Endovascular graft with separable sensors

• US 7,399,313 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2003
• Issued: 07/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lifeshield Sciences LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: EndoVascular Technologies Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Brown, Peter S., Eckert, Robin W., Wei, Michael, Kovac, Tim
• Primary Examiner(s): Gherbi; Suzette J
• Application Number:
  US10/445,723
• Publication Number:
  US 20040199238A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,876 Days
• Field of Search: 623 111- 136, 623/1.44, 623/1.561, 623/1.54, 623/1.345, 623/1.51, 600/309, 600/485, 310/322
• US Class Current: 623/1.13
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02014 Determining aneurysm
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0215 by means inserted into the body catheters A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/026 Measuring blood flow A61B3/1233, A61B3/1241 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/05 Detecting, measuring or recording for diagnosis by means of electric currents or magnetic fields; Measuring using microwaves or radio waves impedance plethysmography A61B5/0295; measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof A61B5/11; detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof A61B5/24
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/145 Measuring characteristics of blood in vivo, e.g. gas concentration, pH value; Measuring characteristics of body fluids or tissues, e.g. interstitial fluid, cerebral tissuemeasuring of blood pressure or blood flow A61B5/02; non-radiation detecting or locating of foreign bodies in blood A61B5/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/065 Y-shaped blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/067 modular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0002 for data transfer

Abstract

A endovascular graft having sensing devices attached thereto to facilitate measurement of pertinent parameters within the vasculature into which the graft is implanted. Power sources and transmitters may be attached to the graft to facilitate transmission of measurements to a receiving device outside the patient'"'"'s body. The sensing devices, may be electrically passive or integrated devices with measurement and transmission capability. The sensing devices may be attached to specific locations on the graft material or attached to the lumen, thereby providing pertinent parameters from critical points inside the vasculature, or may be dispersed over the surface of the graft material or within the lumen to provide a profile of pertinent parameters. The sensing devices may be attached to the graft material with one suture using a running stitch to minimize graft bulk and may be coated with a material to inhibit or control tissue growth. A bio-reabsorbable or hard wire tether or suture may be employed to attach devices to one or more graft components.

Claims

1. A prosthesis for repairing vasculature, comprising:

a first prosthesis component;

a tether; and

a device having measuring or transmitting capabilities, the device tethered to the first prosthesis component by the tether;

wherein the device is spaced from and separably positionable relative to the first prosthesis component and the device and the tether are configured to completely reside within vasculature into which the first prosthesis component is placed; and

wherein the tether is bio-reabsorbable.

2. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the tether is a hard wire tether.

3. The prosthesis of claim 1, further comprising a second prosthesis component.

4. The prosthesis of claim 3, wherein the second prosthesis component is configured to mate with the first prosthesis component after the first prosthesis component is placed within vasculature.

5. The prosthesis of claim 3, wherein the first prosthesis component is configured to mate with the second prosthesis component after the second prosthesis component is placed within vasculature.

6. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the prosthesis is a modular graft assembly and the first prosthesis component is one of a plurality of graft components.

7. The prosthesis of claim 6, wherein only the first graft prosthesis component has the device attached thereto.

8. The prosthesis of claim 6, further comprising an additional device attached to more than one component of the plurality of graft components.

9. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the prosthesis is configured to treat an aneurysm and the tether maintains the device within an aneurysm sac.

10. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the device is a sensor/transmitter assembly.

11. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the device is a sensor.

12. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the device is a satellite sensor.

13. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the device is a monument.

14. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the device is a power supply.

15. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the device measures or cooperates to measure or identify blood constitutes.

16. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the device measures or cooperates to measure or identify pressure.

17. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the device measures or cooperates to measure temperature.

18. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the device measures or cooperates to measure oxygen.

19. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the first prosthesis component is bifurcated and includes a first limb and a second limb, the device is attached to one of the first and second limbs. of the first and second limbs.

20. A prosthesis for repairing vasculature, comprising:

a first prosthesis component;

a tether; and

a device having measuring or transmitting capabilities, the device tethered to the first prosthesis component by the tether;

wherein the device is spaced from and separably positionable relative to the first prosthesis component and the device and the tether are configured to completely reside within vasculature into which the first prosthesis component is placed wherein the tether breaks down after clots form about the device to thereby hold the device in place separate from the first prosthesis component.