Self-expanding stent with enhanced delivery precision and stent delivery system

• US 6,709,454 B1
• Filed: 01/31/2000
• Issued: 03/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Harrison, William James, Cox, Daniel L.
• Primary Examiner(s): PELLEGRINO, BRIAN E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Koh, Choon
• Application Number:
  US09/495,395
• Time in Patent Office: 1,513 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1.16, 623/1.2
• US Class Current: 623/1.16
• 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 2/95 Instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/9517 handle assemblies therefor
• 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 2230/0013 Horseshoe-shaped, e.g. crescent-shaped, C-shaped, U-shaped

Abstract

A self-expanding stent for implantation into a body lumen, such as an artery, includes a plurality of radially expandable cylindrical elements generally aligned on a common longitudinal stent axis and interconnected by a plurality of interconnecting members placed on the stent in a collinear arrangement such as to create at least one continuous spine which extends along the length of the stent. The stent has cylindrical elements at each end of the stent which includes a plurality of double curved portions.

Claims

1. A self-expanding stent having longitudinal flexibility for implanting in a body lumen and being expandable from a compressed condition to an expanded condition, comprising:

a plurality of adjacent cylindrical elements made from a self-expanding material, each cylindrical element having a circumference extending around a longitudinal stent axis and being substantially independently expandable in the radial direction, wherein the plurality of adjacent cylindrical elements are arranged in alignment along the longitudinal stent axis and form a generally tubular member, the cylindrical elements are formed in a generally serpentine wave pattern and contain alternating valley portions and peak portions with a space formed between each valley and peak portion, the peak portions of the cylindrical element are adapted to extend within the spaces formed on an adjacent cylindrical element, and the cylindrical elements at each end of the stent have a plurality of double curved portions forming the outermost edge of the stent; and

a plurality of interconnecting members extending between the adjacent cylindrical elements and connecting the adjacent cylindrical elements to one another, wherein some of the interconnecting members are aligned collinearly with respect to each other to form a continuous spine which extends along the length of the stent.

2. The stent of claim 1, wherein the interconnecting members are connected at the double curved portions of each cylindrical element.

3. The stent of claim 1, wherein the plurality of interconnecting members form a plurality of continuous spines which extend along the length of the stent.

4. The stent of claim 1, wherein a plurality of interconnecting members attach each of the end cylindrical elements to an adjacent cylindrical element.

5. The stent of claim 1, wherein said stent is formed of a biocompatible material such as nickel titanium alloy.

6. The stent of claim 1, wherein the stent is formed from a single piece of tubing.

7. The stent of claim 1, wherein the valley portions include U-shaped portions and W-shaped portions and the peak portions include inverted U-shaped portions.

8. The stent of claim 7, wherein the U-shaped and inverted U-shaped portions have legs defining the shape of the respective portion with the legs of each U-shaped and inverted U-shaped portion being inverted slightly inward to each other when in the compressed condition.

9. The stent of claim 7, wherein the W-shaped portions have outer legs defining the shape of the respective portion with the outer legs of each W-shaped portion being inverted slightly inward to each other when in the compressed condition.

10. A flexible intravascular stent for implanting in a body lumen, comprising:

a plurality of cylindrical elements interconnected to form the stent, each cylindrical element arranged in alignment along a longitudinal stent axis and having a first delivery diameter and a second implanted diameter;

each cylindrical element being formed in a generally serpentine wave pattern having a plurality of alternating valley portions and peak portions with a space formed between each alternating valley portion and peak portion, wherein peak portions of the cylindrical elements are adapted to extend within the spaces formed on an adjacent cylindrical element and the cylindrical elements at each end of the stent have a multiplicity of double curved portions which form the outermost edge of the stent; and

a plurality of interconnecting members extending between the adjacent cylindrical elements and connecting the adjacent cylindrical elements to one another, wherein some of the interconnecting members are aligned collinearly with respect to each other to form a continuous spine which extends along the length of the stent; and

a plurality of interconnecting members extending between the adjacent cylindrical elements and connecting the adjacent cylindrical elements to one another, wherein some of the interconnecting members are aligned collinearly with respect to each other to form a continuous spine which extends along the length of the stent.

11. The intravascular stent of claim 10, wherein:

a shoulder region extends between each of the alternating valley portions and peak portions.

12. The intravascular stent of claim 11, wherein:

the shoulder regions increase the width of the space formed between alternating valley portions and peak portions.

13. The intravascular stent of claim 10, wherein:

each cylindrical element includes a shoulder region which extends between each alternating peak portion and valley portion.

14. The intravascular stent of claim 13, wherein:

each shoulder region increases the width of the space formed between alternating peak portions and valley portions.

15. The intravascular stent of claim 14, wherein:

each peak portion is adapted to fit within the spaces formed between alternating peak portions and valley portions of an adjacent cylindrical element.

16. The intravascular stent of claim 15, wherein:

the stent is made from a biocompatible material which is self-expanding.

17. The intravascular stent of claim 10, wherein:

each peak portion of a cylindrical element is aligned to fit within the space formed between the alternating valley portions and peak portions of an adjacent cylindrical element.

18. The intravascular stent of claim 17, wherein:

each peak portion of a cylindrical element is aligned in phase with a peak portion of an adjacent cylindrical element.

19. The intravascular stent of claim 10, wherein:

at least one of the valley portions of each cylindrical element is a double-curved portion.

20. The intravascular stent of claim 19, wherein:

a plurality of interconnecting members extends from the double-curved portions of the cylindrical elements to connect adjacent cylindrical elements together.

21. The intravascular stent of claim 10, wherein:

the stent is made from a biocompatible material which is self-expanding.

22. The intravascular stent of claim 10, wherein:

valley portions include U-shaped portions and W-shaped portions and the peak portions include U-shaped portions, the U-shaped and inverted U-shaped portions have legs defining the shape of the respective portion with the legs of each U-shaped and inverted U-shaped portion being inverted slightly inward to each other when placed in the first delivery diameter.

23. The stent of claim 22, wherein the W-shaped portions have outer legs defining the shape of the respective portion with the outer legs of each W-shaped portion being inverted slightly inward to each other when placed in the first delivery diameter.