Stent design having stent segments which uncouple upon deployment

• US 7,175,654 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2003
• Issued: 02/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardinal Health Switzerland 515 GmbH (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cordis Corporation (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Inventors: Johnson, Kirk, Bonsignore, Craig
• Primary Examiner(s): Dawson; Glenn K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SONNETT, KATHLEEN C
• Application Number:
  US10/687,143
• Publication Number:
  US 20050085896A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,216 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1.11, 623/1.15, 623/1.34, 606/198
• US Class Current: 623/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/852 Two or more distinct overlapping stents
• 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 2/91 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 2002/826 more than one stent being applied sequentially
• 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 2002/91558 connected peak to peak
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91591 Locking connectors, e.g. using male-female connections
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0063 Nested prosthetic parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0098 radio-opaque, e.g. radio-opaque markers

Abstract

A stent or other intraluminal medical device may be constructed utilizing multiple, individual, independent, self-expanding stent segments which are designed to interlock when constrained within a delivery sheath and uncouple upon deployment. The individual segments are releasably connected by a series of bridging elements and receptacles.

Claims

1. An intraluminal medical device comprising multiple, independent, self-expanding stent segments, each stent segment including a plurality of longitudinal struts, a plurality of loops connecting adjacent struts, at least one bridging element comprising an elongate member extending from one of the plurality of loops and having a free end with a mating protrusion, the elongate member being longer than the plurality of longitudinal struts, and at least one receptacle, the at least one receptacle comprising an additional space between adjacent longitudinal struts and an expanded loop, defining a cavity for the elongate member and the mating protrusion wherein the at least one bridging element of one or more of the stent segments is configured to be releasably engaged with the at least one receptacle on an adjacent stent segment and wherein the at least one bridging element on one stent segment is offset radially with respect to the at least one bridging element on an adjacent stent segment such that each bridging element in one stent segment does not line up with any bridging element on an adjacent stent segment.

2. The intraluminal medical device according to claim 1, wherein the cavity and the mating protrusion have a substantially oval shape.

3. The intraluminal medical device according to claim 2, wherein the self-expanding stent segments comprise a superelastic alloy.

4. The intraluminal medical device according to claim 3, wherein the superelastic alloy comprises from about fifty percent to about sixty percent Nickel and the remainder titanium.

5. The intraluminal medical device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of struts and the plurality of loops form a substantially S-shaped configuration.

6. The intraluminal medical device according to claim 1, further comprising one or more radiopaque markers.

7. The intraluminal medical device according to claim 6, wherein the one or more markers are incorporated into the mating protrusion.