Methods of supporting a vein
Inventors
Orion, Eyal • Bachar, Yehuda • Ben-Gal, Yanai • Rapaport, Avraham • Cibulski, Gilad • Winshtein, Ronny
Assignees
Vascular Graft Solutions Ltd • Medical Research Infrastructure and Health Services Fund of the Tel Aviv Medical Center
Interested in licensing this patent?
MTEC can help explore whether this patent might be available for licensing for your application.
Publication Number
US-9265632-B2
Publication Date
2016-02-23
Expiration Date
Abstract
Methods of supporting a vein, featuring deforming a vein support while being mounted on the vein. Such deformation may be sufficient to impose thereupon a plastic deformation that alters a length of the vein support, from a pre-deformation relaxed length to a post-deformation relaxed length different than the pre-deformation relaxed length. Following the plastic deformation, the vein support may maintain a new shape relative to a longitudinal axis thereof.
Core Innovation
A method is described for supporting a vein in which a vein support is mounted around the vein and plastically deforming the vein support relative to a longitudinal axis of the vein support while the vein support is mounted on the vein. Following the plastically deforming, the vein support substantially maintains a new shape relative to the longitudinal axis, and the plastically deforming includes plastically bending the vein support in a direction transversally to the longitudinal axis.
The plastically deforming is further described as imposing a plastic deformation that alters a length of the vein support from a pre-deformation relaxed length to a post-deformation relaxed length different than the pre-deformation relaxed length, and plastically deforming a diameter of the vein support at a plurality of points along a length of the vein support. In some embodiments, the post-deformation relaxed diameter is selected in response to a diameter of the vein, and diameters adjacent different axial locations correspond to first and second vein diameters at first and second axial locations.
The description presents embodiments in which the plastically deforming comprises deforming along the longitudinal axis whereby springback of the vein support relative to the longitudinal axis decreases. Stent-like embodiments are described as including extendable stents with plastically deformable elements, together with support constructions described as braided or tubular bodies including plastically deformable and elastic fibers and radially elastic portions.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims cover a vein-support method based on mounting a vein support around the vein and plastically deforming the mounted support so it substantially maintains a new shape relative to a longitudinal axis, with inventive features centered on plastic shaping, springback reduction, diameter selection, and vascular incorporation.
Mounted vein support plastically deformed to maintain a new shape
A method comprising mounting a vein support around the vein; and plastically deforming the vein support relative to a longitudinal axis of the vein support, while the vein support is mounted on the vein, such that following the plastically deforming, the vein support substantially maintains a new shape relative to the axis.
Plastic bending transversally to the longitudinal axis
The plastically deforming includes plastically bending the vein support in a direction transversally to the axis.
Relaxed-length change from pre-deformation to post-deformation
Deforming the vein support, while the vein support is mounted on the vein, sufficiently to impose thereupon a plastic deformation that alters a length of the vein support, from a pre-deformation relaxed length to a post-deformation relaxed length different than the pre-deformation relaxed length.
Springback decreases by axis-based plastic deformation
Wherein the plastically deforming comprises deforming the vein support along the axis whereby springback of the vein support relative to the axis decreases.
Multi-point diameter plastically deformed along the support length
Plastically deforming diameter of the vein support at a plurality of points along a length of the vein support.
Diameter selection across axial locations based on vein diameters
Wherein the vein has a first vein diameter at a first axial location of the vein and a second vein diameter at a second axial location of the vein, wherein the manipulating is performed so that the vein support has a first vein support diameter adjacent the first axial location and a second vein support diameter corresponding to the second vein diameter adjacent the second axial location.
Vascular incorporation via anastomosis and then plastically deforming
Connecting a first end of the vein to a first point in a vascular system of a patient with a first anastomosis so as to incorporate the vein into the vascular system.
Attach vein at two points, allow blood flow to expand, and shape during flow
Attaching the vein to at least two separate points in a vascular system of a patient; allowing blood to flow in and expand the vein; and shaping the vein support mounted on the vein during said blood flow.
Vein layout defined independent of non-vein tissue attachment
Plastically deforming defines a layout of the vein independent of any attachment of the vein support to tissue other than the vein.
Across the independent claims, the core coverage is the in-situ concept of mounting a vein support and plastically deforming it relative to a longitudinal axis so it substantially maintains a new shape, with additional coverage for altering relaxed length and diameter, reducing springback, selecting support diameters based on vein diameters at axial locations, defining a vein layout independent of attachment to tissue other than the vein, and incorporating the vein into a vascular system using anastomosis or shaping during blood flow after attaching the vein to at least two vascular points.
Stated Advantages
Substantially maintains a new shape of the vein support relative to the axis following plastically deforming.
Decreases springback of the vein support relative to the longitudinal axis.
Desired blood flow and reduced deformation and turbulence are described in the biological/clinical framing.
Documented Applications
CABG surgery use for supporting a vein.
In vitro testing with simulated physiological conditions demonstrating length/diameter stability and reduced springback.
Implantation in a sheep model with angiography/patency observations.
Interested in licensing this patent?