Endoprosthesis for vascular bifurcation

• US 6,666,883 B1
• Filed: 05/30/2000
• Issued: 12/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jacques Seguin, Jean-Claude Laborde
• Original Assignee: Jacques Seguin, Jean-Claude Laborde
• Inventors: Seguin, Jacques, Laborde, Jean-Claude
• Primary Examiner(s): McDermott, Corrine
• Assistant Examiner(s): BARRETT, THOMAS C
• Application Number:
  US09/580,597
• Time in Patent Office: 1,302 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1-1-
• US Class Current: 623/1.16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/39 Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/90 characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
• 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 2002/065 Y-shaped blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/828 Means for connecting a plurality of stents allowing flexibility of the whole structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91541 Adjacent bands are arranged out of phase
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91558 connected peak to peak
• 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

Abstract

This invention features a device (1) comprising at least one radially expansible segment (7, 8) with, in the expanded state, a transversal cross section substantially greater than the transversal cross section of one of the secondary ducts (3); one segment (6) with, in the expanded state, a truncated shape, corresponding to the shape of the bifurcation at the flared transition zone (11) which separates the main duct (2) from the secondary ducts (3), and a flexible link (9) between these two segments (6, 7), enabling their adjustment relative to each other, according to the orientation of the secondary duct (3) receiving the said segment (7) relative to the flared transition zone (11).

Claims

1. A device for treatment of bodily conduits in an area of a bifurcation where a principal conduit separates into two secondary conduits, the device comprising non-overlapping segments delimiting longitudinal conduits, one of said segments being configured to be engaged in the primary conduit in the area of bifurcation, and another of said segments being configured to be engaged in a secondary conduit of the bifurcation;

at least one radially expandable first said segment having, in a predetermined expanded state, a cross section substantially greater than a cross section of one of the secondary conduits;

at least one radially expandable second said segment having a first end and a second end, said first end being capable of expanding to a greater diameter than said second end, and having in a predetermined expanded state, a truncated shape, conforming to a shape of the bifurcation in the area of a widened transitional zone that separates the principal conduit from the secondary conduits; and

a flexible link extending between and being separately connected to at least one of said first segment and said first end of said second segment, permitting said segments to be oriented in relation to one another on the basis of the orientation of the secondary conduit, which receives said first segment, in relation to said widened transitional zone, wherein said second segment has an axis not coincident with a longitudinal axis of said first segment, but oblique in relation to the axis of said first segment, in order to be adapted optimally to the anatomy of the bifurcation which is to be treated;

wherein the cross section of said first segment in the predetermined expanded state is less than the cross section of the first and second ends of said second segment when the second segment is in its predetermined expanded state.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and second segments are made from first and second tubes of material, respectively, and the second tube has a larger diameter than the first tube.

3. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said flexible link is welded to said first and second segments.

4. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said tubes are comprised of the same material.

5. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the at least one bridge of material is made of the same material as the material forming said first and second segments.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first segment comprises several radially expandable segments placed one after the other and having, in the predetermined expanded state, a cross section that is substantially greater than the cross section of one of the secondary conduits.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flexible link between said first and second segments is made up of at least one bridge of material connecting adjacent ends of said first and second segments.

8. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said first and second segments has a meshwork structure formed of meshes elongated in a longitudinal direction of the device, each mesh having a substantially hexagonal shape, wherein the meshes of said second segment have a width which increases progressively in the longitudinal direction of the device with the meshes toward the end of said second segment having the greatest cross section in the expanded state.

9. A device for treatment of bodily conduits in an area of bifurcation where a principal conduit separates into two secondary conduits, the device having non-overlapping segments delimiting longitudinal conduits, one of said segments being configured to be engaged in the primary conduit in the area of bifurcation, and another of said segments being configured to be engaged in a secondary conduit of the bifurcation, said device comprising:

at least one radially expandable first segment, which has, in a predetermined expanded state, a substantially cylindrical shape and a cross section substantially greater than a cross section of one of the secondary conduits;

at least one radially expandable second segment, which has a first end and a second end, said first end being capable of expanding to a greater diameter than said second end, and which has, in a predetermined expanded state, a truncated substantially conical shape in which said first end conforms to a shape of the bifurcation in the area of a widened transitional zone that separates the principal conduit from the secondary conduits when said first segment is in a said secondary conduit; and

flexible link extending between and being connected to at least one of said first segment and said first end of said second segment;

wherein the cross section of said first segment in the predetermined expanded state is less than the cross section of the first and second ends of said second segment when the second segment is in its predetermined expanded state.

10. A device according to claim 9, wherein said first and second segments are made from first and second tubes of material, respectively, and the second tube has a larger diameter than the first tube.

11. A device according to claim 10, wherein said flexible link is welded to said first and second segments.

12. A device according to claim 11, wherein the flexible link permits said first and second segments to be oriented in relation to one another on the basis of the orientation of said secondary conduit, which receives said first segment, in relation to said widened transitional zone.

13. A device according to claim 12, wherein the second segment has an axis not coincident with the longitudinal axis of said first segment but oblique in relation to the axis of said first segment, in order to be adapted optimally to the anatomy of the bifurcation which is to be treated.

14. A method of treating bodily conduits in an area of bifurcation where a principal conduit separates into two secondary conduits, said method comprising:

supporting at least one of the two secondary conduits with at least one radially expandable first segment, which has, in a predetermined expanded state, a substantially cylindrical shape and a cross section substantially greater than a cross section of said one of the secondary conduits;

supporting the principal conduit with at least one radially expandable second segment having a first end and a second end, said first end being capable of expanding to a greater diameter than said second end, and which has, in a predetermined expanded state, a truncated substantially conical shape which conforms to a shape of the bifurcation in the area of a widened transitional zone that separates the principal conduit from the secondary conduits, wherein the first end of the second segment is linked to said first segment by a flexible link which is separately connected to at least one of the first and second segments and the first segment and the second segment do not overlap; and

locating said second segment so that it adapts to the shape of the widened transitional zone of the bifurcation upon expansion;

wherein the cross section of the first segment in the predetermine expanded state is less than the cross section of the first and second ends of said second segment when the second segment is in its predetermined expanded state.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said first and second segments are made from first and second tubes of material, respectively, and the second tube has a larger diameter than the first tube.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said flexible link is welded to said first and second segments.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said second segment has an axis not coincident with a longitudinal axis of said first segment, but oblique in relation to the axis of said first segment, in order to be adapted optimally to the anatomy of the bifurcation which is to be treated.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

positioning said first and second segments respectively in said one of the secondary conduits and in the principal conduit at the same time, using a support core and a sheath which prevents said first and second segments from expanding prior to being properly positioned respectively in the one of the secondary conduits and the principal conduit, and then withdrawing said support core and sheath.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

positioning said first and second segments respectively in said one of the secondary conduits and in the principal conduit prior to allowing said first and second segments to expand.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein said first segment comprises several radially expandable segments placed one after the other and having, in the expanded state, a substantially cylindrical shape and a cross section that is substantially greater than the cross section of said one of the secondary conduits.

21. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

positioning, on a side of said second segment directed toward the principal conduit, at least one radially expandable third segment having, in an expanded state, a substantially cylindrical shape and a cross section that is substantially greater than the cross section of the principal conduit.

22. A method of treating body conduits in an area of bifurcation where a principal conduit separates into multiple secondary conduits, the principal conduit increasing in cross section to the junction with the multiple secondary conduits, said method comprising:

supporting at least one of the secondary conduits with at least one radially expanded first segment of an apparatus for treatment of body conduits, which said first segment has, in a predetermined fully expanded state, a substantially cylindrical shape and a cross section greater than a cross section of said one of the secondary conduits; and

supporting the principal conduit with at least one radially expanded second segment of the apparatus for treatment of body conduits, which said second segment has, in a predetermined fully expanded state, a truncated substantially conical shape which conforms to the shape of the increasing cross section of the principal conduit;

wherein the first segment and the second segment do not overlap.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the cross section of said first segment in the predetermined expanded state is less than the cross section of the first and second ends of said second segment when the second segment is in its predetermined expanded state.

24. The method according to claim 22, further comprising the step of:

forming the first and segments from first and second tubes of material, respectively, wherein the second tube has a larger diameter than the first tube.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the tubes

are comprised of the same material.

26. The method according to claim 22, said first and second segments being free of any link for connecting said first and second segments.

27. A method of treating bodily conduits in an area of bifurcation where a principal conduit separates into at least two secondary conduits, said method comprising:

locating at least one radially expandable device having a first end and a second end, said first end being capable of expanding to a greater diameter than said second end and said device having, in a predetermined expanded state, a truncated substantially conical shape that conforms to and supports an increasing cross section of the principal conduit in the area of a widened transitional zone that separates the principal conduit from the secondary conduits, in said principal conduit so that it adapts to the shape of the widened transitional zone of the bifurcation upon expansion, and does not overlap any other stent body.

28. A method of treating bodily conduits in an area of bifurcation where a principal conduit separates into at least two secondary conduits and where the principal conduit increases in cross section to the junction with the secondary conduits, comprising:

supporting the principal conduit with at least one radially expandable device having (1) a first end and a second end, and (2) in a predetermined filly expanded state, a substantially truncated conical shape such that the first end has a greater diameter than the second end and the first end conforms to and supports the increasing cross section of the principal conduit at the area of bifurcation, said device being located in said principal conduit with said first end opening out in the direction of said secondary conduits and said device not overlapping any other stent body.

29. A method of treating bodily conduits in an area of bifurcation where a principal conduit separates into at least two secondary conduits, the principal conduit increasing in cross section to the junction with the secondary conduits, comprising:

supporting the principal conduit with at least one radially expandable device having a first end and a second end, said first end being capable of expanding to a greater diameter than said second end, and which has, in a predetermined expanded state, a truncated substantially conical shape that conforms to the increasing cross section of the principal conduit; and

locating said device so that the first end opens towards the secondary conduits upon expansion of the device and does not overlap any other stent body.