Scaffolds having a radiopaque marker and methods for attaching a marker to a scaffold
AssigneeAbbott Cardiovascular Systems Inc.
InventorsRommel LUMAUIG, Joel HARRINGTON, Chad ABUNASSAR, David D. HART, Cornel I. CIUREA, Mark A. RITCHIE, Jay A. KING, Jill McCoy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A scaffold includes a radiopaque marker connected to a strut. The marker is retained within the strut by a head at one or both ends. The marker is attached to the strut by a process that includes forming a rivet from a radiopaque bead and attaching the rivet to the marker including deforming the rivet to enhance resistance to dislodgement during crimping or balloon expansion. The strut has a thickness of about 100 microns.
Claims20
A medical device, comprising:
- a stent formed from a polymer composition having a glass transition temperature (Tg) and configured to be crimped to a balloon, wherein the stent includes a plurality of rings interconnected by a link strut, and wherein a plurality of marker holes are circumferentially offset from each other along the link strut;
- and
- a plurality of radiopaque markers disposed in the plurality of marker holes, wherein the polymer composition surrounding the plurality of radiopaque markers is stress relaxed from heating the stent above the Tg after the plurality of radiopaque markers are disposed in the plurality of marker holes such that the polymer composition presses against the plurality of radiopaque markers.
A medical device system, comprising:
- a balloon catheter having a balloon;
- a stent crimped on the balloon, wherein the stent is formed from a polymer composition having a glass transition temperature (Tg) and configured to be crimped to a balloon, wherein the stent includes a plurality of rings interconnected by a link strut, and wherein a plurality of marker holes are circumferentially offset from each other along the link strut;
- and
- a plurality of radiopaque markers disposed in the plurality of marker holes, wherein the polymer composition surrounding the plurality of radiopaque markers is stress relaxed from heating the stent above the Tg after the plurality of radiopaque markers are disposed in the plurality of marker holes such that the polymer composition presses against the plurality of radiopaque markers.
A method, comprising:
- disposing a plurality of radiopaque markers in a plurality of marker holes of a stent, wherein the stent is formed from a polymer composition having a glass transition temperature (Tg) and configured to be crimped to a balloon, wherein the stent includes a plurality of rings interconnected by a link strut, and wherein the plurality of marker holes are circumferentially offset from each other along the link strut;
- and
- heating the stent above the Tg to stress relax the polymer composition surrounding the plurality of radiopaque markers such that the polymer composition presses against the plurality of radiopaque markers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.