Bifurcating stent apparatus and method
AssigneeCordis Corporation
InventorDavid C. MacGregor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bifurcating stent for insertion into a bifurcating vessel such as a blood vessel. The stent can be expanded from an insertion configuration to an implanted configuration by the application of radially outward forces against a series of interconnected wire loops that make up the stent. The preferred and disclosed method of stent implantation is accomplished with the use of a balloon catheter that expands the stent into contact with inner walls of the vessel. The balloon is then deflated and withdrawn from the vessel, leaving the stent implanted within the vessel.
Claims16
A bifurcating stent for placement in a subject vessel comprising:
- a first generally cylindrical matrix of filament material forming a series of interconnected loops that define a first flow path for fluid flow;
- and a second generally cylindrical matrix of filament material forming a series of interconnected loops that define a second branching flow path;
- said first and second matrices connected by a flexible interconnecting member bent to define an angle between the first and the branching flow paths;
- said matrices constructed from a material that allows that stent to conform to an insertion configuration and expand to an in place configuration.
A bifurcating stent for placement in a subject vessel comprising:
- a first series of filament loops that define a first flow path for blood flow through the stent;
- and at least one additional series of filament loops which define a second branching flow path;
- said first and additional series of loops connected by a flexible interconnecting member which is bent to define an angle between the first and the branching flow paths;
- said filament loops constructed from a material that allows the stent to conform to an insertion configuration and expand to an inplace configuration in contact with inner walls of a branching vessel.
A method for implanting a branching stent having first and second branching portions connected together at a junction comprising the steps of:
- routing a first guidewire into a subject to a branch location and inserting the first guide wire into a first branch vessel at the branch location;
- routing a second guidewire into a subject to said branch location and inserting the second guidewire into a second branch vessel at the branch location;
- inserting the branching stent to the region of the branch location and routing the first and second branching portions of said stent into the first and second branch vessels;
- expanding the first branching portion of said stent into contact with an inner wall of one branch vessels;
- expanding the second branching portion of said stent into contact with an inner wall of a second branch vessel;
- and
- withdrawing the first and second guidewires, leaving said stent at the branch location.
A method for implanting a branching stent having a main stent portion and first and second branching stent portions connected together at a junction comprising the steps of:
- routing a first guidewire into a subject to a branch location of a main vessel and inserting the first guidewire into a first branch vessel at the branch location;
- routing a second guidewire into a subject to said branch location and inserting the second guidewire into a second branch vessel at the branch location;
- inserting the branching stent into the subject to a region of the branch location and routing the first and second branching portions of said stent into the first and second branch vessels leaving a main stent portion within the main vessel;
- causing the stent portions to come into contact with inner walls of the vessel;
- and
- withdrawing the first and second guidewires to leave said stent at the branch location.
A method for implanting a stent having a main portion and first and second branching portions connected together at a junction to form a branching stent comprising the steps of:
- routing a guidewire into a subject to a branch vessel location;
- inserting the branching stent to the branch vessel location by advancing the branching stent along the guidewire and inserting the first and second branching portions of said stent into first and second branch vessels leaving the main portion of the stent within a main vessel;
- causing the main, first, and second branching portions of said stent to come into contact with inner walls of the branching and main vessels;
- and
- withdrawing the guidewire from the subject to leave said stent at the branch vessel location.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.