Medical device suitable for location in a body lumen
Inventors
Taylor, Charles • Heraty, Kevin • Mullins, Liam
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11839558-B2
Publication Date
2023-12-12
Expiration Date
Abstract
A stent suitable for deployment in a blood vessel to support at least part of an internal wall of the blood vessel comprises a plurality of longitudinally spaced-apart annular elements, and a plurality of connecting elements to connect adjacent annular elements. Each connecting element is circumferentially offset from the previous connecting element. Upon application of a load to the stent, the stent moves from an unloaded configuration to a loaded configuration. In the unloaded configuration the longitudinal axis of the stent is straight, and the stent is cylindrically shaped. In the loaded configuration the longitudinal axis of the stent is curved in three-dimensional space, and the stent is helically shaped.
Core Innovation
The disclosed medical device is suitable for location in a body lumen and is movable from an unloaded configuration to a loaded configuration upon application of a load. In the unloaded configuration, at least part of a longitudinal axis of the device is curved in a two-dimensional plane, and in the loaded configuration, at least part of the longitudinal axis of the device is curved in three-dimensional space. The device is biased to achieve the three-dimensional curvature during loading.
The device comprises a plurality of annular elements, a plurality of primary connecting elements to connect adjacent annular elements, and a plurality of secondary connecting elements to connect adjacent annular elements. A first primary connecting element is circumferentially offset from a second primary connecting element, and an aggregation of primary connecting elements may have, in the unloaded configuration, at least part of a longitudinal axis curved in three-dimensional space.
Regional variations in device properties bias the device to achieve the three-dimensional curvature during loading. In some embodiments, the loaded configuration is substantially helically shaped and the device is configured to transform from the unloaded configuration to the loaded configuration when a compressive load is applied. The longitudinal dimension of each annular element varies around a circumference of the annular element, including circumferentially offset maxima of the longitudinal dimension between longitudinally spaced-apart annular elements.
Claims Coverage
The provided independent claims cover a medical device with load-driven transformation from two-dimensional curvature in the unloaded state to three-dimensional curvature in the loaded state, and they further define structural features including annular elements with primary and secondary connecting elements, circumferentially offset connecting elements or maxima, regionally varying properties, and annular longitudinal dimension variation. Across the independent claims, 4 independent claim scopes are captured.
Unloaded two-dimensional curvature to biased loaded three-dimensional curvature
A medical device suitable for location in a body lumen in which, upon application of a load, the device is movable from an unloaded configuration to a loaded configuration, with at least part of a longitudinal axis curved in a two-dimensional plane in the unloaded configuration and at least part of the longitudinal axis curved in three-dimensional space in the loaded configuration, the device being biased to achieve the three-dimensional curvature during loading.
Annular elements connected by primary and secondary connecting elements
The device comprises a plurality of annular elements, a plurality of primary connecting elements to connect adjacent annular elements, and a plurality of secondary connecting elements to connect adjacent annular elements.
Circumferentially offset primary connecting elements to enable three-dimensional aggregation curvature
A first primary connecting element connecting a first annular element to a second annular element and a second primary connecting element connecting the second annular element to a third annular element, with the first primary connecting element being circumferentially offset from the second primary connecting element, and/or an aggregation of primary connecting elements having, in the unloaded configuration, at least part of a longitudinal axis curved in three-dimensional space.
Regionally varying properties that bias three-dimensional curvature during loading
The device has properties with regional variations, the regional variations biasing the device to achieve the three-dimensional curvature during loading.
Annular longitudinal dimension varying around the annular circumference
The device comprises a plurality of annular elements and a longitudinal dimension of each annular element varies around a circumference of the annular element.
Overall, the independent claim scopes share the core transformation concept: biased movement from an unloaded configuration where the longitudinal axis is curved in a two-dimensional plane to a loaded configuration where the longitudinal axis is curved in three-dimensional space. The additional inventive coverage is provided through annular element connectivity using primary and secondary connecting elements, circumferential offsets involving connecting elements or maxima, regional variations in device properties, and longitudinal dimension variation around the circumference of the annular elements.
Stated Advantages
Maximizing fracture resistance.
Reducing stress concentration under some loading.
Enabling controlled accommodation of vessel deformation.
Promoting swirling flow to minimize thrombosis and platelet adhesion.
Reducing intimal hyperplasia and stent coverage by ingrowth.
Documented Applications
Deployment in the superficial femoral artery for accommodating vessel bending.
Coronary application.
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