends of the legs.

7. An expandable, generally tubular, intraluminal stent, having a longitudinal axis, for insertion within the lumen of a vessel, comprising:

a. a rigid center portion to internally support the vessel; and

b. a plurality of end links disposed in a ring at each end of the center portion, the end links having first and second ends with the first end of each end link being connected with the second end of an adjacent end link, each end link having a first and a second leg joined at a fulcrum so that moment arms provided by the first and second legs permit radial flexibility of the stent to gradually decrease from the ends of the stent toward the center portion of the stent, at least one of the end links having a vertex disposed inward from the end of the stent, wherein the end links have a width which is greatest at the fulcrum and tapers towards the first and second ends.

8. An expandable, generally tubular, intraluminal stent, having a longitudinal axis, for insertion within the lumen of a vessel, comprising:

a. a rigid center portion to internally support the vessel; and

b. a plurality of end links disposed in a ring at each end of the center portion, the end links having first and second ends with the first end of each end link being connected with the second end of an adjacent end link, each end link having a first and a second leg joined at a fulcrum so that moment arms provided by the first and second legs permit radial flexibility of the stent to gradually decrease from the ends of the stent toward the center portion of the stent, at least one of the end links having a vertex disposed inward from the end of the stent, wherein the end links have a width which is greatest at the fulcrum and tapers towards the ends of the legs.

9. An expandable, generally tubular, intraluminal stent, having a longitudinal axis, for insertion within the lumen of a vessel, comprising:

a. a rigid center portion to internally support the vessel; and

b. a plurality of concave arcuate end links disposed in a ring at each end of the center portion, wherein the links are positioned to be concave relative to the ends of the stent, the links having a first and a second leg joined at a fulcrum so that moment arms provided by the first and second legs permit radial flexibility of the stent to gradually decrease from the ends of the stent toward the center portion of the stent, wherein the end links have a width which is greatest at the fulcrum and tapers towards the first and second ends.

10. An expandable, generally tubular, intraluminal stent, having a longitudinal axis, for insertion within the lumen of a vessel, comprising:

a. a rigid center portion to internally support the vessel; and

b. a plurality of concave arcuate end links disposed in a ring at each end of the center portion, wherein the links are positioned to be concave relative to the ends of the stent, the links having a first and a second leg joined at a fulcrum so that moment arms provided by the first and second legs permit radial flexibility of the stent to gradually decrease from the ends of the stent toward the center portion of the stent, wherein the end links have a width which is greatest at the fulcrum and tapers towards the ends of the legs.

11. An expandable, generally tubular, intraluminal stent, having a longitudinal axis, for insertion within the lumen of a vessel, comprising:

a. a rigid center portion to internally support the vessel; and

b. a plurality of end links disposed in a ring at each end of the center portion, the end links having first and second ends, the first end of each end link being connected to the second end of an adjacent end link, each end link having a first and a second leg joined at a fulcrum so that moment arms provided by the first and second legs provide radial flexibility at the end of the stent substantially matched to the radial flexibility of the vessel, wherein the end links have a width which is greatest at the fulcrum and tapers towards the first and second ends.

12. An expandable, generally tubular, intraluminal stent, having a longitudinal axis, for insertion within the lumen of a vessel, comprising:

a. a rigid center portion to internally support the vessel; and

b. a plurality of end links disposed in a ring at each end of the center portion, the end links having first and second ends, the first end of each end link being connected to the second end of an adjacent end link, each end link having a first and a second leg joined at a fulcrum so that moment arms provided by the first and second legs provide radial flexibility at the end of the stent substantially matched to the radial flexibility of the vessel, wherein the end links have a width which is greatest at the fulcrum and tapers towards the ends of the legs.

13. An expandable, generally tubular, intraluminal stent, having a longitudinal axis, for insertion within the lumen of a vessel, comprising:

a. a rigid center portion to internally support the vessel; and

b. a plurality of end links disposed in a ring at each end of the center portion, the end links having first and second ends, the first end of each end link being connected to the second end of an adjacent end link, each end link having a first and a second leg joined at a fulcrum so that moment arms provided by the first and second legs provide compliance of the end of the stent that is substantially matched to the compliance of the vessel, wherein the end links have a width which is greatest at the fulcrum and tapers towards the first and second ends.

14. An expandable, generally tubular, intraluminal stent, having a longitudinal axis, for insertion within the lumen of a vessel, comprising:

a. a rigid center portion to internally support the vessel; and

b. a plurality of end links disposed in a ring at each end of the center portion, the end links having first and second ends, the first end of each end link being connected to the second end of an adjacent end link, each end link having a first and a second leg joined at a fulcrum so that moment arms provided by the first and second legs provide compliance of the end of the stent that is substantially matched to the compliance of the vessel, wherein the end links have a width which is greatest at the fulcrum and tapers towards the ends of the legs.