Self-constrained segmented stents and methods for their deployment
AssigneeXtent, Inc.
InventorsPablo Acosta, Craig Welk, Jeffry Grainger
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A self-expanding stent includes a plurality of segments having a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration. Preferably, the segments are unconnected to each other in at least the expanded configuration. The segments include restraining structures that temporarily restrain them from expansion until activated. This allows the user to position the desired number of segments at a treatment site and to deploy them simultaneously, thereby avoiding misalignment, overlap, and excessive spacing between segments. In preferred embodiments, multiple segmented stents of user-selectable length may be deployed at multiple locations in a single intervention.
Claims68
A stent comprising:
- a plurality of generally tubular self-expanding stent segments axially aligned with each other and being expandable from a collapsed configuration to an expanded configuration, each stent segment being unconnected to the other stent segments in at least the expanded configuration, each of the stent segments comprising:
- a first strut and a second strut, the first and second struts being closer together in the collapsed configuration than in the expanded configuration;
- and
- restraining structure holding the first strut and second struts together to maintain the stent segment in the collapsed configuration, wherein the restraining structure is selectively releasable to allow the stent segment to self-expand into the expanded configuration.
A catheter system for deploying a stent in body lumen comprising:
- a carrier shaft;
- a plurality of stent segments carried by the carrier shaft, each of the stent segments being self-expandable from a collapsed configuration to an expanded configuration and being axially movable relative to each other in the expanded configuration, each of the stent segments having restraining structure therein maintaining the stent segment in the collapsed configuration;
- and
- an activation member that may be selectively actuated to release the restraining structure in one or more stent segments to allow the stent segment to self-expand to the expanded configuration.
A method of deploying a stent in body lumen comprising:
- positioning a delivery catheter in the body lumen, the delivery catheter having an activation member and a carrier shaft carrying a plurality of self-expanding stent segments in a collapsed configuration;
- selecting at least two of the stent segments for deployment, the at least two stent segments being unrestrained from expansion by the catheter and remaining in the collapsed configuration;
- and
- actuating the activation member so as to release a restraining structure in the at least two stent segments, wherein upon release of the restraining structure the stent segments self-expand into an expanded configuration in the body lumen.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.