Posts with compliant junctions

• US 10,779,965 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2014
• Issued: 09/22/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Enopace Biomedical Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Enopace Biomedical Ltd.
• Inventors: Dagan, Amir, Katz, Yoav, Lipperman, Fabian, Feld, Tanhum, Peleg, Nadav, Ariav, Gal
• Primary Examiner(s): Preston, Rebecca S
• Application Number:
  US15/034,803
• Publication Number:
  US 20160278951A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,147 Days
• 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 2/844 folded prior to deployment
• 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 2/915 with bands having a meander structure, adjacent bands being connected to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/825 having longitudinal struts
• 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 2002/91566 connected trough to trough
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0014 using shape memory or superelastic materials, e.g. nitinol
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0075 sutured, ligatured or stitched, retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0001 Means for transferring electromagnetic energy to implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0002 for data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0029 differing in bending or flexure capacity
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0043 differing in electric properties, e.g. in electrical conductivity, in galvanic properties
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0558 Anchoring or fixation means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36114 Cardiac control, e.g. by vagal stimulation stimulating the heart A61N1/362
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36117 for treating hypertension
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37205 Microstimulators, e.g. implantable through a cannula
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37229 Shape or location of the implanted or external antenna
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/375 : Constructional arrangements, e.g. casings
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37516 : Intravascular implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3756 : Casings with electrodes thereon, e.g. leadless stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3962 : in combination with another heart therapy

Abstract

Apparatus and methods are described, including a stent configured to be placed in a lumen. The stent includes a generally cylindrical stent body comprising a plurality of struts, and a plurality of antenna posts protruding longitudinally from an end of the stent body. Each of the antenna posts includes a proximal and distal portions, each of which is configured to be generally straight in the absence of any force being applied to the antenna post, and a compliant junction disposed between the proximal and distal portions, the proximal and distal portions being configured to flex with respect to one another about the compliant junction. An antenna is disposed annularly on the distal portions of the antenna posts, such that the antenna posts separate the antenna from the end of the stent body. Other applications are also described.

Claims

1. Apparatus for use with a tubular structure shaped to define a lumen thereof, the apparatus comprising:

a stent configured to be placed in the lumen, the stent comprising;

a generally cylindrical stent body comprising a plurality of struts; and

a plurality of antenna posts protruding longitudinally from an end of the stent body, each of the antenna posts comprising;

a proximal portion and a distal portion, each of which is configured to be generally straight in the absence of any force being applied to the antenna post; and

a compliant junction (i) disposed between the proximal portion and distal portion of the antenna post, the proximal portion and distal portion being configured to flex with respect to one another about the compliant junction, and (ii) shaped to define a sinusoidal wave;

a nitinol wire; and

an antenna coupled to the nitinol wire and disposed annularly on the distal portions of the antenna posts, such that the antenna posts separate the antenna from the end of the stent body,

wherein each of the antenna posts is connected only to the stent body, the antenna, and the nitinol wire.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lumen of the tubular structure includes a lumen of a blood vessel of a subject, and wherein the stent is configured to be placed inside the lumen of subject'"'"'s blood vessel.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the compliant junction is shaped to define a single sinusoidal wave.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the compliant junction is shaped to define 1.5 sinusoidal waves.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the compliant junction is shaped to define 2 or more sinusoidal waves.

6. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the lumen of the blood vessel includes a lumen of a curved portion of an aorta of the subject, and wherein the stent is configured to be placed inside the lumen of the curved portion of the subject'"'"'s aorta.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the compliant junction is configured to facilitate flexing of the distal portion of the antenna post with respect to the proximal portion of the antenna post, such that the post at least partially conforms with a curvature of the curved portion of the aorta even at an inner region of the curved portion of the aorta, at which a curvature of the curved portion of the aorta is greater than a curvature of an outer region of the curved portion of the aorta.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the nitinol wire is configured to self-expand inside the curved portion of the subject'"'"'s aorta such as to bring the antenna into contact with an inner wall of the aorta, and wherein the compliant junction is configured to facilitate flexing of the distal portion of the antenna post with respect to the proximal portion of the antenna post, such that the antenna is brought into contact with the inner wall of the aorta even at the inner region of the curved portion of the aorta.

9. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the antenna posts are parallel to a central longitudinal axis of the stent body.

10. Apparatus for use with a tubular structure shaped to define a lumen thereof, the apparatus comprising:

a stent configured to be placed in the lumen, the stent comprising;

a generally cylindrical stent body comprising a plurality of struts; and

a plurality of antenna posts protruding longitudinally from an end of the stent body and parallel to a central longitudinal axis of the stent body, each of the antenna posts comprising;

a proximal portion and a distal portion, each of which is configured to be generally straight in the absence of any force being applied to the antenna post; and

a compliant junction (i) disposed between the proximal portion and distal portion of the antenna post, the proximal portion and distal portion being configured to flex with respect to one another about the compliant junction, and (ii) shaped to define 1.5 sinusoidal waves; and

an antenna disposed annularly on the distal portions of the antenna posts, such that the antenna posts separate the antenna from the end of the stent body,

wherein the lumen of the tubular structure includes a lumen of a blood vessel of a subject, and wherein the stent is configured to be placed inside the lumen of subject'"'"'s blood vessel.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the lumen of the blood vessel includes a lumen of a curved portion of an aorta of the subject, and wherein the stent is configured to be placed inside the lumen of the curved portion of the subject'"'"'s aorta.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the compliant junction is configured to facilitate flexing of the distal portion of the antenna post with respect to the proximal portion of the antenna post, such that the post at least partially conforms with a curvature of the curved portion of the aorta even at an inner region of the curved portion of the aorta, at which a curvature of the curved portion of the aorta is greater than a curvature of an outer region of the curved portion of the aorta.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a self-expandable wire that is coupled to the antenna, and that is configured to self-expand inside the curved portion of the subject'"'"'s aorta such as to bring the antenna into contact with an inner wall of the aorta, and wherein the compliant junction is configured to facilitate flexing of the distal portion of the antenna post with respect to the proximal portion of the antenna post, such that the antenna is brought into contact with the inner wall of the aorta even at the inner region of the curved portion of the aorta.

14. The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a nitinol wire, the antenna being coupled to the nitinol wire, wherein each of the antenna posts is connected only to the stent body, the antenna, and the nitinol wire.

15. Apparatus for use with a tubular structure shaped to define a lumen thereof, the apparatus comprising:

a stent configured to be placed in the lumen, the stent comprising;

a generally cylindrical stent body comprising a plurality of struts; and

a plurality of antenna posts protruding longitudinally from an end of the stent body and parallel to a central longitudinal axis of the stent body, each of the antenna posts comprising;

a proximal portion and a distal portion, each of which is configured to be generally straight in the absence of any force being applied to the antenna post; and

a compliant junction (i) disposed between the proximal portion and distal portion of the antenna post, the proximal portion and distal portion being configured to flex with respect to one another about the compliant junction, and (ii) shaped to define 2 or more sinusoidal waves; and

an antenna disposed annularly on the distal portions of the antenna posts, such that the antenna posts separate the antenna from the end of the stent body,

wherein the lumen of the tubular structure includes a lumen of a blood vessel of a subject, and wherein the stent is configured to be placed inside the lumen of subject'"'"'s blood vessel.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the lumen of the blood vessel includes a lumen of a curved portion of an aorta of the subject, and wherein the stent is configured to be placed inside the lumen of the curved portion of the subject'"'"'s aorta.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the compliant junction is configured to facilitate flexing of the distal portion of the antenna post with respect to the proximal portion of the antenna post, such that the post at least partially conforms with a curvature of the curved portion of the aorta even at an inner region of the curved portion of the aorta, at which a curvature of the curved portion of the aorta is greater than a curvature of an outer region of the curved portion of the aorta.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising a self-expandable wire that is coupled to the antenna, and that is configured to self-expand inside the curved portion of the subject'"'"'s aorta such as to bring the antenna into contact with an inner wall of the aorta, and wherein the compliant junction is configured to facilitate flexing of the distal portion of the antenna post with respect to the proximal portion of the antenna post, such that the antenna is brought into contact with the inner wall of the aorta even at the inner region of the curved portion of the aorta.

19. The apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a nitinol wire, the antenna being coupled to the nitinol wire, wherein each of the antenna posts is connected only to the stent body, the antenna, and the nitinol wire.