Stents with attached looped ends

• US 8,109,988 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2009
• Issued: 02/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Leanna, Gary J., Norton, Paul K., Brady, Peter, Molloy, Dean, Zupkofska, Michael E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Houston, Elizabeth
• Application Number:
  US12/649,843
• Publication Number:
  US 20100161034A1
• Time in Patent Office: 769 Days
• Field of Search: 623 115- 122, 623 13- 135, 623/1.36, 623/1.51, 623/1.53
• 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 2/90 characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9534 for repositioning of stents
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0013 Horseshoe-shaped, e.g. crescent-shaped, C-shaped, U-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0017 Angular shapes
• CPC Class Codes: D04C 1/06 Braid or lace serving particular purposes
• CPC Class Codes: D04C 3/48 Auxiliary devices
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2509/06 Vascular grafts; stents
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49863 with prestressing of part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49906 Metal deforming with nonmetallic bonding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49908 Joining by deforming

Abstract

An open frame prosthesis is formed with looped end terminations at its proximal and distal ends. At one end of the prosthesis, the filaments or strands are welded together in pairs to form strand couplings. A plurality of loop segments are connected to the strand couplings, one loop segment for each pair of adjacent strand couplings. In one version of the prosthesis, strands at the opposite end are bent to form looped ends. In another version, loop segments are connected to pairs of strand couplings at both ends of the prosthesis. The loop segments can be connected to the couplings by welding, fusion bonds, or tubes, which are either crimped or heat shrunk.

Claims

1. An implantable prosthesis, comprising:

a plurality of elongate strands having first and second ends, said elongate strands interbraided to form an open-frame tubular structure having opposed first and second atraumatic ends;

wherein at said first atraumatic end, said elongate strands are bent to form bends;

wherein at said second atraumatic end, said elongate strands form a plurality of loops, each loop including extension strands and nonextension strands, wherein a portion of each of said extension strands extends beyond second ends of said nonextension strands,

wherein there are at least first, second and third nonextension strands for every one associated extension strand;

wherein the second ends of at least said first, said second and said third nonextension strands are coupled to said one associated extension strand at said second atraumatic end;

wherein the second end of said first nonextension strand is attached to the second end of said second nonextension strand to form a pair of nonextension strands;

wherein one end of said one associated extension strand is directly attached to said pair of nonextension strands to form said loop along said second atraumatic end of the tubular structure;

wherein a number of said loops at said second atraumatic end is less than a number of said bends at said first atraumatic end.

2. The implantable prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the number of loops at said second atraumatic end is one half the number of bends at said first atraumatic end.

3. The implantable prosthesis of claim 1, wherein said open-frame tubular structure consists essentially of said plurality of elongate strands.

4. The implantable prosthesis of claim 1, wherein said plurality of elongate structural strands comprise metallic strands.

5. The implantable prosthesis of claim 1, wherein said plurality of elongate structural strands comprise polymeric strands.

6. The implantable prosthesis of claim 1, wherein said plurality of elongate structural strands comprise shape memory strands.

7. The implantable prosthesis of claim 6, wherein said shape memory strands comprise nitinol strands.