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Publication Number
US-10772747-B2
Publication Date
2020-09-15
Expiration Date
Abstract
The invention relates to a self-expanding vascular implant for implanting into a blood vessel, the implant comprising a hollow cylindrical body with a proximal and a distal end and with a longitudinal axis; comprising stent springs, which are successively arranged and spaced from one another over the longitudinal axis of the body, each stent spring meandering; and comprising an implant material, which is fixed to the stent springs and connects same. The stent springs have pointed arches which alternately point toward the proximal and distal direction and comprise alternating crests and troughs that are connected to one another via legs of different lengths, whereby a stent spring has pointed arches, which are circumferentially and successively arranged and which have different heights, said pointed arches consisting of higher and shorter pointed arches.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a self-expanding vascular implant for implanting into a blood vessel. The vascular implant has a hollow-cylindrical body with a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis. The implant comprises stent springs that are successively arranged at a distance over the longitudinal axis and circumferentially meander, and an implant material fixed to the stent springs connecting them so that the stent springs are connected by way of the implant material only and not between one another.
The circumferential stent springs have pointed arches facing alternately toward the proximal direction and the distal direction, and the pointed arches are connected to one another by legs. For at least three stent springs successively arranged in the longitudinal direction, the legs have different lengths to form circumferentially arranged pointed arches of varying height, with higher pointed arches and shorter pointed arches facing both the proximal direction and the distal direction. The arrangement includes at least two higher pointed arches facing the proximal direction having a same height, and at least two shorter pointed arches facing the proximal direction having a same height.
In the expanded state, a higher pointed arch facing toward the proximal direction of a first stent spring lies opposite a shorter pointed arch facing toward the distal direction of a second stent spring arranged thereafter in the proximal direction, at a distance and at an imaginary line parallel to the longitudinal axis, and vice versa with a shorter pointed arch facing toward the proximal direction opposite a longer pointed arch facing toward the distal direction. The geometry is further defined such that no pointed arch of a stent spring successively arranged after another stent spring is attached within the corresponding circumferential area of an adjacent stent spring.
Claims Coverage
The document provides two independent claims. Across them, the coverage is grounded on at least three successively arranged stent springs with circumferentially meandering pointed arches of varying height, alternating proximal/distal facing arches, and a defined expanded-state opposition across an imaginary line with a non-attached adjacent circumferential area condition.
Circumferentially meandering stent springs fixed by implant material only
The vascular implant includes stent springs successively arranged at a distance over the longitudinal axis and circumferentially meander, and an implant material fixed to the stent springs connecting them, wherein the stent springs are connected by way of the implant material only and not between one another.
Alternating pointed arches connected by legs with varying leg lengths
Each circumferential stent spring has pointed arches facing alternately toward the proximal direction and the distal direction, the pointed arches being connected by legs; for at least three successively arranged stent springs in the longitudinal direction, the legs have different lengths to form circumferentially arranged pointed arches of varying height.
Opposing higher and shorter pointed arches across an imaginary line without adjacent attachment
In an expanded state, a higher pointed arch facing toward the proximal direction of a first stent spring lies opposite a shorter pointed arch facing toward the distal direction of a second stent spring at a distance and at an imaginary line parallel to the longitudinal axis, with the opposite configuration for shorter-to-longer, such that no pointed arch of a stent spring successively arranged after another stent spring is attached within the corresponding circumferential area of an adjacent stent spring.
Consistent heights for proximal-facing higher arches and proximal-facing shorter arches
In at least three stent springs, among the circumferentially arranged pointed arches of varying height, at least two higher pointed arches facing in the proximal direction of each stent spring have a same height, and at least two shorter pointed arches facing the proximal direction have a same height.
The independent claims share the same core structural concept: circumferentially meandering stent springs connected only by implant material, pointed arches facing alternately proximal/distal, legs of different lengths producing varying-height arches, and an expanded-state opposition across an imaginary line with a restriction that pointed arches of adjacent stent springs are not attached within the corresponding circumferential area.
Stated Advantages
Reduces buckling/kinking risk in bent states while maintaining multi-plane flexibility.
Documented Applications
Implanting into a blood vessel.
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