# US 9,433,517 B2 · Stent having circumferentially deformable struts

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- Number: US 9,433,517 B2
- Document ID: US9433517B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/605,137
- Filed: 2015-01-26
- Published: 2015-05-14
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2007-06-29
- Assignees: Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Inc.
- Applicants: Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Inc.
- Inventors: Bin Huang; David C. Gale
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9433517B2

## CPC

- A61F 2/89: the wire-like elements comprising two or more adjacent rings flexibly connected by separate members
- A61F 2/91: made from perforated sheets or tubes, e.g. perforated by laser cuts or etched holes
- A61F 2/915: with bands having a meander structure, adjacent bands being connected to each other
- A61L 31/06: obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds {(A61L31/041 takes precedence)}
- A61L 31/14: Materials characterised by their function or physical properties {, e.g. injectable or lubricating compositions, shape-memory materials, surface modified materials}
- A61F 2002/9155: {Adjacent bands being connected to each other}
- A61F 2210/0057: stretchable
- A61F 2250/001: for adjusting a diameter
- A61F 2250/0029: differing in bending or flexure capacity
- A61F 2250/0036: differing in thickness
- A61F 2250/0071: breakable or frangible
- 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

Disclosed is a method of treating a bodily lumen with a stent, the method comprising: disposing a stent within a bodily lumen, the stent comprising a plurality of deformable struts configured to selectively deform in localized regions in the struts upon application of an outward radial force; and expanding the stent by applying the outward radial force, wherein the outward radial force causes selective deformation of the deformable struts in a localized region in the struts.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of treating a bodily lumen with a stent, the method comprising:
disposing a polymer stent within a bodily lumen,
wherein the stent comprises a plurality of circumferential rings composed of ring struts connected at connection regions,
wherein the circumferential rings are connected by linking struts that connect adjacent rings at connection regions on the adjacent rings,
wherein each ring has at least one deformable strut of the ring struts that has a region of reduced cross-section formed by a notch in a portion of the deformable strut between two connection regions, the notched portion is spaced apart from the connection regions,
wherein the notched portion formed in the at least one deformable strut is for inducing necking in the deformable strut, wherein only every other ring strut in each ring has the notch and only one of each longitudinally adjacent struts has the notch
wherein the deformable struts are configured to selectively deform in localized regions in the deformable struts upon application of an outward radial force; and
expanding the stent by applying the outward radial force, wherein the outward radial force causes selective deformation comprising necking of the deformable struts in the localized region in the struts,
wherein the selective deformation is initiated at the reduced cross-section region,
wherein the reduced cross-section region guides the necking.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein selective deformation causes the cross-sectional area of the deformable struts adjacent to the notch to be decreased.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein selective deformation induces crystallization and/or molecular orientation in the localized region of the deformable struts.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein selective deformation increases a mechanical strength and/or modulus in the localized region of the deformable struts.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein selective deformation increases the crystallinity in the polymer in the localized region of the deformable struts to at least 30%.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein selective deformation increases the glass transition temperature of the polymer in the localized region of the deformable struts.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein selective deformation increases the radial strength of the stent so that the stent is less likely to recoil.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein selective deformation of the localized region includes lengthening of the deformable struts.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein selective deformation includes plastic deformation of the deformable struts in the localized regions.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the deformable struts include a polymer that is semicrystalline having a Tg in the range of 32° C. to 44° C.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the deformable struts include a polymer that is selected from the group consisting of poly(glycolic acid), 90:10 poly(glycolic acid) and polylactide, or mixtures thereof.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the stent is expanded and deployed into the lumen after the temperature of the stent increases to body temperature.