Device for retaining a prosthesis within a body passage

• US 6,740,111 B1
• Filed: 08/03/1999
• Issued: 05/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Vascutek Limited (Terumo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Vascutek Limited (Terumo Corporation)
• Inventors: Lauterjung, Karl-Lutz
• Primary Examiner(s): Prebilic, Paul B.
• Application Number:
  US09/365,860
• Time in Patent Office: 1,757 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1.2, 623/1.16, 623/1.13, 623/2.38, 623/2.4, 623/1.1, 623/1.14, 623/1.17, 623/1.22, 606/191, 606/198, 606/197, 214/166-169, 214/176, 214/178, 214/360, 214/364.1, 267/86, 310/272, 310/1, 138/127-129, 138/132, 138/154, 138/174
• US Class Current: 623/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/24 Heart valves ; Vascular valves, e.g. venous valves; Heart implants, e.g. passive devices for improving the function of the native valve or the heart muscle; Transmyocardial revascularisation [TMR] devices; Valves implantable in the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2412 with soft flexible valve members, e.g. tissue valves shaped like natural valves check valves with flexible valve members in general F16K15/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2439 Expansion controlled by filaments
• 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 2/95 Instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/954 for placing stents or stent-grafts in a bifurcation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/065 Y-shaped blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/067 modular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/075 the stent being loosely attached to the graft material, e.g. by stitching
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30327 differing in diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30505 spring biased
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/826 more than one stent being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9511 the retaining means being filaments or wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0025 Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0039 differing in diameter

Abstract

A prosthesis that resiliently engages a body passage includes an annular clamping ring which may be folded along a diametric axis for insertion into the body passage. The clamping ring is adapted to resiliently spring outwardly, once in position inside the body passage, and to be continually resiliently biased against the interior surface of the body passage. One or more of the clamping rings may be attached to opposed ends of a tubular graft. The rings and connected graft may be positioned in the body passage using a applicator which selectively permits expansion and/or in some embodiments contraction of the annular ring in position within a body passage. Alternatively a retaining member may be used to retain the annular ring in a compressed condition until it is in a desired position within a body passage. Among other potential uses, the present invention may be useful as a vascular stent for treating abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Claims

1. A device for retaining a prosthesis within a body passage comprising an annular, resilient element, wherein said element is formed by overlapping a plurality of windings of wire radially on top of one another around a common core and connecting the windings together to form a bundle, said wire being sized to decrease the minimum bending diameter of said element.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein when in said undeformed state said resilient element has a circular cross-section.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said wire is formed of a superelastic phase nickel-titanium alloy.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said element is adapted to be situated inside a body passage in a C-shaped configuration, folded about a diametric axis of said element.

5. A device for retaining a prosthesis within a body passage comprising an annular, resilient element, said element formed from a plurality of winding of wire, said element being folded into a C-shape around a diametrical axis to form a pair of loops extending outwardly from said diametrical axis and arranged one over the other.