Intraluminal device with controlled biodegradation
AssigneeWilson-Cook Medical Inc.
InventorsWilliam S. Gibbons, JR., Wenfeng Lu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An intraluminal device with controlled biodegradation is provided. The intraluminal device comprises a biodegradable tubular main body. An outer photodegradable layer is disposed over at least a portion of the intraluminal device. The photodegradable outer layer is chemically inert to the body fluids of the implanted region, thereby preventing premature biodegradation of the stent. Degradation of the outer photodegradable layer after a predetermined time occurs by irradiating the layer with UV light waves. After removal of the outer photodegradable layer, the tubular main body becomes exposed to its in vivo environment, thereby allowing biodegradation of the tubular main body.
Claims20
A hybrid degradable stent comprising:
- a generally tubular main body comprising an inner diameter and an outer diameter, wherein the tubular body is formed from a biodegradable material;
- and
- a photodegradable layer disposed over at least a portion of the inner diameter and/or the outer diameter of the biodegradable tubular body, wherein the layer is formed from a photodegradable material that is chemically inert to bodily fluids contained at an implanted site, the photodegradable layer selectively adapted to be activated from a chemically inert state to a photodegradable state, wherein the photodegradable state initiates degradation of the photodegradable layer so as to expose at least a portion of the biodegradable material to begin biodegradation of the biodegradable material.
A degradable stent kit comprising:
- a generally biodegradable tubular body comprising a proximal end and a distal end, and a lumen extending from the proximal end to the distal end, the body further comprising a photodegradable material disposed over at least a portion of the biodegradable tubular body that is chemically inert when deployed into a body lumen of a patient;
- and
- a light-irradiating system configured to activate the photodegradable material from the chemically inert state to a photodegradable state, the light-irradiating system comprising a light source and a fiber section, the fiber section comprising a proximal section in communication with the light source and a distal section in communication with the tubular body, wherein the fiber section is adapted to propagate UV light from the proximal section to the distal section and thereafter irradiate UV light from the distal section to the photodegradable material.
A method for controllably degrading a stent within a body lumen of a patient, comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a generally tubular body formed from a biodegradable material, the body comprising an inner diameter and an outer diameter, the body further comprising a photodegradable layer disposed over at least a portion of the inner and/or the outer diameters of the biodegradable tubular body;
- (b) deploying the tubular body into the body lumen;
- (c) advancing an elongated light-irradiating conductor towards the deployed tubular body;
- (d) irradiating a specific wavelength of light along the conductor and towards the photodegradable layer of the stent;
- (e) activating the photodegradable layer from a chemically inert state to a photodegradable state;
- and
- (f) photodegrading at least a portion of the photodegradable layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.