US 5,035,706 A · Percutaneous stent and method for retrieval thereof

Abstract

A self-expanding stent formed of stainless steel wire arranged in a closed zig-zag configuration includes an endless series of straight sections joined at their ends by bends. The stent is compressible into a reduced diameter size for insertion into and removal from a body passageway. The bends of at least one end of the stent are formed into eyes for connection with the eyes at one end of a similarly constructed stent to permit single-step introduction of several lengths of stent into the passageway. A stent can include a monofilament thread passing through successive eyes at one end of the stent, the thread passing through each eye at least once and through some of the eyes a second time. The trailing ends of the thread extend from the stent and outside the body passageway. The stent can be retrieved from the body passageway by threading a tube of the free ends of the thread until the tube is adjacent the stent. The diameter at one end of the stent is reduced by pulling the free ends of the thread through the tube. A sheath concentrically disposed over the tube is introduced into the body passageway and over the remaining length of the stent to further compress the stent for removal from the passageway.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A stent assembly comprising:

a first wire formed into a closed zig-zag configuration including;
an endless series of straight sections having opposite ends, said straight sections being joined by bends at said opposite ends to form a stent;
a set of eyes formed at several of said bends at one of said opposite ends;
and
a thread passing through successive ones of said set of eyes, said thread including a pair of free ends trailing from said stent;
wherein said stent is resiliently contractable into a smaller first shape for conveyance through a body passageway;
wherein said one end of said stent is contractable by drawing said pair of free ends of said thread;
wherein said stent is resiliently expandable into a second shape in which the straight sections press against the walls of the body passageway;
and
wherein said free ends are sufficiently long to extend outside the body passageway when said stent is situated within the passageway.

7 more elements

A method for retrieving a stent disposed within a body passageway, the stent including a resilient wire formed in a closed zig-zag configuration having a set of eyes formed at one end of the stent, with a thread passing through successive eyes of the stent and having two free ends trailing from the stent outside the body passageway, the stent having a first compressed shape and a second expanded shape in which the resilient wire contacts the wall of the body passageway, comprising the steps of:

pulling the free ends of the thread to reduce the diameter of the one end of the stent while maintaining the position of the stent within the body passageway;
reducing the diameter of the remainder of the stent sufficient to permit travel of the stent through the body passageway;
retracting the compressed stent through the passageway.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Percutaneous stent and method for retrieval thereof

Life of this patent

Percutaneous stent and method for retrieval thereof

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims12