Stent having adjacent elements connected by flexible webs

• US 8,926,688 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2009
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates (W.L. Gore & Associates)
• Original Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates (W.L. Gore & Associates)
• Inventors: Burkart, Dustin C., Duncan, Jeffrey B., Hartman, Cody L., Silverman, James D., Cully, Edward H.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TUAN VAN
• Application Number:
  US12/350,921
• Publication Number:
  US 20090182413A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,189 Days
• Field of Search: 623 111- 122
• US Class Current: 623/1.16
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/86 Stents in a form characterised by the wire-like elements; Stents in the form characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
• 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 2/90 characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
• 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 2002/075 the stent being loosely attached to the graft material, e.g. by stitching
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/826 more than one stent being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/828 Means for connecting a plurality of stents allowing flexibility of the whole structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91558 connected peak to peak

Abstract

A stent incorporating flexible, preferably polymeric, connecting elements into the stent wherein these elements connect adjacent, spaced-apart stent elements. Preferably the spaced-apart adjacent stent elements are the result of forming the stent from a helically wound serpentine wire having space provided between adjacent windings. Other stent forms such as multiple, individual spaced-apart ring-shaped or interconnected stent elements may also be used. The connecting elements are typically web-shaped and result from creating slits or apertures in a covering of graft material applied to the stent and then, for example, applying heat to cause the slits or apertures to enlarge. The remaining graft material forms the interconnecting webs between the adjacent stent elements.

Claims

1. A stent comprising a length of helically wound serpentine wire extending continuously between opposing ends of the stent wherein multiple revolutions of the wire about a longitudinal axis of the stent result in a generally tubular form, said serpentine wire incorporating a plurality of apices along the length of the wire that are oriented alternately to point toward opposite ends of said stent, with a space between adjacent revolutions of the helically wound serpentine wire wherein one revolution has a first apex that is oriented to point to one end of said stent, and an adjacent revolution has two adjacent apices that are oriented to point toward the opposite end of the stent wherein first apex points between the two adjacent apices, wherein the first apex is interconnected by a pair of film webs to the two adjacent apices, wherein the film webs serve to limit axial elongation of the stent, and wherein the film webs have a length extending between the apices that they interconnect and wherein the film webs are of narrower width at the middle of their length than at ends of their length.

2. A stent comprising a length of helically wound serpentine wire extending continuously between opposing ends of the stent wherein multiple revolutions of the wire about a longitudinal axis of the stent result in a generally tubular form, said serpentine wire incorporating a plurality of apices along the length of the wire that are oriented alternately to point toward opposite ends of said stent, with a space between adjacent revolutions of the helically wound serpentine wire wherein one revolution has a first apex that is oriented to point to one end of said stent, and an adjacent revolution has two adjacent apices that are oriented to point toward the opposite end of the stent wherein first apex points between the two adjacent apices, wherein the first apex is interconnected by a pair of film webs to the two adjacent apices, wherein the film webs serve to limit axial elongation of the stent, wherein the first apex, the two adjacent apices and the pair of film webs define an aperture having first and second opposing ends, wherein said stent includes a multiplicity of said apertures, and wherein the first end of the aperture is of greater width than the second end.