Stent having helical elements

• US 7,967,852 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2010
• Issued: 06/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: OrbusNeich Medical Pte Ltd
• Original Assignee: Orbusneich Medical Incorporated (Orbusneich Medical)
• Inventors: Addonizio, Scott J., Camp, David L. Jr., Becker, Gary J., Pazienza, John D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Isabella; David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stroud; Jonathan
• Application Number:
  US12/878,232
• Publication Number:
  US 20100324661A1
• Time in Patent Office: 292 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1.15, 623/1.22
• US Class Current: 623/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/88 the wire-like elements formed as helical or spiral coils forming a net-like or mesh-like structure A61F2/90
• 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 2002/91516 the meander having a change in frequency 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 2002/91533 characterised by the phase between adjacent bands
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91541 Adjacent bands are arranged out of phase
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9155 Adjacent bands being connected to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91558 connected peak to peak
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91583 by a bridge, whereby at least one of its ends is connected along the length of a strut between two consecutive apices within a band
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0013 Horseshoe-shaped, e.g. crescent-shaped, C-shaped, U-shaped

Abstract

An expandable stent comprised of a plurality of helical segments is disclosed. In one embodiment, the stent is generally cylindrical in shape having a cylindrical axis, and comprises a first and second set of helical segments. The helical segments in the first set are substantially parallel and have a first pitch forming a first helical angle with respect to the cylindrical axis. The helical segments in the second set are also generally parallel to each other and form a second pitch that differs from the first pitch, thereby forming a second helical angle with respect to the cylindrical axis. In an alternative embodiment, the stent comprises one set of helical segments and a plurality of circumferential elements that are joined together by the helical segments to form a plurality of cylindrical elements which are joined together to form a stent body. The stent may also have endzones.

Claims

1. An expandable stent, comprising:

a plurality of first helical segments, each first helical segment consisting of a plurality of first circumferential segments alternating with a plurality of connecting elements, each first circumferential segment having five linear struts connected to each other by four curved portions; and

a plurality of second helical segments, each second helical segment consisting of a plurality of second circumferential segments alternating with the plurality of connecting elements, each second circumferential segment having three linear struts connected to each other by two curved portions;

wherein a plurality of the first circumferential segments are connected to a plurality of the second circumferential segments to define a plurality of adjacent cylindrical elements.

2. The stent of claim 1, wherein the stent is in an unexpanded state.

3. The stent of claim 1, wherein the stent is in an expanded state.

4. The stent of claim 1, wherein the curved portions of at least two adjacent cylindrical elements are circumferentially offset from one another.

5. The stent of claim 1, wherein each cylindrical element defines a cylindrical ring.

6. The stent of claim 1, wherein the stent defines a cylindrical axis and at least one of the connecting segments forms an angle with respect to the cylindrical axis.

7. The stent of claim 6, wherein the at least one connecting segment forms an angle less than approximately 45 degrees with respect to the cylindrical axis.

8. The stent of claim 6, wherein the at least one connecting segment forms an angle of at least approximately 14 degrees with respect to the cylindrical axis.

9. The stent of claim 1, further comprising first and second endzones straddling a main body of the stent.

10. The stent of claim 9, wherein each endzone comprises a plurality of rings joined together by a plurality of struts.

11. An expandable stent, comprising:

a first helical segment consisting of a plurality of first circumferential segments alternating with a plurality of connecting elements, each first circumferential segment having five linear portions connected to each other by four curved portions;

a second helical segment consisting of a plurality of second circumferential segments alternating with the plurality of connecting elements, each second circumferential segment having three linear portions connected to each other by two curved portions; and

a plurality of adjacent cylindrical rings, each cylindrical ring including at least one of the first circumferential segments and at least one of the second circumferential segments.

12. The stent of claim 11, wherein the first helical segment defines a pitch different from a pitch defined by the second helical segment.

13. The stent of claim 11, wherein the stent is in an unexpanded state.

14. The stent of claim 11, wherein the first helical segment crosses the second helical segment.

15. The stent of claim 11, wherein the curved portions of at least two adjacent cylindrical rings are circumferentially offset from one another.

16. The stent of claim 11, wherein the stent defines a cylindrical axis and at least one of the connecting segments forms an angle with respect to the cylindrical axis.

17. The stent of claim 11, further comprising first and second endzones straddling a main body of the stent.

18. An expandable stent, comprising:

a first helical segment consisting of a plurality of first circumferential segments alternating with a plurality of connecting elements, each first circumferential segment having five linear segments connected to each other by four curved portions, the first helical segment defining a first pitch;

a second helical segment consisting of a plurality of second circumferential segments alternating with the plurality of connecting elements, each second circumferential segment having three linear segments connected to each other by two curved portions, the second helical segment defining a second pitch different from the first pitch; and

a plurality of adjacent cylindrical elements, each cylindrical element including at least one of the first circumferential segments and at least one of the second circumferential segments.

19. The stent of claim 18, where each of the plurality of connecting elements is angled with respect to a cylindrical axis defined by the stent.

20. The stent of claim 18, wherein each cylindrical element defines a cylindrical ring.