Method and device for the treatment of vulnerable tissue site

• US 6,648,911 B1
• Filed: 11/20/2000
• Issued: 11/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avantec Vascular Corporation (Nipro Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Avantec Vascular Corporation (Nipro Corporation)
• Inventors: Yan, John, Sirhan, Motasim, Gertner, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Milano, Michael J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HO, TAN-UYEN THI
• Application Number:
  US09/717,910
• Time in Patent Office: 1,093 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1.15, 623/1.1, 623/1-1-, 606/151-158, 606/194, 628/898
• US Class Current: 623/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0401 Suture anchors, buttons or pledgets, i.e. means for attaching sutures to bone, cartilage or soft tissue; Instruments for applying or removing suture anchors A61B17/0642 takes precedence; fixation devices for tendons or ligaments A61F2/0811
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/064 Surgical staples, i.e. penetrating the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12 for ligaturing or otherwise compressing tubular parts of the body, e.g. blood vessels, umbilical cord specially adapted for vas deferens or fallopian tubes A61F6/20; materials for ligaturing blood vessels A61L17/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12009 Implements for ligaturing other than by clamps or clips, e.g. using a loop with a slip knot
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0406 Pledgets
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0409 Instruments for applying suture anchors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0417 T-fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0649 Coils or spirals
• 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 2002/072 Encapsulated stents, e.g. wire or whole stent embedded in lining
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/075 the stent being loosely attached to the graft material, e.g. by stitching
• 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 2220/0008 Fixation appliances for connecting prostheses to the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0067 Means for introducing or releasing pharmaceutical products into the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0068 the pharmaceutical product being in a reservoir

Abstract

The present invention is directed to method and apparatus for treating vulnerable tissue sites, such as aneurysms in the abdominal area or in the thoracic cavity, and expanded tissues on various organs and body surfaces such as the heart. The apparatus of the present invention, are containment members for at least partially containing the vulnerable tissue site, thus preventing or minimizing the further vulnerability or growth of the site. Additionally, or alternatively, the containment members can apply resistive force to the vulnerable tissue site. The force can be compressive against the exterior surface of the tissue site. The containment members of the present invention can be used alone or in combination with support members, such as stent/grafts, in treating a tissue site. In this embodiment, the support member is disposed within the inner lumen of the vulnerable tissue site with the containment member disposed on the exterior surface of the lumen.

Claims

1. A method for treating a patient'"'"'s aortic aneurysm which has an expanded weakened aortic wall extending over a length of the patient'"'"'s aorta, comprising,

providing a tubular containment member;

and

advancing the tubular containment member through a lumen of the aorta and through an access site in a wall of the aorta and disposing the containment member about an exterior surface over at least a length of the weakened aortic wall of the aortic aneurysm to support the weakened aortic wall.

2. A method for treating a patient'"'"'s aortic aneurysm which has an expanded weakened aortic wall extending over a length of the patient'"'"'s aorta, comprising,

providing a tubular containment member;

and

advancing the tubular containment member through a lumen of a second tubular body member disposed, at least in part, substantially parallel and adjacent the weakened aortic wall of the aortic aneurysm and through an access site in the second tubular body member and disposing the containment member about an exterior surface over at least the length of the weakened aortic wall of the aortic aneurysm to support the weakened aortic wall to resist further expansion thereof.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the access site is located in a wall of the second tubular body.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the second tubular body includes any one of esophagus, trachea, or vena cava.