Stent with dual support structure

• US 7,632,300 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2005
• Issued: 12/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ev3, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: ev3, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Thompson, Paul J.
• Primary Examiner(s): SNOW, BRUCE EDWARD
• Application Number:
  US11/042,316
• Publication Number:
  US 20050283227A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,786 Days
• Field of Search: 623 111- 144
• US Class Current: 623/1.15
• 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 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 2002/91508 the meander having a difference in amplitude along the band
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91525 within the whole structure different bands showing different meander characteristics, e.g. frequency or amplitude
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91541 Adjacent bands are arranged out of phase
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91558 connected peak to peak
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91566 connected trough to trough
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0013 Horseshoe-shaped, e.g. crescent-shaped, C-shaped, U-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/001 for adjusting a diameter

Abstract

A intraluminal stent comprises a reticulated tube having an un-deployed diameter and expandable to an enlarged diameter. The tube includes a structural beam extending between first and second ends. The structural beam changes from a first geometry to a second geometry when the tube changes from the un-deployed diameter to the enlarged diameter. The structural beam includes first and second longitudinal elements each extending at least partially between the first and second ends and with a spacing between the first and second elements. Each of said first and second elements changes from the first geometry to the second geometry when the tube changes from the un-deployed diameter to the enlarged diameter for the spacing to remain substantially unchanged as the tube changes from the un-deployed diameter to the enlarged diameter.

Claims

1. A stent comprising:

a reticulated tube having an undeployed diameter and an enlarged diameter, wherein the tube comprises a structural beam between a first end of the tube and a second end of the tube, said structural beam extending substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the tube in the undeployed diameter and the enlarged diameter,

wherein the structural beam comprises;

(a) a first longitudinal element and second longitudinal element extending substantially parallel to one another, said first and second longitudinal elements having an undulating pattern that defines a plurality of peaks and valleys extending at least partially between the first and second ends of the tube, each of the peaks and valleys being a semicircular arcuate segment and being separated by substantially parallel segments, the peaks having a width that is smaller than the width of the substantially parallel segments; and

(b) a slot between the first and the second longitudinal elements,

wherein the width of the slot remains substantially unchanged as the tube expands from the undeployed diameter to the expanded diameter and wherein the structural beam changes from a first geometry to a second geometry when the tube changes from the undeployed diameter to the enlarged diameter.

2. The stent of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of cells.

3. The stent of claim 2, wherein the cells are substantially identical.

4. The stent of claim 1 wherein the substantially parallel segments remain substantially parallel as the stent expands from the undeployed diameter to the expanded diameter.

5. The stent of claim 2, wherein the cells assume a diamond shape as the stent expands form the undeployed diameter to the expanded diameter.

6. The stent of claim 1, wherein the stent is a balloon expandable stent.

7. The stent of claim 1, wherein the stent is made of a shape memory material.

8. The stent of claim 7, wherein the shape memory material is nitinol.

9. A stent comprising:

a stent body expandable between an undeployed orientation and a deployed orientation,

the stent body having cell defining portions including first and second longitudinal segments which are fixedly attached to each other at opposite ends thereof, said cell defining portions extending substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the stent body in the undeployed orientation and the deployed orientation,

wherein the first and second longitudinal segments each comprise;

(a) a first longitudinal element and second longitudinal element extending substantially parallel to one another, said first and second longitudinal elements having an undulating pattern that defines a plurality of peaks and valleys extending at least partially between the first and second ends of the longitudinal segment, each of the peaks and valleys being a semicircular arcuate segment and being separated by substantially parallel segments, the peaks having a width that is smaller than the width of the substantially parallel segments; and

(b) a slot between the first and the second longitudinal element.

10. The stent of claim 9, further comprising a plurality of cells.

11. The stent of claim 10, wherein the cells are identical.

12. The stent of claim 9 wherein the parallel straight segments remain parallel as the stent expands from the undeployed diameter to the expanded diameter.

13. The stent of claim 10, wherein the cells assume a diamond shape as the stent expands form the undeployed diameter to the expanded diameter.

14. The stent of claim 9, wherein the stent is a balloon expandable stent.

15. The stent of claim 9, wherein the stent is made of a shape memory material.

16. The stent of claim 15, wherein the shape memory material is nitinol.

17. A stent comprising:

a stent body expandable between an undeployed orientation and a deployed orientation;

the stent body having cell defining portions with opposing surfaces defining an open cell bounded by the cell defining portions, the cell having a major axis and a minor axis;

the cell defining portions including first and second longitudinal segments each of which includes;

(a) a longitudinal axis extending parallel to the cell major axis, the longitudinal axis being positioned on opposite sides of the cell major axis; and

(b) an undulating pattern that defines a plurality of peaks and valleys spaced outwardly and inwardly, respectively, from the longitudinal axes;

the first and second longitudinal segments being interconnected at opposite ends thereof;

the stent body further including first and second longitudinal connection locations at interconnection points of the interconnected first and second longitudinal segments for connection of the cell to first and second longitudinally adjacent cells, respectively, and first and second transverse connection locations on the first and second longitudinal segments, respectively, for connection of the cell to first and second transversely adjacent cells, respectively;

the cell defining portions being symmetrical about both the major axis and the minor axis;

the first and second longitudinal connection locations being positioned on the major axis;

sets of substantially parallel portions that interconnect the peaks and valleys; and

wherein the peaks have a width that is smaller than the width of the substantially parallel portions.

18. The stent of claim 17, wherein the peaks include apices, and the width of the longitudinal segments decrease as said longitudinal segments extend toward said apices.

19. The stent of claim 17, wherein the stent is a balloon expandable stent.

20. The stent of claim 17, wherein the stent is made of a shape memory material.

21. The stent of claim 20, wherein the shape memory material is nitinol.

22. The stent of claim 17, wherein the first and second transverse connection locations are positioned on the minor axis.