Ureteral stent with end-effector and related methods

• US 6,949,125 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2002
• Issued: 09/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Robertson, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): McDermott, Corrine
• Assistant Examiner(s): LANDREM, KAMRIN R
• Application Number:
  US10/123,808
• Publication Number:
  US 20030195456A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,260 Days
• Field of Search: 623/23.7, 623/23.64, 604/96, 604/300, 604/103.03, 606/192
• US Class Current: 623/23.7
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/04 Hollow or tubular parts of organs, e.g. bladders, tracheae, bronchi or bile ducts A61F2/18, A61F2/20 take precedence; devices, other than stent-grafts, providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body other than stent-grafts, e.g. stents A61F2/82; instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts A61F2/95
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/048 Ureters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/105 having a balloon suitable for drug delivery, e.g. by using holes for delivery, drug coating or membranes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 27/008 pre-shaped, for use in the urethral or ureteral tract

Abstract

A system and related methods for maintaining the patentcy of the ureter comprising a pusher tube having a pusher tube lumen and an inflate lumen disposed within a wall of the pusher tube and a urinary stent having a proximal and distal portions with an elongated body portion therebetween configured to fit the ureter of the patient and defining a lumen. The system further includes an end-effector that may comprise an inflatable balloon positioned at the proximal portion of the urinary stent for retaining the proximal portion in the urinary bladder. At the distal portion, a retention end-piece is positioned for retaining the distal portion of the stent in the renal pelvis. The end-effector and the retention end-piece of the stent maintain the elongated body portion in situ. The end-effector may also include an inflatable balloon and may contain pharmaceutical or biologic agents for controlled release into the bladder.

Claims

1. A urinary stent for implantation within the urinary tract of a patient, comprising:

a proximal portion;

a distal portion;

an elongated body portion configured to fit within a ureter of the patient and defining a lumen;

an end-effector positioned at said proximal portion of said stent for retaining said proximal portion in a urinary bladder, said proximal end-effector comprising a balloon and a valve for altering the volume of said balloon, said valve being configured to be placed within the urinary tract of the patient; and

a distal retention end-piece positioned at said distal portion of said stent for retaining said distal portion in a renal pelvis, said retention end-piece including a substantially planar spiral, wherein said end-effector and said retention end-piece maintain said elongated body portion in situ.

2. The urinary stent according to claim 1 wherein said valve comprises a self-sealing valve.

3. The urinary stent according to claim 1 wherein said valve is a uni-directional valve.

4. The urinary stent according to claim 1 wherein said balloon further comprises a reservoir for storing and delivering a liquid contained therein.

5. The urinary stent according to claim 1 wherein said balloon further comprises a reservoir for storing and delivering a colloid contained therein.

6. The urinary stent according to claim 1 wherein said balloon further comprises a connector for reversibly receiving a pusher tube.

7. The urinary stent according to claim 1 wherein said balloon further comprises a retrieval suture attached to said valve to effect remote release of said balloon contents.

8. A urinary stent for implantation within the urinary tract of a patient, comprising:

a proximal portion;

a distal portion;

an elongated body portion configured to fit within a ureter of the patient and defining a lumen;

an end-effector positioned at said proximal portion of said stent for retaining said proximal portion in a urinary bladder, said proximal end-effector comprising a balloon and a valve for altering the volume of said balloon, said valve being configured to be placed within the urinary tract of the patient; and

a distal retention end-piece positioned at said distal portion of said stent for retaining said distal portion in a renal pelvis, said retention end-piece including a substantially helical coil, wherein said end-effector and said retention end-piece maintain said elongated body portion in situ.

9. A urinary stent for implantation within the urinary tract of a patient, comprising:

a sidewall defining a lumen and having a proximal portions, a distal portion, and

an elongated body portion configured to fit within a ureter of the patient;

an end-effector positioned at said proximal portion of said sidewall for retaining said proximal portion in a urinary bladder, said proximal end-effect comprising a balloon configured to engage at least a portion of the proximal portion of the sidewall; and

a distal retention end-piece positioned at said distal portion of said sidewall for retaining said distal portion in a renal pelvis,

wherein said end-effector and said retention end-piece maintain said stent in situ and wherein said at least a portion of said proximal portion of said sidewall collapses when a predetermined bladder pressure is exerted on said end-effector.

10. The urinary stent according to claim 9 wherein said retention end-piece comprises a substantially planar spiral.

11. The urinary stent according to claim 9 wherein said balloon further comprises a reservoir for storing and delivering a liquid contained therein.

12. The urinary stent according to claim 9 wherein said balloon further comprises a reservoir for storing and delivering a colloid contained therein.

13. The urinary stent according to claim 9 wherein said balloon further comprises a connector for reversibly receiving a pusher tube.

14. The urinary stent according to claim 9 wherein said balloon further comprises a self-sealing valve for altering the volume of said balloon.

15. A system for introducing a urinary stent into a patient, comprising:

a pusher tube comprising a pusher tube lumen and an inflate lumen disposed within a wall of said pusher tube;

a urinary stent comprising a proximal portion, a distal portion, and an elongated body portion configured to fit the ureter of the patient and defining a lumen therebetween;

a balloon positioned at said proximal portion of said urinary stent for retaining said proximal portion in the urinary bladder; and

a retention end-piece positioned at said distal portion of said stent for retaining said distal portion of said stent in the renal pelvis, said retention end-piece including a substantially helical coil, wherein said balloon and said retention end-piece maintain said elongated body portion in situ.

16. The system according to claim 15 wherein said balloon further comprises a connector for reversibly receiving said pusher tube.

17. A medical device, comprising:

an elongate member defining a lumen, the elongate member having a distal end portion configured to be placed within a kidney of a patient and a proximal end portion configured to be placed within a bladder of the patient, the distal end portion including a distal retention member configured to help retain the distal end portion within the kidney, the distal retention member including a helical coil, the proximal end portion including a proximal retention member configured to help retain the proximal end portion within the bladder, the proximal retention member including an inflatable member and a valve for controlling the volume of the inflatable member, the valve being configured to be placed within the patient.

18. The medical device of claim 17, wherein said valve is a self-sealing valve.

19. The medical device of claim 17, wherein said valve is a uni-directional valve.

20. The medical device of claim 17, wherein at least portion of the valve is disposed within the inflation member.