Wireless endovascular stent-based electrodes

Inventors

Dagan, Amir • Elazar, Moshe • Hanani, Nitai • Ariav, Gal • Meiri, Oded • Gindin, Igor • Bernshtein, Vadim • Armony, Nir • Gross, Yossi • Glasberg, Offer

Assignees

Enopace Biomedical Ltd

Abstract

Apparatus and methods are provided for use with a blood vessel of a subject, including a stent (20) configured to be placed in the blood vessel. The stent includes at least first (32), second (34), and third (36) strut portions disposed along the stent. The first and second strut portions are coupled to one another at a first junction (37A) that facilitates bending of the first and second strut portions with respect to one another. The second and third strut portions are coupled to one another at a second junction (37B) that facilitates bending of the second and third strut portions with respect to one another. At least one electrode (22) is disposed on at least an outer surface of the stent. Other applications are also described.

Core Innovation

The invention relates to wireless endovascular stent-based electrodes that include a stent configured to be placed in a blood vessel and to carry electrodes disposed on an outer surface for delivering current into the blood vessel. Junctions and strut portions are configured to enable bending and conforming placement in curved blood vessels, while achieving a convex stent profile upon catheter deployment to reduce vessel-wall damage and bring electrodes into vessel-wall contact.

A further aspect of the invention describes a stent-body structure with posts and an annular antenna disposed on the posts. The posts protrude longitudinally from a given end of a generally cylindrical stent body, and the posts separate the antenna from the end of the stent body. The antenna is configured to receive power by RF energy transmitted toward the antenna to generate inductive current through the antenna.

The posts are configured to provide electrical resistance, such that there is no current from the antenna to the stent body via the posts, and thereby reduce undesired inductive current in the stent body caused by a magnetic field produced by the antenna’s inductive current. In a described use case, the inductive current powers a control capsule coupled to the stent, and the control capsule is configured to drive current into the blood vessel via an electrode coupled to the stent, or receive an electrical parameter of the blood vessel via the electrode.

Claims Coverage

The provided independent claims cover a stent architecture and method apparatus in which an annular RF antenna is disposed on longitudinal posts, separated from a generally cylindrical stent body, and used for inductive power transfer to an electrode-coupled control capsule. Across the independent claim set, five main inventive features appear.

Across the independent claims, the coverage centers on a stent with an annular RF antenna mounted on longitudinal posts separated from a stent-body end, where the posts provide electrical resistance to prevent current flow from the antenna to the stent body while RF energy generates inductive current. The inductive current powers a control capsule coupled to the stent, which then drives current into the blood vessel via an electrode or receives an electrical parameter via the electrode.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications