Endovascular support device and method

• US 6,827,733 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2003
• Issued: 12/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Vascular, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Ave Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Boneau, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): GHERBI, SUZETTE JAIME J
• Application Number:
  US10/668,287
• Publication Number:
  US 20040064180A1
• Time in Patent Office: 440 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1-1-, 606/198
• US Class Current: 623/1.16
• 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 2210/0042 using a fluid, e.g. circulating

Abstract

An endovascular support device for treatment of chronic restenosis or other vascular narrowing is disclosed together with a method of manufacture and a method for delivering a plurality of such devices to an affected area of a vessel. In a preferred embodiment, the endovascular support device comprises a unitary wire-like structure configured to form a plurality of upper and lower peaks which may be compressed for delivery to an affected area of a coronary or peripheral vessel in a human, and then expanded to maintain a passageway through the vessel.

Claims

1. A balloon expandable intralumenal support device, comprising:

at least two generally circular elements aligned with and adjacent to each other when crimped on a balloon of a balloon catheter, each element including a wire having a plurality of axial turns, with one half of the turns facing a first direction and one half of the turns facing a second direction,

wherein at least one axial turn of the one half of the turns facing a first direction and at least one axial turn of the one half of the turns facing a second direction are not connected to the axial turns of an adjacent element.

2. The support device of claim 1, wherein each said element further includes a plurality of straight portions.

3. The support device of claim 2, wherein at least one of said plurality of straight portions is disposed between each said axial turn.

4. The support device of claim 2, wherein said straight portions extend from a first axial turn facing said first direction to a second axial turn facing said second direction.

5. The support device of claim 1, wherein at least one of said elements is metallic.

6. The support device of claim 5, wherein at least one of said elements is made of a metal alloy.

7. The support device of claim 1, wherein at least one of said elements is expandable from a first unexpanded radius to a second expanded radius.

8. The support device of claim 1, wherein said axial turns have a first end and a second end, such that the movement of said first end away from said second end causes said element to expand.

9. The support device of claim 1, wherein said at least two elements are simultaneously expandable within a body lumen.

10. The support device of claim 1, wherein said axial turns are generally U-shaped.

11. A intralumenal support device, comprising:

a plurality of balloon expandable rings parallel and adjacently aligned, each ring comprising axial turns, wherein at least one of said axial turns facing a first direction and at least one of said axial turns facing a second direction are not connected to an adjacently aligned expandable ring.

12. The support device of claim 11, wherein each of said plurality of balloon expandable rings further includes a plurality of straight portions.

13. The support device of claim 12, wherein at least one of said plurality of straight portions is disposed between a pair of said axial turns.

14. The support device of claim 12, wherein said straight portions extend from a first axial turn to a second axial turn.

15. The support device of claim 11, wherein said rings are metallic.

16. The support device of claim 15, wherein said rings are made of a metal alloy.

17. The support device of claim 11, wherein said axial turns have a first end and a second end, such that the movement of said first end away from said second end causes said rings to expand.

18. The support device of claim 11, wherein said rings are simultaneously expandable within a body lumen.

19. The support device of claim 11, wherein each of said axial turns forms a hair-pin turn.

20. An intravascular stent device, comprising:

a plurality of undulating rings adjacently aligned, said ring having a generally circular shape and being capable of being expanded from a first diameter to a second diameter by the inflation of a balloon of a balloon catheter;

wherein said undulating rings are formed from at least alternating axial turns; and

wherein at least two adjacent alternating axial turns are not connected to an adjacently aligned undulating ring.

21. The stent device of claim 20, wherein each undulating ring further includes a plurality of straight portions.

22. The support device of claim 21, wherein at least one of said plurality of straight portions is disposed between adjacent alternating axial turns.

23. The support device of claim 22, wherein said straight portions span the entire distance between adjacent alternating axial turns.

24. The support device of claim 20, wherein said undulating rings are metallic.

25. The support device of claim 24, wherein said undulating rings are made of a metal alloy.

26. The support device of claim 20, wherein said undulating rings are expandable from a first unexpanded radius to a second expanded radius.

27. The support device of claim 20, wherein said axial turns have a first end and a second end, such that the movement of said first end away from said second end causes said rings to expand.

28. The support device of claim 20, wherein said adjacently aligned undulating rings are simultaneously expandable within a body lumen.

29. The support device of claim 20, wherein said axial turns are generally U-shaped.