Intraluminal stent

• US 6,679,910 B1
• Filed: 07/25/2000
• Issued: 01/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Latin American Devices LLC
• Original Assignee: Latin American Devices LLC
• Inventors: Granada, Juan Fernando
• Primary Examiner(s): Willse, David H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Blanco, Javier G.
• Application Number:
  US09/624,812
• Time in Patent Office: 1,274 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1.15, 623/1.16, 623/1.18, 623/1.2
• 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 2002/91525 within the whole structure different bands showing different meander characteristics, e.g. frequency or amplitude
• 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 2230/0054 V-shaped

Abstract

An intraluminal stent ideal for intravascular and other applications. The stent comprises a plurality of circumferential bands interconnected by rows of links. Each of the bands is formed of a serpentine strand forming a plurality of loops. The loops form repeating bends along the edges of the bands. Except for the bends on the outer most edges of the end bands, the internal bends are radiused to greater than 180 degrees. This forms a crimped neck or narrowed portion from which the legs of each loop extend, and three “joints” in each leg. The bends on the outer edges of the stent may be simple 180-degree curves, to provide relatively rigid leading edges. The links that connect the bands preferably are serpentine as well, and more preferably are S-shaped. The rows of serpentine links may alternate between being right-handed and left-handed. The present stent provides an increased range of radial expansion, improved radial strength once deployed, improved rigidity at the forward and rearward leading edges to prevent trauma to the balloon or the vessel wall during insertion, and increased flexibility for better trackability.

Claims

1. An intraluminal stent comprising:

a tubular body having a first end and a second end and formed of a plurality of circumferential bands including a first end band and a second end band and at least one intermediate band, the circumferential bands being arranged axially end to end;

wherein each band is formed by a serpentine strand;

wherein each of the opposing edges of each of the circumferential bands is formed by alternating bends and gaps, wherein in each circumferential band a bend is opposed on the opposite edge by a gap, and wherein the bends forming the edge of one of the plurality of circumferential bands are axially aligned with the bends forming the opposing edge of an adjacent circumferential band;

wherein a plurality of aligned bends on adjacent circumferential bands are connected by serpentine links, each serpentine link comprising a pair of oppositely oriented curves;

wherein the serpentine links between each pair of adjacent circumferential bands form a circumferential row, and wherein the rows of serpentine links alternate between left-handed rows and right-handed rows;

wherein when the tubular body is viewed horizontally from left to right, the right-handed rows comprise serpentine links having a leftward-most curve extending downwardly and a rightward-most curve extending upwardly, and the left-handed rows comprise serpentine links having a leftward-most curve extending upwardly and a rightward-most curve extending downwardly;

wherein the serpentine strands and the serpentine links are formed of a pliable, shape-sustaining material whereby the tubular body is radially expandable from an undeployed condition in which the body has a first diameter and a deployed condition in which the body has a second diameter larger than the first diameter;

wherein the serpentine strand forming the at least one intermediate band comprises a plurality of loops, each loop comprising two legs converging to form a bend, wherein adjacent loops share a common leg, wherein when the tubular body is viewed longitudinally the bends of circumferentially adjacent loops in a band extend alternately first toward the first end of the tube and then toward the second end of the tube, and wherein the bends are radiused to greater than 180 degrees so that each loop has a narrowed portion between the bend and the legs, and wherein each of the first end band and the second end band have an inner edge and outer edge wherein the serpentine strand forming the first and second end bands comprises a plurality of loops, each loop comprising two legs converging to form a bend, wherein circumferentially adjacent loops a share a common leg, wherein when the tubular body is viewed longitudinally the bends of adjacent loops extend alternately first toward the first end of the tube and then toward the second end of the tube, wherein the legs are substantially parallel, and wherein the bends forming the outer edges of the first and second end bands are radiused to about 180 degrees so that the bends forming the outer edges of the first and second bands are about the same width as the distance between adjacent legs.

2. The stent of claim 1 wherein the tubular body is sized to be received in the lumen of a selected blood vessel and is biologically compatible.

3. The stent of claim 1 wherein the serpentine links are S-shaped.

4. The stent of claim 1 wherein there are six intermediate circumferential bands and seven circumferential rows of serpentine links.

5. The stent of claim 4 wherein the serpentine strand forming the each of the circumferential bands comprises a series of fourteen of said loops, each loop comprising two legs converging to form a bend, wherein circumferentially adjacent loops share a common leg, wherein when the tubular body is viewed longitudinally the bends of adjacent loops extend alternately first toward the first end of the tube and then toward the second end of the tube.

6. The stent of claim 5 wherein each circumferential band is formed of fourteen loops.