Embolization device and a method of using the same

• US 9,750,504 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2016
• Issued: 09/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Endologix
• Original Assignee: Thomas J. Fogarty
• Inventors: Fogarty, Thomas J., Drews, Michael J., Modesitt, D. Bruce, Holmgren, Neil D., Willis, David B.
• Primary Examiner(s): RODJOM, KATHERINE MARIE
• Application Number:
  US15/372,171
• Publication Number:
  US 20170086853A1
• Time in Patent Office: 272 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12022 Occluding by internal devices, e.g. balloons or releasable wires plugging an opening in the wall of an organ A61B17/0057; occluders for the cervical canal A61F6/146; vas deferens occluders A61F6/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12118 for positioning in conjunction with a stent
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12163 having a string of elements connected to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• 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 2002/075 the stent being loosely attached to the graft material, e.g. by stitching
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0091 connected by a hinged linkage mechanism, e.g. of the single-bar or multi-bar linkage type
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/001 Figure-8-shaped, e.g. hourglass-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0019 rectangular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0021 square
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/044 Collagen

Abstract

A method of filling an aneurysm space within the abdominal aorta is disclosed. The method involves placing a prosthesis in the abdominal aorta; delivering a fillable bladder in a deflated state into the aneurysm space using a catheter; placing a filler tube in fluid communication with an inflow port of the fillable bladder. The fillable bladder comprises a bladder seal surrounding the fillable bladder and the bladder seal has a first side, a second side, a third side, and a fourth side. The first side is symmetric with the second side with respect to a first axis of the fillable bladder and the third side is symmetric with the fourth side with respect to a second axis of the fillable bladder. The first axis is perpendicular to the second axis. The method further involves filling the fillable bladder with a filling agent and removing the filler tube.

Claims

1. A method of filling an aneurysm space within the abdominal aorta, the method comprising:

placing a prosthesis in the abdominal aorta of a subject;

delivering a fillable bladder in a deflated state into the aneurysm space using a catheter;

placing a filler tube in fluid communication with an inflow port of the fillable bladder, wherein the filler tube accesses an interior of the fillable bladder, and wherein the fillable bladder comprises a bladder seal surrounding the fillable bladder, wherein the bladder seal has a first side, a second side, a third side, and a fourth side, wherein a segment of the first side is parallel to a segment of the second side, wherein a segment of the third side is parallel to a segment of the fourth side, and wherein the segment of the first side is perpendicular to the segment of the third side; and

filling the fillable bladder with a filling agent through the filler tube until the fillable bladder reaches a desired size in the aneurysm space, wherein the desired size is a size which prevents dislodgment of the prosthesis and allows natural fluid flow through the prosthesis placed in the abdominal aorta and the filling agent comprises at least one of a particulate and a flowable material.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first side has a first side length, the second side has a second side length, the third side has a third side length, and the fourth side has a fourth side length, wherein the first side length is equal to the second side length, and wherein the third side length is equal to the fourth side length.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first side is symmetric with the second side with respect to a first axis of the fillable bladder and the third side is symmetric with the fourth side with respect to a second axis of the fillable bladder, wherein the first axis is perpendicular to the second axis.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising hardening the filling agent.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising sealing the inflow port of the fillable bladder.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing the filler tube from the fillable bladder.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising imaging the aneurysm space, and then filling the fillable bladder according to the imaging of the aneurysm space.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the fillable bladder and the filling agent is made of a bioabsorbable material.

9. A method of filling an aneurysm space within the abdominal aorta, the method comprising:

delivering a fillable bladder in a deflated state into the aneurysm space using a catheter;

placing a filler tube in fluid communication with an inflow port of the fillable bladder, wherein the filler tube provides access to an interior of the fillable bladder, and wherein the fillable bladder comprises a bladder seal surrounding the fillable bladder;

wherein the bladder seal has a first side, a second side, a third side, and a fourth side, wherein a segment of the first side is parallel to a segment of the second side, wherein a segment of the third side is parallel to a segment of the fourth side, and wherein the segment of the first side is perpendicular to the segment of the third side; and

filling the fillable bladder with a filling agent through the filler tube until the fillable bladder reaches a desired size in the aneurysm space, wherein the desired size is a size which prevents dislodgment of the prosthesis and allows natural fluid flow through the prosthesis placed in the abdominal aorta and the filling agent comprises at least one of a particulate and a flowable material.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising removing the filler tube from the fillable bladder.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the first side has a first side length, the second side has a second side length, the third side has a third side length, and the fourth side has a fourth side length, wherein the first side length is equal to the second side length, and wherein the third side length is equal to the fourth side length.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising hardening the filling agent.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising sealing the inflow port of the fillable bladder.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising imaging the aneurysm space, and then filling the fillable bladder according to the imaging of the aneurysm space.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein at least one of the fillable bladder and the filling agent is made of a bioabsorbable material.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the catheter is an over-the-wire catheter.