Methods of manufacturing linearly expandable ureteral stents

• US 8,007,702 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2009
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Gellman, Barry N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson; Christina
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHIFFMAN, BENJAMIN A
• Application Number:
  US12/628,304
• Publication Number:
  US 20100072659A1
• Time in Patent Office: 637 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 264/145
• 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 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: A61M 27/008 pre-shaped, for use in the urethral or ureteral tract

Abstract

A method includes forming an elongated member having a tubular shape. The elongated member includes a sidewall that defines a lumen. A spiral-shaped opening is formed in the sidewall such that the elongated member is configured to move between a retracted configuration and an expanded configuration along a longitudinal axis of the lumen. In some embodiments, the method further includes forming a distal retention structure. The distal retention structure can be disposed at a distal end of the elongated member and can define a lumen in fluid communication with the lumen defined by the sidewall of the elongated member.

Claims

1. A method for forming a ureteral stent comprising:

forming an elongated member having a tubular shape, the elongated member including a sidewall defining a lumen; and

forming a continuous spiral-shaped opening in the sidewall such that the elongated member is configured to move between a retracted configuration and an expanded configuration along a longitudinal axis of the lumen.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

forming a distal retention structure, the distal retention structure being disposed at a distal end of the elongated member, the distal retention structure defining a lumen in fluid communication with the lumen defined by the sidewall of the elongated member.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the forming the distal retention structure includes forming the distal retention structure via at least one of injection molding, extrusion and heat-formed.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the forming the distal retention structure includes forming the distal retention structure to have a shape selected from a group consisting of a “

J”

shape, a coil shape, a pig-tail coil shape and a helical coil shape.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

forming a proximal retention structure, the proximal retention structure being disposed at a proximal end of the elongated member.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the forming the elongated member includes forming the elongated member via at least one of an injection molding and extrusion.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the sidewall has a cross-section taken along a plane that includes the longitudinal axis when the elongated member is in the refracted configuration, an outer surface of the sidewall being substantially linear and parallel to the longitudinal axis along the length of the cross-section of the sidewall.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the forming an elongated member includes forming the elongated member from a polymer including at least one of a group consisting of urethane, nylon, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), thermoplastic polyester elastomer, and silicone.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the forming the elongated member includes providing a wire spring.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the forming a continuous spiral-shaped opening includes forming a continuous spiral-shaped opening that includes a plurality of revolutions around the elongated member.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

forming a retention structure; and

bonding the retention structure to an end portion of the elongated member.

12. A method for forming a ureteral stent comprising:

forming an elongated member having a tubular shape, the elongated member including a sidewall;

forming a first slit in the sidewall, the first slit configured to define a first rotation of a continuous spiral-shaped opening; and

forming a second slit in the sidewall such that the elongated member is configured to move between a retracted configuration and an expanded configuration, the second slit configured to define a second rotation of the continuous spiral-shaped opening.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the sidewall between the first rotation and the second rotation having an inner surface defining a lumen and an outer surface configured to contact a ureter, the sidewall between the inner surface and the outer surface being devoid of another lumen.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

forming a distal retention structure, the distal retention structure being disposed at a distal end of the elongated member, the distal retention structure defining a lumen in fluid communication with the lumen defined by the sidewall of the elongated member.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the forming the distal retention structure includes forming the distal retention structure via at least one of injection molding, extrusion and heat-formed.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the forming the distal retention structure includes forming the distal retention structure to have a shape selected from a group consisting of a “

J”

shape, a coil shape, a pig-tail coil shape and a helical coil shape.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

forming a proximal retention structure, the proximal retention structure being disposed at a proximal end of the elongated member for retention in a bladder.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the forming the elongated member includes forming the elongated member via at least one of an injection molding and extrusion.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the forming the elongated member includes forming the elongated member from a polymer including at least one of a group consisting of urethane, nylon, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), thermoplastic polyester elastomer, and silicone.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the forming the elongated member includes providing a wire spring.

21. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

forming a retention structure; and

bonding the retention structure to an end portion of the elongated member.