Thermal energy application for prevention and management of endoleaks in stent-grafts
First Claim
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1. Apparatus comprising:
- an endovascular stent-graft, configured to be implanted in at least one blood vessel in a vicinity of an aneurysm, and shaped so as to define a lumen having an axial length when in a radially-expanded state; and
a heating device, which is coupled to the stent-graft, which is (i) is incorporated into the stent-graft during manufacture of the stent-graft, (ii) is configured to assume a radially-compressed state with the stent-graft, (iii) is configured to apply, to a region external to the stent-graft, thermal energy sufficient to coagulate blood flowing into the aneurysm, and which (iv) comprises (a) one or more heating elements that collectively are positioned along no more than 20% of the axial length of the lumen, and (b) at least one sensor that is coupled to an external surface of the lumen.
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Abstract
Apparatus (10) is provided, which includes an endovascular stent-graft (20) and a heating device (22) that is coupled to the stent-graft (20). The stent-graft (20) is configured to be implanted in at least one blood vessel in a vicinity of an aneurysm (102). The heating device (22) is configured to apply, to a region (24) external to the stent-graft (20), thermal energy sufficient to coagulate blood flowing into the aneurysm (102). Other embodiments are also described.
341 Citations
43 Claims
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1. Apparatus comprising:
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an endovascular stent-graft, configured to be implanted in at least one blood vessel in a vicinity of an aneurysm, and shaped so as to define a lumen having an axial length when in a radially-expanded state; and a heating device, which is coupled to the stent-graft, which is (i) is incorporated into the stent-graft during manufacture of the stent-graft, (ii) is configured to assume a radially-compressed state with the stent-graft, (iii) is configured to apply, to a region external to the stent-graft, thermal energy sufficient to coagulate blood flowing into the aneurysm, and which (iv) comprises (a) one or more heating elements that collectively are positioned along no more than 20% of the axial length of the lumen, and (b) at least one sensor that is coupled to an external surface of the lumen. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14, 15, 30, 31)
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7. Apparatus comprising:
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an endovascular stent-graft, configured to be implanted in at least one blood vessel in a vicinity of an aneurysm, and shaped so as to define a lumen having an axial length when in a radially-expanded state; and a heating device, which is coupled to the stent-graft, which is (i) is incorporated into the stent-graft during manufacture of the stent-graft, (ii) is configured to assume a radially-compressed state with the stent-graft, (iii) is configured to apply, to a region external to the stent-graft, thermal energy sufficient to coagulate blood flowing into the aneurysm, and which (iv) comprises (a) one or more heating elements that collectively are positioned along no more than 20% of the axial length of the lumen, and (b) a temperature sensor, and circuitry which is configured to monitor at least a temperature of blood external to the lumen using the temperature sensor, and to drive the one or more heating elements to apply the thermal energy responsively to the at least one monitored temperature. - View Dependent Claims (8, 12)
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9. Apparatus comprising:
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an endovascular stent-graft, configured to be implanted in at least one blood vessel in a vicinity of an aneurysm, and shaped so as to define a lumen having an axial length when in a radially-expanded state; and a heating device, which is coupled to the stent-graft, which is (i) is incorporated into the stent-graft during manufacture of the stent-graft, (ii) is configured to assume a radially-compressed state with the stent-graft, (iii) is configured to apply, to a region external to the stent-graft, thermal energy sufficient to coagulate blood flowing into the aneurysm, and which (iv) comprises (a) one or more heating elements that collectively are positioned along no more than 20% of the axial length of the lumen, and (b) a temperature sensor and circuitry which is configured to; monitor, using the temperature sensor, at least one temperature selected from the group consisting of;
a temperature of blood flowing within the lumen, and a temperature of blood external to the lumen,drive the one or more heating elements to apply the thermal energy responsively to the at least one monitored temperature, and set at least one heating parameter responsively to the at least one temperature, so as to selectively coagulate the blood flowing into the aneurysm without causing substantial coagulation of the blood flowing within the lumen.
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10. Apparatus comprising:
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an endovascular stent-graft, configured to be implanted in at least one blood vessel in a vicinity of an aneurysm, and shaped so as to define a lumen having an axial length when in a radially-expanded state; and a heating device, which is coupled to the stent-graft, which is (i) is incorporated into the stent-graft during manufacture of the stent-graft, (ii) is configured to assume a radially-compressed state with the stent-graft, (iii) which is configured to apply, to a region external to the stent-graft, thermal energy sufficient to coagulate blood flowing into the aneurysm, and which (iv) comprises (a) one or more heating elements that collectively are positioned along no more than 20% of the axial length of the lumen, and (b) a blood flow sensor, and circuitry which is configured to monitor at least one blood flow parameter of blood external to the lumen using the blood flow sensor, and to drive the one or more heating elements to apply the thermal energy responsively to the at least one monitored blood flow parameter.
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11. Apparatus comprising:
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an endovascular stent-graft, configured to be implanted in at least one blood vessel in a vicinity of an aneurysm, and shaped so as to define a lumen having an axial length when in a radially-expanded state; and a heating device, which is coupled to the stent-graft, which is (i) is incorporated into the stent-graft during manufacture of the stent-graft, (ii) is configured to assume a radially-compressed state with the stent-graft, (iii) which is configured to apply, to a region external to the stent-graft, thermal energy sufficient to coagulate blood flowing into the aneurysm, and which (iv) comprises (a) one or more heating elements that collectively are positioned along no more than 20% of the axial length of the lumen, and (b) a blood flow sensor, and circuitry which is configured to; monitor, using the blood flow sensor, at least one blood flow parameter selected from the group consisting of;
a blood flow parameter of blood flowing within the lumen, and a blood flow parameter of blood external to the lumen, andset at least one heating parameter responsively to the at least one monitored blood flow parameter, so as to selectively coagulate the blood flowing into the aneurysm without causing substantial coagulation of the blood flowing within the lumen.
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13. Apparatus comprising:
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an endovascular stent-graft, configured to be implanted in at least one blood vessel in a vicinity of an aneurysm, and shaped so as to define a lumen having an axial length when in a radially-expanded state; and a heating device, which is coupled to the stent-graft, which is (i) is incorporated into the stent-graft during manufacture of the stent-graft, (ii) is configured to assume a radially-compressed state with the stent-graft, (iii) which is configured to apply, to a region external to the stent-graft, thermal energy sufficient to coagulate blood flowing into the aneurysm, and which (iv) comprises (a) one or more heating elements that collectively are positioned along no more than 20% of the axial length of the lumen, and (b) at least one sensor positioned in a vicinity of an upstream end of the lumen.
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16. A method comprising:
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identifying that a patient has an aneurysm; and in response to the identifying, activating an implanted heating device to apply, to a region external to an endovascular stent-graft implanted in at least one blood vessel of the patient in a vicinity of the aneurysm, which region is upstream of the aneurysm, thermal energy sufficient to coagulate blood flowing into the aneurysm, wherein the endovascular stent-graft is shaped so as to define a lumen having an axial length when in a radially-expanded state, and wherein the heating device is coupled to the stent-graft, and (i) is incorporated into the stent-graft during manufacture of the stent-graft, (ii) is configured to assume a radially-compressed state with the stent-graft, and (iii) comprises (a) one or more heating elements that collectively are positioned along no more than 20% of the axial length of the lumen, and (b) at least one sensor that is coupled to an external surface of the lumen. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 32, 43)
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19. A method comprising:
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implanting, in at least one blood vessel of a patient in a vicinity of an aneurysm, (a) an endovascular stent-graft, which is shaped so as to define a lumen having an axial length when in a radially-expanded state, (b) and a heating device that is coupled to the stent-graft and (i) is incorporated into the stent-graft during manufacture of the stent-graft, (ii) is configured to assume a radially-compressed state with the stent-graft, and (iii) comprises (i) one or more heating elements that collectively are positioned along no more than 20% of the axial length of the lumen, and (ii) at least one sensor that is coupled to an external surface of the lumen; and activating the heating device to apply, to a region external to the stent-graft and upstream of the aneurysm, thermal energy sufficient to coagulate blood flowing into the aneurysm. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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Specification