Intravascular stent

• US 8,778,009 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2006
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kreidler, Marc S., Miller, Jessica P.
• Primary Examiner(s): McEvoy, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): SZPIRA, JULIE ANN
• Application Number:
  US11/544,256
• Publication Number:
  US 20080086194A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,839 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1.11, 623/1.15, 623/1.13, 623/1.18, 623/1.2
• US Class Current: 623/1.15
• 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 2002/91541 Adjacent bands are arranged out of phase
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91566 connected trough to trough
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91575 connected peak to trough

Abstract

A stent design reduces the likelihood of contact among structural members when the stent diameter is reduced before insertion into the body. In one approach, an undulating link has a J-shaped profile or has an angled portion on one side at the peak of the link, in order to reduce contact during crimping. The stent may also include structural features that improve such aspects as flexibility, the coatibility of a drug coating onto the stent, flare reduction, stent retention within the body and/or reduction of the minimum diameter of the stent during crimping.

Claims

1. A flexible intravascular stent for use in a body lumen, comprising:

a plurality of cylindrical rings aligned along a common longitudinal axis and interconnected to form the stent, each cylindrical ring having a first delivery diameter and a second implanted diameter;

at least some of the cylindrical rings each having a plurality of first peaks and second peaks, each of the peaks having a height, the second peaks being shorter than the first peaks;

at least one undulating link attaching each cylindrical ring to an adjacent cylindrical ring, the undulating links having a width and a curved portion extending transverse to the stent longitudinal axis toward the second peak, the entire width of the curved portion having curvature along the length defining the curved portion;

the first peaks and the second peaks extending axially in the same direction and not being connected to an undulating link; and

at least one undulating link including a first arm which is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the stent, the first arm being substantially straight and being connected to the curved portion, the at least one undulating link including a second arm having a first substantially straight portion which is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the stent and a [second,] angled portion, the angled portion extending from the curved portion, wherein the angled portion of the second arm is adjacent to the second peak in the first delivery position and the entire width of the angled portion is substantially straight along the length defining the angled portion.

2. The stent of claim 1, wherein the stent is formed from a shape memory alloy.

3. The stent of claim 1, wherein the stent is formed from a superelastic or pseudoelastic metal alloy.

4. The stent of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the stent has a variable thickness configuration.

5. The stent of claim 1, wherein at least some of the first peaks have a first radius and the second peaks have a second radius, the second radius being greater than the first radius.

6. The stent of claim 1, wherein at least some of the first peaks have a pair of first struts and at least some of the second peaks have a pair of second struts, the first struts being longer than the second struts.

7. The stent of claim 1, wherein the angled portion of the undulating link provides flexibility to the stent.

8. The stent of claim 1, wherein the angled portion reduces the likelihood of metal-to-metal contact when the stent is in a crimped configuration.

9. The stent of claim 1, wherein the stent further comprises a proximal ring having no W-shaped element which reduces the likelihood of flaring.

10. The stent of claim 1, wherein the stent further comprises a proximal end ring having a large radius of curvature in the peaks thereby improving stent retention.

42. The stent of claim 1, wherein the first arm is longer than the first substantially straight portion of the second arm.

11. A flexible intravascular stent for use in a body lumen, comprising:

a plurality of cylindrical rings aligned along a common longitudinal axis and interconnected to form the stent, each cylindrical ring having a first delivery diameter and a second implanted diameter;

at least some of the cylindrical rings each having a plurality of first peaks and second peaks, each of the peaks having a height, the second peaks being shorter than the first peaks;

at least one undulating link attaching each cylindrical ring to an adjacent cylindrical ring, each of the undulating links having a width and a curved portion extending transverse to the stent longitudinal axis toward the second peak, the height of the second peak being sized so that as the stent is compressed to the first delivery diameter, the curved portion of the undulating link is longitudinally aligned with the second peak and the entire width of the curved portion has curvature along the length defining the curved portion;

the first peaks and the second peaks extending axially in the same direction and not being connected to an undulating link; and

an angled portion extending from the curved portion and adjacent to the second peak, the angled portion thereby preventing contact between the at least one undulating link and the second peak when the stent is compressed to the first delivery diameter, the entire width of the angled portion being substantially straight along the length defining the angled portion.

12. The stent of claim 11, wherein at least one undulating link comprises at least one curved portion connected to a substantially straight portion, the substantially straight portion being substantially perpendicular to the stent longitudinal axis.

13. The stent of claim 12, wherein the substantially straight portion of the at least one undulating link is perpendicular to the stent longitudinal axis when the stent is in the first delivery diameter configuration.

14. The stent of claim 12, wherein the substantially straight portion of the at least one undulating link is perpendicular to the stent longitudinal axis when the stent is in the second implanted diameter configuration.

15. The stent of claim 11, wherein at least one of the undulating links comprise a plurality of curved portions.

16. The stent of claim 11, wherein the first peaks of each cylindrical ring are in phase with the first peaks of an adjacent cylindrical ring.

17. The stent of claim 11, wherein the stent is formed from a shape memory alloy.

18. The stent of claim 11, wherein the stent is formed from a superelastic or pseudoelastic metal alloy.

19. The stent of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the stent has a variable thickness configuration.

20. The stent of claim 11, wherein the first peaks have a first radius and the second peaks have a second radius, the second radius being greater than the first radius.

21. The stent of claim 11, wherein each of the first peaks has a pair of first struts and each of the second peaks has a pair of second struts, the first struts being longer than the second struts.

22. The stent of claim 11, wherein the stent comprises an end ring having a plurality of first peaks and second peaks having a height, the height of the first and second peaks being uniform.

23. The stent of claim 11, wherein the angled portion of the undulating link provides flexibility to the stent.

24. The stent of claim 11, wherein the angled portion reduces the likelihood of metal-to-metal contact when the stent is in a crimped configuration.

25. The stent of claim 11, wherein the stent further a proximal end ring having no W-shaped element which reduces the likelihood of flaring.

26. The stent of claim 11, wherein the stent further comprises a proximal end ring having a large radius of curvature in the peaks thereby improving stent retention.

27. A flexible intravascular stent for use in a body lumen, comprising:

a plurality of cylindrical rings aligned along a common longitudinal axis and interconnected to form the stent, each cylindrical ring having a first delivery diameter and a second implanted diameter;

at least some of the cylindrical rings each having a plurality of first peaks and second peaks, each of the peaks having a height, the second peaks being shorter than the first peaks;

at least one undulating link attaching each cylindrical ring to an adjacent cylindrical ring, each of the undulating links having a width and a curved portion extending transverse to the stent longitudinal axis toward the second peak, the entire width of the curved portion having curvature along the length defining the curved portion;

an angled portion extending from the curved portion and positioned adjacent the second peak in order to reduce the likelihood of metal-to-metal contact when the stent is in the delivery diameter configuration and the entire width of the angled portion is substantially straight along the length defining the angled portion;

the first peaks and the second peaks extending axially in the same direction and not being connected to an undulating link; and

an end ring having a plurality of first peaks and second peaks having a height, the height of the first and second peaks being uniform.

28. The stent of claim 27, wherein at least one undulating link comprises at least one curved portion connected to a substantially straight portion, the substantially straight portion being substantially perpendicular to the stent longitudinal axis.

29. The stent of claim 28, wherein the substantially straight portion of the at least one undulating link is perpendicular to the stent longitudinal axis when the stent is in the first delivery diameter configuration.

30. The stent of claim 27, wherein at least one of the undulating links comprise a plurality of curved portions.

31. The stent of claim 27, wherein the first peaks of each cylindrical ring are in phase with the first peaks of an adjacent cylindrical ring.

32. The stent of claim 27, wherein the stent is formed from any of the group of metal alloys consisting of stainless steel, tantalum, nickel-titanium, cobalt-chromium and titanium.

33. The stent of claim 27, wherein the stent is formed from a shape memory alloy.

34. The stent of claim 27, wherein the stent is formed from a superelastic or pseudoelastic metal alloy.

35. The stent of claim 27, wherein at least a portion of the stent has a variable thickness configuration.

36. The stent of claim 27, wherein the first peaks have a first radius and the second peaks have a second radius, the second radius being greater than the first radius.

37. The stent of claim 27, wherein each of the first peaks has a pair of first struts and each of the second peaks has a pair of second struts, the first struts being longer than the second struts.

38. The stent of claim 27, in which the angled portion of the undulating link provides flexibility to the stent.

39. The stent of claim 27, in which the angled portion reduces the likelihood of metal-to-metal contact when the stent is in a crimped configuration.

40. The stent of claim 27, in which the stent further a proximal ring having no W-shaped element which reduces the likelihood of flaring.

41. The stent of claim 27, in which the stent further comprises a proximal end ring having a large radius of curvature in the peaks thereby improving stent retention.