Specialty stents with flow control features or the like

• US 8,550,344 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2006
• Issued: 10/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gearbox LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Jung, Edward K. Y., Langer, Robert, Leuthardt, Eric C., Levien, Royce A., Lord, Robert W., Malamud, Mark A., Rinaldo, John D. Jr., Tegreene, Clarence T., Wood, Lowell L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael G
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHEDEKEL, TABITHA F
• Application Number:
  US11/454,343
• Publication Number:
  US 20090084844A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,671 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/380, 235/385, 705/3, 705/28, 705/64, 705/65, 623/1.11, 623/1.15, 623/1.16, 623/1.45
• US Class Current: 235/385
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture

Abstract

Methods and systems are described for obtaining a parameter relating to a stent inventory shortage or to a specific patient and for configuring a stent in response. For example, the response may involve configuring a stent with a flow occlusion portion in response to the obtained parameter relating to the stent inventory shortage, configuring a stent with a flow occlusion portion in response to receiving the parameter relating to the specific patient, or specializing one or more stents in response to obtaining the parameter relating to the stent inventory shortage.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

means for accessing at least one of an inventory, an advertisement, or other source indication of available stents;

means for automatically obtaining data output of one or more parameters of one or more medical devices that reveal a stent inventory shortage, the means for automatically obtaining data output utilizing direct availability information or one or more indirect indications designating an order as an emergency status or other parameter indicating an elevated priority; and

means for configuring one or more stents with a flow occlusion portion in response to the one or more automatically obtained parameters indicating the existence of the stent inventory shortage, the one or more stents including at least one of a structurally equivalent flow occlusion stent, or a functionally-equivalent-but-structurally-distinct flow occlusion stent resembling a stent model approved by a regulation administration.

2. The system of claim 1 in which the means for automatically obtaining data output of one or more parameters of one or more medical devices that reveal a stent inventory shortage comprises:

means for receiving data at least partly relating to a specific patient including at least the one or more parameters that reveal a stent inventory shortage.

3. The system of claim 1 in which the means for automatically obtaining data output of one or more parameters of one or more medical devices that reveal a stent inventory shortage comprises:

means for receiving an indication of a position of an anatomical feature as the one or more parameters that reveal the stent inventory shortage.

4. The system of claim 1 in which the means for configuring one or more stents with a flow occlusion portion in response to the one or more automatically obtained parameters indicating the existence of the stent inventory shortage comprises:

means for binding an antiproliferative agent to the flow occlusion portion of the one or more stents.

5. The system of claim 1 in which the means for configuring one or more stents with a flow occlusion portion in response to the one or more automatically obtained parameters indicating the existence of the stent inventory shortage comprises:

means for customizing the one or more stents with information relating to a specific patient, the information relating to the specific patient including at least the one or more automatically obtained parameters that reveal the stent inventory shortage; and

means for allocating the one or more customized stents to the specific patient.

6. The system of claim 1 in which the means for configuring one or more stents with a flow occlusion portion in response to the one or more automatically obtained parameters indicating the existence of the stent inventory shortage comprises:

means for configuring a wire structure in response to the one or more parameters that reveal the stent inventory shortage; and

means for constructing the one or more stents with the flow occlusion portion by supporting a flow occlusion structure with the wire structure.

7. The system of claim 1 in which the means for configuring one or more stents with a flow occlusion portion in response to the one or more automatically obtained parameters indicating the existence of the stent inventory shortage comprises:

means for configuring the flow occlusion portion as a part of the response to the one or more automatically obtained parameters that reveal the stent inventory shortage.

8. The system of claim 1 in which the means for configuring one or more stents with a flow occlusion portion in response to the one or more automatically obtained parameters indicating the existence of the stent inventory shortage comprises:

means for configuring the one or more stents with the flow occlusion portion as an at-least-roughly contemporaneous response to automatically obtaining the one or more parameters that reveal the stent inventory shortage.

9. The system of claim 1 in which the means for configuring one or more stents with a flow occlusion portion in response to the one or more automatically obtained parameters indicating the existence of the stent inventory shortage comprises:

means for forming a sheet material into a rigid element in response to the one or more automatically obtained parameters that reveal the stent inventory shortage; and

means for including at least the rigid element in the one or more stents.

10. The system of claim 1 in which the means for automatically obtaining data output of one or more parameters of one or more medical devices that reveal a stent inventory shortage comprises:

means for prompting user input; and

means for receiving the one or more parameters that reveal the stent inventory shortage via an interface after prompting the user input.

11. The system of claim 1 in which the means for configuring one or more stents with a flow occlusion portion in response to the one or more automatically obtained parameters indicating the existence of the stent inventory shortage comprises:

means for configuring the one or more stents with a pleat configuration responsive to the one or more automatically obtained parameters that reveal the stent inventory shortage.

12. The system of claim 1 in which the means for configuring one or more stents with a flow occlusion portion in response to the one or more automatically obtained parameters indicating the existence of the stent inventory shortage comprises:

means for including the flow occlusion portion of the one or more stents responsive to the one or more automatically obtained parameters that reveal the stent inventory shortage.

13. The system of claim 1 in which the means for configuring one or more stents with a flow occlusion portion in response to the one or more automatically obtained parameters indicating the existence of the stent inventory shortage comprises:

means for configuring the one or more stents with a dividing flow path responsive to the one or more automatically obtained parameters that reveal the stent inventory shortage.

14. The system of claim 1 in which the means for configuring one or more stents with a flow occlusion portion in response to the one or more automatically obtained parameters indicating the existence of the stent inventory shortage comprises:

means for configuring the one or more stents with the flow occlusion portion in response to a pathological indication and to the one or more automatically obtained parameters that reveal the stent inventory shortage.

44. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for automatically obtaining data output of one or more parameters of one or more medical devices that reveal a stent inventory shortage comprises:

means for automatically obtaining data output of one or more sensor and/or imaging medical devices one or more parameters that reveal a stent inventory shortage.

45. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for automatically obtaining data output of one or more parameters of one or more medical devices that reveal a stent inventory shortage comprises:

means for automatically obtaining an access path and/or a tortuosity data output of one or more medical devices one or more parameters that reveal a stent inventory shortage.

46. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for configuring one or more stents with a flow occlusion portion in response to the one or more automatically obtained parameters indicating the existence of the stent inventory shortage comprises:

means for configuring upon authorization confirmation one or more stents with a flow occlusion portion in response to the one or more automatically obtained parameters indicating the existence of the stent inventory shortage.

47. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for configuring one or more stents with a flow occlusion portion in response to the one or more automatically obtained parameters indicating the existence of the stent inventory shortage comprises:

means for configuring one or more stents with a flow occlusion portion in response to the one or more automatically obtained parameters indicating the existence of the stent inventory shortage and without requiring contemporaneous participation by a healthcare provider.

48. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for customizing a medication regimen based at least in part upon the one or more stents.

15. A system comprising:

circuitry for accessing at least one of an inventory, an advertisement, or other source indication of available stents;

circuitry for automatically obtaining data output of one or more parameters of one or more medical devices that reveal a stent inventory shortage, the circuitry for automatically obtaining data output utilizing direct availability information or one or more indirect indications designating an order as an emergency status or other parameter indicating an elevated priority; and

circuitry for configuring one or more stents with a flow occlusion portion in response to the one or more automatically obtained parameters indicating the existence of the stent inventory shortage, the one or more stents including at least one of a structurally equivalent flow occlusion stent, or a functionally-equivalent-but-structurally-distinct flow occlusion stent resembling a stent model approved by a regulation administration.

16. The system of claim 15 in which the circuitry for automatically obtaining data output of one or more parameters of one or more medical devices that reveal a stent inventory shortage comprises:

circuitry for receiving data at least partly relating to a specific patient including at least the one or more parameters that reveal a stent inventory shortage.

17. The system of claim 15 in which the circuitry for automatically obtaining data output of one or more parameters of one or more medical devices that reveal a stent inventory shortage comprises:

circuitry for receiving an indication of a position of an anatomical feature as the one or more parameters that reveal the stent inventory shortage.

18. The system of claim 15 in which the circuitry for automatically obtaining data output of one or more parameters of one or more medical devices that reveal a stent inventory shortage comprises:

circuitry for receiving an indication of an aperture as the one or more parameters that reveal the stent inventory shortage.

19. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

an applicator controller; and

circuitry for customizing the one or more stents via the applicator controller and with information relating to a specific patient, the information relating to the specific patient including at least the one or more automatically obtained parameters that reveal the stent inventory shortage.

20. The system of claim 15 in which the circuitry for automatically obtaining data output of one or more parameters of one or more medical devices that reveal a stent inventory shortage comprises:

circuitry for receiving a stent quantity indicator as the one or more parameters that reveal the stent inventory shortage.

21. The system of claim 15 in which the circuitry for automatically obtaining data output of one or more parameters of one or more medical devices that reveal a stent inventory shortage comprises:

circuitry for receiving a material composition indicator as the one or more parameters that reveal the stent inventory shortage.

22. The system of claim 15 in which the circuitry for automatically obtaining data output of one or more parameters of one or more medical devices that reveal a stent inventory shortage comprises:

circuitry for receiving a shape indicator as the one or more parameters that reveal the stent inventory shortage.

23. The system of claim 15 in which the circuitry for automatically obtaining data output of one or more parameters of one or medical devices that reveal a stent inventory shortage comprises:

circuitry for receiving a size indicator as the one or more parameters that reveal the stent inventory shortage.

24. The system of claim 15 in which the circuitry for configuring one or more stents with a flow occlusion portion in response to the one or more automatically obtained parameters indicating the existence of the stent inventory shortage comprises:

circuitry for configuring the one or more stents with the flow occlusion portion as an at-least-roughly contemporaneous response to automatically obtaining the one or more parameters that reveal the stent inventory shortage.

25. The system of claim 15 in which the circuitry for automatically obtaining data output of one or more parameters of one or more medical devices that reveal a stent inventory shortage comprises:

circuitry for prompting user input; and

circuitry for receiving the one or more parameters that reveal the stent inventory shortage via an interface after prompting the user input.

26. The system of claim 15 in which the circuitry for automatically obtaining data output of one or more parameters of one or more medical devices that reveal a stent inventory shortage comprises:

circuitry for receiving an indication of a vascular system structure as the one or more parameters that reveal the stent inventory shortage.

27. The system of claim 15 in which the circuitry for automatically obtaining data output of one or more parameters of one or more medical devices that reveal a stent inventory shortage comprises:

circuitry for retrieving the one or more parameters that reveal the stent inventory shortage from an inventory.

28. The system of claim 15 in which the circuitry for automatically obtaining data output of one or more parameters of one or more medical devices that reveal a stent inventory shortage comprises:

circuitry for receiving a message comprising at least the one or more parameters that reveal the stent inventory shortage.

29. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a sheet bender; and

circuitry for configuring the one or more stents with a pleat configuration via the sheet bender and responsive to the one or more automatically obtained parameters that reveal the stent inventory shortage.

30. The system of claim 15 in which the circuitry for configuring one or more stents with a flow occlusion portion in response to the one or more automatically obtained parameters indicating the existence of the stent inventory shortage comprises:

circuitry for configuring the stent with the flow occlusion portion in response to a pathological indication and to the one or more automatically obtained parameters that reveal the stent inventory shortage.

31. The system of claim 15 in which the circuitry for configuring one or more stents with a flow occlusion portion in response to the one or more automatically obtained parameters indicating the existence of the stent inventory shortage comprises:

circuitry for applying information retrieved relating to the one or more stents with the flow occlusion portion.

32. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a local user interface output device operably coupled to the circuitry for automatically obtaining the one or more parameters that reveal the stent inventory shortage.

33. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a network interface operably coupled to the circuitry for configuring one or more stents with a flow occlusion portion in response to the one or more automatically obtained parameters indicating the existence of the stent inventory shortage.

34. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

an antibiotic dispenser operably coupled to the circuitry for configuring one or more stents with a flow occlusion portion in response to the one or more automatically obtained parameters indicating the existence of the stent inventory shortage.

35. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a stock designator operably coupled to the circuitry for configuring one or more stents with a flow occlusion portion in response to the one or more automatically obtained parameters indicating the existence of the stent inventory shortage.

36. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a substance applicator operably coupled to the circuitry for configuring one or more stents with a flow occlusion portion in response to the one or more automatically obtained parameters indicating the existence of the stent inventory shortage.

37. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a machine interface operably coupled to the circuitry for configuring one or more stents with a flow occlusion portion in response to the one or more automatically obtained parameters indicating the existence of the stent inventory shortage.

38. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a scribe operably coupled to the circuitry for configuring one or more stents with a flow occlusion portion in response to the one or more automatically obtained parameters indicating the existence of the stent inventory shortage.

39. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a sheet bender operably coupled to the circuitry for configuring one or more stents with a flow occlusion portion in response to the one or more automatically obtained parameters indicating the existence of the stent inventory shortage.

40. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a press operably coupled to the circuitry for configuring one or more stents with a flow occlusion portion in response to the one or more automatically obtained parameters indicating the existence of the stent inventory shortage.

41. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a laser operably coupled to the circuitry for configuring one or more stents with a flow occlusion portion in response to the one or more automatically obtained parameters indicating the existence of the stent inventory shortage.

42. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a bonder operably coupled to the circuitry for configuring one or more stents with a flow occlusion portion in response to the one or more automatically obtained parameters indicating the existence of the stent inventory shortage.

43. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a data aggregator operably coupled to the circuitry for configuring one or more stents with a flow occlusion portion in response to the one or more automatically obtained parameters indicating the existence of the stent inventory shortage.