Multi-section stent

• US 6,699,280 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2002
• Issued: 03/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mayo Foundation For Medical Education And Research (Mayo Clinic)
• Original Assignee: Mayo Foundation For Medical Education And Research (Mayo Clinic)
• Inventors: Holmes, David R. Jr., Argo, Timothy D., Schwartz, Robert S., Camrud, Allan R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Willse, David H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GHERBI, SUZETTE JAIME J
• Application Number:
  US10/282,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20030078649A1
• Time in Patent Office: 490 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1.15, 623/1.16, 623/1.28, 623/1.29, 623/1.38, 623/23.7
• US Class Current: 623/1.16
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• 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 2/86 Stents in a form characterised by the wire-like elements; Stents in the form characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
• 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 2/89 the wire-like elements comprising two or more adjacent rings flexibly connected by separate members
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/90 characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/826 more than one stent being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/828 Means for connecting a plurality of stents allowing flexibility of the whole structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0004 bioabsorbable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0031 made from both resorbable and non-resorbable prosthetic parts, e.g. adjacent parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0039 differing in diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0051 differing in tissue ingrowth capacity, e.g. made from both ingrowth-promoting and ingrowth-preventing parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0067 Means for introducing or releasing pharmaceutical products into the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0071 breakable or frangible
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0098 radio-opaque, e.g. radio-opaque markers

Abstract

A stent includes a first stent section, a second stent section, and at least one connecting member. The connecting member has a first end attached to the first stent section, a second end attached to the second stent section and a physically separable portion.

Claims

1. A stent comprising:

a first stent section;

a second stent section; and

at least one connecting member having a first end attached to the first stent section, a second end attached to the second stent section and a physically separable portion, wherein the at least one connecting member includes

a first link extending from the first stent section;

a second link extending from the second stent section, wherein the first and second links interlock and define an overlap region; and

a material formed in the overlap region to hold the first and second stent sections in a substantially fixed relationship, wherein the material is separable upon deployment of the stent within a body lumen, thereby enabling the first and second stent sections to move relative to one another.

2. A stent comprising:

a first stent section;

a second stent section; and

at least one connecting member having a first end attached to the first stent section, a second end attached to the second stent section and a physically separable portion, wherein the connecting structure includes

a first link that interlocks with both a second link in the first stent section and a third link in the second stent sections, thereby connecting the first and second stent sections, wherein the first link defines a first overlap region with the second link and a second overlap region with the third link; and

a material formed in the first and second overlap regions to hold the first and second stent sections in a substantially fixed relationship, wherein the material is separable upon deployment of the stent within a body lumen, thereby enabling the first and second stent sections to move relative to another.

3. A stent comprising:

a first stent section;

a second stent section;

a first link extending from the first stent section;

a second link extending from the second stent section, wherein the first and second links interlock and define an overlap region; and

a material formed in the overlap region to hold the first and second stent sections in a substantially fixed relationship, wherein the material is separable upon deployment

of the stent within a body lumen, thereby enabling the first and second stent sections to move relative to one another.

4. The stent of claim 3, wherein the material is degradable over time upon deployment of the stent within the body lumen, thereby at least partially disconnecting the first and second stent sections.

5. The stent of claim 4, wherein the degradable material is selected from the group consisting of body-soluble sugar, collagen, fibrin, polyurethane, polyunhydride, and polyethyloxide.

6. The stent of claim 4, wherein the material includes a therapeutic substance that is released into the body lumen during degradation of the material.

7. The stent of claim 6, wherein the therapeutic substance includes heparin.

8. The stent of claim 3, wherein the material is breakable over time upon deployment of the stent within the body lumen, thereby at least partially disconnecting the first and second stent sections.

9. The stent of claim 3, wherein the interlocking links restrict the extent of movement of the first and second stent sections away from one another.

10. The stent of claim 3, wherein the first link interlocks with a third link formed in the first stent section and forms a second overlap region, and the second link interlocks with a fourth link formed in the second stent section and forms a third overlap region, the stent further comprising a second material formed in the second overlap region, and a third material formed in the third overlap region, the second and third materials being breakable or degradable upon deployment of the stent within the body lumen, thereby enabling the first and second stent sections to move relative to one another.

11. The stent of claim 3, further comprising multiple pairs of the first and second links that connect the first and second stent sections.

12. A stent comprising:

first stent section;

a second stent section;

a first link that interlocks with a second link in the first stent section and a third link in the second stent sections, thereby connecting the first and second stent sections, wherein the first link defines a first overlap region with the second link and a second overlap region with the third link; and

a material formed in the first and second overlap regions to hold the first and second stent sections in a substantially fixed relationship, wherein the material is separable upon deployment of the stent within a body lumen, thereby enabling the first and second stent sections to move relative to one another.

13. The stent of claim 12, wherein the material is degradable over time upon deployment of the stent within the body lumen, thereby at least partially disconnecting the first and second stent sections.

14. The stent of claim 13, wherein the degradable material is selected from the group consisting of body-soluble sugar, collagen, fibrin, polyurethane, polyunhydride, and polyethyloxide.

15. The stent of claim 13, wherein the material includes a therapeutic substance that is released into the body lumen during degradation of the material.

16. The stent of claim 13, wherein the therapeutic substance includes heparin.

17. The stent of claim 13, wherein the material is breakable over time upon deployment of the stent within the body lumen, thereby at least partially disconnecting the first and second stent sections.

18. The stent of claim 13, wherein the interlocking links restrict the extent of movement of the first and second stent sections away from one another.