Stone expulsion stent
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorsCu N. Phan, Marshall L. Stoller
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Abstract
A stent of the present invention includes a tubular body having a helical-like ridge along at least a portion of its outer wall for expelling masses within a body passage. The helical-like ridge includes a smooth, convex superior surface having a beveled central portion, and a concave inferior surface.
Claims26
A stent for placement in a body passage, said stent comprising:
- an elongate flexible body having a proximal end and a distal end;
- means disposed along the elongate body for defining a series of spaced-apart barriers which, when the stent is placed in the body passage, permit the passage of masses from the proximal end towards the distal end but not in an opposite direction;
- and
- means on the elongate flexible body for self-retaining said body in place within the body passage.
A method for removing stones from a body passage comprising:
- crushing the stone into fragments;
- placing a stent within the passage, said stent having proximal and distal ends and including a spaced-apart barrier disposed along at least a portion of the stent for transporting the fragments from the proximal end to the distal end;
- and
- permitting fragments to migrate toward the distal end of the stent in response to natural motion of the passage.
In a stent for maintaining the patency of a body passage, the improvement comprising:
- a series of barriers spaced-apart along substantially the entire length of the stent for transporting masses out of the passage in response to motion of the body passage;
- and
- radial passages located between at least some of the barriers.
A method for removing a stone from a patient's urinary tract comprising:
- crushing the stone into fragments;
- placing a stent within the patient's urinary tract, said stent having proximal and distal ends and including a spaced-apart barrier disposed along at least a portion of the stent for transporting the fragments from the proximal end to the distal end;
- and
- permitting fragments to migrate out of the urinary tract in response to natural motion of the urinary tract.
A method for removing a stone from a patient's biliary track comprising:
- crushing the stone into fragments;
- placing a stent within the patient's biliary tract, said stent having proximal and distal ends and including a spaced-apart barrier disposed along at least a portion of the stent for transporting the fragments from the proximal end to the distal end;
- and
- permitting fragments to migrate out of the biliary tract in response to natural motion of the biliary tract.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.