# US 2019/0167958 A1 · Ureteral stent

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- Number: US 2019/0167958 A1
- Document ID: US20190167958A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/829,092
- Filed: 2017-12-01
- Published: 2019-06-06
- Earliest claimed: 2017-12-01
- Assignees: Gyrus ACMI, Inc. d/b/a Olympus Surgical Technologies America
- Applicants: GYRUS ACMI, INC., d/b/a Olympus Surgical Technologies America
- Inventors: Judy L. Walish; Hui Tang; Thomas J. Holman
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190167958A1

## CPC

- A61M 27/008: {pre-shaped, for use in the urethral or ureteral tract}
- A61F 2/885: {comprising a coil including a plurality of spiral or helical sections with alternate directions around a central axis}
- A61L 31/042: {Polysaccharides}
- A61F 2002/048: {Ureters}
- A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)}
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)
- A61L: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES (preservation of bodies or disinfecting characterised by the agents employed A01N; preserving, e.g. sterilising, food or foodstuffs A23; preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes A61K)

## Abstract

A ureteral stent that includes a tubular member and a retaining end adapted to be placed inside a kidney or a bladder of a patient. The retaining end includes a plurality of loops. Each of the loops are centered about a loop axis, and two or more of the loop axes extend in different directions relative to other loop axes.

## Claims

### Claim 1

1) A ureteral stent comprising:
a tubular member; and
a retaining end, adapted to be placed inside a kidney or a bladder of a patient, comprising a plurality of loops centered about respective loop axes extending in different directions relative to each other.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

2) The ureteral stent according to claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of loops is laterally offset to one side of the tubular member, and another one of the plurality of loops is laterally offset to another side of the tubular member.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

3) The ureteral stent according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of loops lie in a different loop plane relative to each other, and each of the loop planes is angled relative to one another.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

4) The ureteral stent according to claim 1, wherein a footprint of each of the plurality of loops is offset relative to all of the other loops such that only a portion of each of the loops overlaps one another.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

5) The ureteral stent according to claim 1, wherein the retaining end meanders along an irregular curved path and crosses over itself only once between the tubular member and a terminal end of the retaining end.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

6) The ureteral stent according to claim 1, wherein the retaining end meanders along an irregular curved path and crosses under or behind itself two or more times between the tubular member and a terminal end the retaining end.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

7) The ureteral stent according to claim 1, wherein the retaining end meanders along an irregular curved path and crosses under or behind itself nine times between the tubular member and a terminal end the retaining end.

### Claim 8 (depends on 3)

8) The ureteral stent according to claim 3, wherein the retaining end meanders along an irregular curved path and crosses under or behind itself exactly nine times between the tubular member and a terminal end the retaining end.

### Claim 9 (depends on 4)

9) The ureteral stent according to claim 4, wherein two of the plurality of loops are laterally offset on opposing sides of the tubular member, and two of the plurality of loops are generally aligned with the tubular member.

### Claim 10

10) A ureteral stent comprising:
a tubular member; and
a retaining end adapted to be placed inside a kidney or a bladder of a patient and enabled to deform subject to a fluid pressure.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

11) The ureteral stent according to claim 10, wherein the retaining comprises one or more sections having one or more openings.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

12) The ureteral stent according to claim 10, wherein the retaining end is moved into a deployed configuration where a bulge is formed at each of the one or more sections having the one or more openings, the bulge that has a larger cross section than a cross section of the tubular member.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

13) The ureteral stent according to claim 12, wherein the bulge has a spherical shape.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

14) The ureteral stent according to claim 12, wherein a diameter of the bulge closest to a terminal end of the retaining end is larger than a diameter of the bulge furthest from the terminal end.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

15) The ureteral stent according to claim 14, wherein a length of the openings in the bulge closest to the terminal end are longer than a length of the openings in the bulge furthest from the terminal end.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

16) The ureteral stent according to claim 12, wherein in between two adjacent bulges, the retaining end comprises a portion that is substantially free of any openings.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

17) The ureteral stent according to claim 16, wherein the portions that are substantially free of any spherically-shaped each have a diameter that is generally equivalent to a diameter of the tubular member.

### Claim 18

18) A method comprising:
inserting a ureteral stent into anatomy of a patient, the ureteral stent comprising a retaining end that is adapted to deform when subject to a fluid pressure.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

19) The method according to claim 18, wherein the retaining comprises one or more sections having one or more openings, and a bulge is formed at each of the one or more sections having the one or more openings, the bulge that has a larger cross section than a cross section of the tubular member.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

20) The method according to claim 18, wherein a diameter of the bulge closest to a terminal end of the retaining end is larger than a diameter of the bulge furthest from the terminal end.