Longitudinally flexible expandable stent

• US 8,449,597 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2011
• Issued: 05/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Brown, Brian J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Vy Q
• Application Number:
  US13/301,268
• Publication Number:
  US 20120078346A1
• Time in Patent Office: 554 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1.15, 623/1.11, 606/194, 606/195, 606/198
• US Class Current: 623/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/82 Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents stent-grafts for tubular structures of the body other than blood vessels A61F2/04; stent-grafts for blood vessels A61F2/07; instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts A61F2/95; for closing wounds, or holding wounds closed A61B17/04 - A61B17/115; dilators A61M29/00
• 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 2/89 the wire-like elements comprising two or more adjacent rings flexibly connected by separate members
• 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 2002/91558 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 2210/0019 operated at only one temperature whilst inside or touching the human body, e.g. constrained in a non-operative shape during surgery, another temperature only occurring before the operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/005 using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0058 soldered or brazed or welded
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0018 differing in elasticity, stiffness or compressibility

Abstract

Segmented articulatable stent of open structure comprised of end-connected struts of first and second lengths making up first and second segments with angular interconnects between adjacent first and second segments.

Claims

1. An expandable stein, comprising:

a plurality of first continuous substantially repeating patterns coursing along the stein in a helical manner and each consisting of a plurality of first circumferential segments alternating with a plurality of interconnecting constituents of the stent, the interconnecting constituents joining two or more other constituents of the stent,

each first circumferential segment consisting of five linear struts connected to each other by four curved portions and being a contiguous element coursing in a circumferential manner about the stent and spanning between two interconnecting constituents; and

a plurality of second continuous substantially repeating patterns coursing along the stent in a helical manner and each consisting of a plurality of second circumferential segments alternating with the plurality of interconnecting constituents, wherein the other constituents include first and second circumferential segments,

each second circumferential segment consisting of three linear struts connected to each other by two curved portions and being a contiguous element coursing in a circumferential manner about the stent and spanning between two interconnecting constituents,

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 band-like elements, the cylindrical band-like elements being contiguous patterns forming cylinders around a longitudinal axis of the stent, and

wherein two adjacent cylindrical band-like elements ate connected by only two interconnecting constituents.

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 band-like elements are circumferentially offset from one another.

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

6. The stent of claim 1, wherein at least one of the interconnecting constituents forms an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis,

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

8. The stent of claim 6, wherein the at least one interconnecting constituent forms an angle of at least approximately 14 degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis.

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

10. An expandable stent, comprising:

a first continuous substantially repeating pattern coursing along the stent in a helical manner and consisting of a plurality of first circumferential segments alternating with a plurality of interconnecting constituents of the stent, the interconnecting constituents joining two or more other constituents of the stent,

each first circumferential segment consisting of five linear portions connected to each other by four curved portions and being a contiguous element coursing in a circumferential manner about the stent and spanning between two interconnecting constituents;

a second continuous substantially repeating pattern coursing along the stent in a helical manner and consisting of a plurality of second circumferential segments alternating with the plurality of interconnecting constituents, wherein the other constituents include first and second circumferential segments,

each second circumferential segment consisting of three linear portions connected to each other by two curved portions and being a contiguous element coursing in a circumferential manner about the stent and spanning between two interconnecting constituents; and

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

wherein the cylindrical band-like elements are contiguous patterns forming cylinders around a longitudinal axis of the stent, and

wherein two adjacent cylindrical band-like elements are connected by only two interconnecting constituents.

11. The stent of claim 10, wherein the first continuous substantially repeating pattern defines a pitch different from a pitch defined by the second continuous substantially repeating pattern,

12. The stein of claim 10, wherein the stent is in an unexpanded state.

13. The stent of claim 10, wherein the first continuous substantially repeating pattern crosses the second continuous substantially repeating pattern.

14. The stent of claim 10, wherein the curved portions of at least two adjacent cylindrical band-like elements are circumferentially offset from one another.

15. The stent of claim 10, wherein at least one of the interconnecting constituents forms an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis,

16. The stent of claim 10, further comprising first and second end segments straddling a main body of the stent,

17. An expandable stent, comprising:

a first continuous substantially repeating pattern coursing along the stent in a helical manner and consisting of a plurality of first circumferential segments alternating with a plurality of interconnecting constituents of the stent, the interconnecting constituents joining two or more other constituents of the stent,

each first circumferential segment consisting of five linear segments connected to each other by four curved portions and being a contiguous element coursing in a circumferential manner about the strut and spanning between two interconnecting constituents,

the first continuous substantially repeating pattern defining a first pitch;

a second continuous substantially repeating pattern coursing along the stent in a helical manner and consisting of a plurality of second circumferential segments alternating with the plurality of interconnecting constituents, wherein the other constituents include first and second circumferential segments,

each second circumferential segment consisting of three linear segments connected to each other by two cur=ed portions and being a contiguous element coursing in a circumferential manner about the stent and spanning between two interconnecting constituents,

the second continuous substantially repeating pattern defining a second pitch different from the first pitch; and

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

wherein the cylindrical hand-like elements are contiguous patterns forming cylinders around a longitudinal axis of the stent, and

wherein two adjacent cylindrical band-like elements are connected by only two interconnecting constituents.

18. The stein of claim 17, where each of the plurality of interconnecting constituents is angled with respect to the longitudinal axis

19. The stent of claim 17, wherein each cylindrical hand-like element defines a cylindrical ring.