Intravascular stent

• US 6,616,689 B1
• Filed: 05/03/2000
• Issued: 09/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Ainsworth, Stephen D., Jacobs, James M., Cheng, E Tina
• Primary Examiner(s): Willse, David H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Barrett, Thomas C.
• Application Number:
  US09/564,151
• Time in Patent Office: 1,224 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1-5-
• US Class Current: 623/1.16
• 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 2/844 folded prior to deployment
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/915 with bands having a meander structure, adjacent bands being connected to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91516 the meander having a change in frequency along the band
• 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 2002/91583 by a bridge, whereby at least one of its ends is connected along the length of a strut between two consecutive apices within a band
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0014 using shape memory or superelastic materials, e.g. nitinol
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0013 Horseshoe-shaped, e.g. crescent-shaped, C-shaped, U-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0036 differing in thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00023 Titanium or titanium-based alloys, e.g. Ti-Ni alloys

Abstract

The invention is directed to an expandable stent for implantating in a body lumen, such as a coronary artery, peripheral artery, or other body lumen. The invention provides for a an intravascular stent having a plurality of cylindrical rings connected by undulating links. The stent has a high degree of flexibility in the longitudinal direction, yet has adequate vessel wall coverage and radial strength sufficient to hold open an artery or other body lumen.

Claims

1. A flexible intravascular stent for use in a body lumen, comprising:

a plurality of cylindrical rings interconnected to form the stent, each cylindrical ring having a first delivery diameter and a second expanded diameter;

each cylindrical ring having a proximal end and a distal end and a cylindrical wall extending circumferentially between the proximal end and the distal end of the cylindrical ring;

at least one undulating link attaching each cylindrical ring to an adjacent cylindrical ring, the undulating links being positioned substantially within the cylindrical wall of the cylindrical ring;

a W-shaped portion having curved struts positioned circumferentially adjacent to the undulating links; and

wherein each cylindrical ring is nested within an adjacent cylindrical ring.

2. The stent of claim 1, wherein each cylindrical ring is slightly nested within an adjacent cylindrical ring.

3. The stent of claim 1, wherein each cylindrical ring is nest ed within an adjacent cylindrical ring when the stent is in the first delivery diameter configuration.

4. A flexible intravascular stent for use in a body lumen, comprising:

a plurality of cylindrical rings interconnected to form the stent, each cylindrical ring having a first delivery diameter and a second expanded diameter;

each cylindrical ring having a plurality of peaks and valleys, the peaks of one cylindrical ring being circumferentially offset from the peaks of an adjacent cylindrical ring;

at least one undulating link attaching each cylindrical ring to an adjacent cylindrical ring, the at least one undulating link being positioned substantially within one of the valleys and attaching the valley to an adjacent valley; and

a W-shaped portion having curved struts positioned circumferentially adjacent to the undulating links.

5. The stent of claim 4, wherein at least one undulating link comprises at least one bend connected to a substantially straight portion, the substantially straight portion being substantially perpendicular to the stent longitudinal axis.

6. The stent of claim 5, wherein the substantially straight portion of the at least one undulating link is perpendicular to the stent longitudinal axis when the stent is in the first delivery diameter configuration.

7. The stent of claim 5, wherein the substantially straight portion of the at least one undulating link is perpendicular to the stent longitudinal axis when the stent is in the second expanded diameter configuration.

8. The stent of claim 4, wherein at least one of the undulating links comprise a plurality of bends.

9. The stent of claim 4, wherein each cylindrical ring is nested within an adjacent cylindrical ring.

10. The stent of claim 9, wherein each cylindrical ring is slightly nested within an adjacent cylindrical ring.

11. The stent of claim 9, wherein each cylindrical ring is nested within an adjacent cylindrical ring when the stent is in the first delivery diameter configuration.

12. The stent of claim 4, wherein the undulating links are configured to provide flexibility to the stent.

13. The stent of claim 4, wherein the cylindrical rings are configured to provide flexibility to the stent.

14. The stent of claim 4, wherein the stent is formed from a tube.

15. The stent of claim 4, wherein the stent is formed from a metal alloy.

16. The stent of claim 4, wherein the stent is formed from stainless steel.

17. The stent of claim 4, wherein the stent is formed from a shape memory alloy.

18. The stent of claim 17, wherein the stent is formed from the group of shape memory alloys consisting of nickel-titanium and nickel/titanium/vanadium.

19. The stent of claim 4, wherein the stent is formed from a pseudoelastic metal alloy.

20. The stent of claim 19, wherein the stent is formed from the group of pseudoelastic metal alloys consisting of nickel-titanium and nickel/titanium/vanadium.

21. The stent of claim 4, wherein the cylindrical rings and the undulating links are defined by a plurality of struts.

22. The stent of claim 21, wherein at least one of the struts has a varying cross-section.

23. The stent of claim 21, wherein at least one of the struts has a cross-section that is different than other struts.

24. The stent of claim 21, wherein at least some of the struts have a variable radial thickness.

25. The stent of claim 4, wherein at least one of the undulating links comprise a plurality of bends.

26. A flexible intravascular stent for use in a body lumen, comprising:

a plurality of cylindrical rings interconnected to form the stent, each cylindrical ring having a first delivery diameter and a second expanded diameter;

the cylindrical rings having a plurality of U-shaped portions, Y-shaped portions, and W-shaped portions that are expandable;

each cylindrical ring having a proximal end and a distal end and a cylindrical wall extending circumferentially between the proximal end and the distal end of the cylindrical ring;

at least one undulating link attaching each cylindrical ring to an adjacent cylindrical ring, the undulating links being positioned substantially within the cylindrical wall of the cylindrical ring;

the W-shaped portion having curved struts positioned circumferentially adjacent to the undulating links; and

wherein each cylindrical ring is nested within an adjacent cylindrical ring.

27. A flexible intravascular stent for use in a body lumen, comprising:

a plurality of cylindrical rings interconnected to form the stent, each cylindrical ring having a first delivery diameter and a second expanded diameter;

each cylindrical ring having a proximal end and a distal end and a cylindrical wall extending circumferentially between the proximal end and the distal end of the cylindrical ring;

at least one undulating link attaching at least one of the cylindrical rings to an adjacent cylindrical ring, the undulating link being positioned substantially within the cylindrical wall of the cylindrical ring;

at least one straight link attaching at least one cylindrical ring to an adjacent cylindrical ring; and

a W-shaped portion having curved struts positioned circumferentially adjacent to the undulating links.

28. A flexible intravascular stent for use in a body lumen, comprising:

a plurality of cylindrical rings interconnected to form the stent, each cylindrical ring having a first delivery diameter and a second implanted diameter;

each cylindrical ring having a proximal end and a distal end and a cylindrical plane extending circumferentially between the proximal end and the distal end of the cylindrical ring;

at least one undulating link attaching each cylindrical ring to an adjacent cylindrical ring, the undulating links being positioned substantially within the cylindrical plane of the cylindrical ring;

wherein the cylindrical rings include W-shaped portions;

wherein at least one undulating link is positioned within at least one W-shaped portion;

wherein the at least one W-shaped portion has a pair of curved struts connected to a curved portion, the at least one undulating link being positioned between the struts and attached to the curved portion; and

wherein the struts of the W-shaped portion have a length greater than the length of the at least one undulating link and said struts are positioned circumferentially adjacent to the undulating links.