U.S. patent application number 09/780883 was filed with the patent office on 2001-06-28 for expandable stent apparatus and method.
Invention is credited to Brenneman, Rodney A..
Application Number | 20010005793 09/780883 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25307815 |
Filed Date | 2001-06-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010005793 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Brenneman, Rodney A. |
June 28, 2001 |
Expandable stent apparatus and method
Abstract
An expandable stent has a sheeted material which is expanded
from a compacted configuration to an expanded configuration. The
sheet is maintained in the compacted configuration at least in part
by operation of a dynamic force, and the expansion occurs at least
in part by removal of the dynamic force. In preferred embodiments,
a biocompatible sheeted material is wrapped around a retaining wire
to produce a compacted configuration, and the retaining wire is
rotated to maintain the compacted configuration during insertion of
the stent into a patient. The rotation is continued while the stent
is positioned, and then the rotation is stopped or slowed to permit
expansion of the sheet.
Inventors: |
Brenneman, Rodney A.; (San
Juan Capistrano, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CROCKETT & CROCKETT
24012 CALLE DE LA PLATA
SUITE 400
LAGUNA HILLS
CA
92653
US
|
Family ID: |
25307815 |
Appl. No.: |
09/780883 |
Filed: |
February 9, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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09780883 |
Feb 9, 2001 |
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09372711 |
Aug 11, 1999 |
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6187015 |
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09372711 |
Aug 11, 1999 |
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08850320 |
May 2, 1997 |
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5957929 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
623/1.11 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61F 2/92 20130101; A61F
2002/9511 20130101; A61F 2/95 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
623/1.11 |
International
Class: |
A61F 002/06 |
Claims
I claim:
1. A stent and stent delivery system for inserting a stent into a
vessel of the body and deploying the stent at a target site within
the vessel, said stent delivery system comprising: an insertion
catheter having a lumen; a stent having a small diameter
configuration and a large diameter configuration; a wire secured to
the stent, wherein rotation of the wire facilitates moving the
stent out of the lumen of the distal end of the insertion catheter,
and wherein the wire extendes to the proximal end of the insertion
catheter; and means for rotating the wire.
2. The stent delivery system of claim 1 wherein the wire is
releasably connected to the stent.
3. The stent delivery system of claim 1 wherein the wire comprises
a crook at the distal end of the wire and a portion of the stent is
engaged by the crook and is retained to the wire by the crook.
4. The stent delivery system of claim 1 wherein the means for
rotating the movable comprise a hand held motor.
5. The stent delivery system of claim 1 wherein the means for
rotating the movable wire permit manual rotation of the movable
wire.
6. The stent delivery system of claim 1 wherein the stent comprises
a sheet of nitinol.
7. The stent delivery system of claim 1 wherein stent comprises a
sheet of perforated material.
8. A method of deploying a stent within a vessel in the body, said
method comprising: providing an insertion catheter having a lumen;
rolling a sheet stent onto a wire, the sheet stent having a compact
configuration and an expanded configuration; inserting the stent
into the lumen of the insertion catheter; rotating the wire and
thereby the stent to force the stent into the compact
configuration; as the wire and stent are being rotated, moving the
stent out of the lumen of the catheter in the compact
configuration; and slowing or ceasing the rotation of the stent to
permit it to expand to the expanded configuration within the
vessel.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the wire is releasably attached
to the stent and the method further comprises the step of releasing
the stent from the wire.
10. A method of deploying a stent within a vessel of the body, said
method comprising: providing an insertion catheter having a lumen;
rolling a sheet stent onto a wire, the sheet stent having a compact
configuration and an expanded configuration; inserting the stent
into the lumen of the insertion catheter; rotating the wire and
thereby the stent to force the stent into the compact
configuration; as the wire and stent are being rotated, moving the
stent out of the lumen of the catheter in the compact
configuration; slowing or ceasing the rotation of the stent to
permit it to expand to the expanded configuration within the
vessel; releasing the stent from the wire; re-engaging the stent
with the wire and rotating the stent; and moving the stent
longitudinally within the vessel while rotating the stent in order
to retrieve the stent from the vessel and pull it into the
insertion catheter.
11. A method of deploying a stent within a vessel in the body, said
method comprising: providing an insertion catheter having a lumen;
rolling a sheet stent onto a wire, the sheet stent having a compact
configuration and an expanded configuration; inserting the stent
into the lumen of the insertion catheter; operating a motor to
rotate the wire, and thereby the stent, to force the stent into the
compact configuration; rotating the motor to rotate wire; as the
wire and stent are being rotated, moving the stent out of the lumen
of the catheter in the compact configuration; and slowing or
ceasing the rotation of the stent to permit it to expand to the
expanded configuration within the vessel.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the wire is releasably attached
to the stent and the method further comprises the step of releasing
the stent from the wire.
13. A method of deploying a stent within a vessel of the body, said
method comprising: providing an insertion catheter having a lumen;
rolling a sheet stent onto a wire, the sheet stent having a compact
configuration and an expanded configuration; inserting the stent
into the lumen of the insertion catheter; operating a motor to
rotate the wire, and thereby the stent, to force the stent into the
compact configuration; rotating the motor to rotate wire; as the
wire and stent are being rotated, moving the stent out of the lumen
of the catheter in the compact configuration; slowing or ceasing
the rotation of the stent to permit it to expand to the expanded
configuration within the vessel; releasing the stent from the wire;
re-engaging the stent with the wire and rotating the stent; and
moving the stent longitudinally within the vessel while rotating
the stent in order to retrieve the stent from the vessel and pull
it into the insertion catheter.
Description
RELATED PATENTS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application 09/372,711, filed Aug. 11, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No.
6,187,015, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application
08/850,320 filed May 2, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,929.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to expandable stents.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Stents are endoprostheses which can be deployed into the
lumen of an artery or vein, a common bile duct, the urethra or
other body passageway. Stents may be employed in such passageways
for many purposes, including expansion of a lumen, maintenance of
the lumen after expansion, and repair of a damaged intima or wall
surrounding a lumen. With respect to arteries, for example, stents
may be used as, or in conjunction with, intralumenal grafts in the
maintenance of patency of a lumen following angioplasty. In such
cases a stent may be used to prevent restenosis of the dilated
vessel, to prevent elastic recoil of the vessel, or to eliminate
the danger of occlusion caused by "flaps" resulting from intimal
tears associated with the angioplasty. In other instances, stents
may be used to treat aneurysm, tears, dissections and other
continuity faults, as, for example, in the splenic, carotid, iliac
and popliteal vessels. By way of further example, it is known to
use a stent to maintain the patency of a urethra compressed by an
enlarged prostate gland.
[0004] In one class of expandable stents commonly referred to as
"rolled" stents, a sheeted material is rolled onto the outer distal
circumference of a support member or "core". The sheeted material
is then positioned at a targeted treatment area and expanded.
Rolled stents can be characterized according to: (1) the method by
which the rolled sheet is maintained in a compressed configuration;
and (2) the method by which the sheet is expanded.
[0005] Lane, Self Expanding Vascular Endoprosthesis for Aneurysms,
U.S. Pat. No. 5,405,379 (Apr. 11, 1995) describes a stent which
employs a self expanding sheet. The sheet is forcibly rolled into a
compressed configuration, and then inserted into a catheter to
maintain the compressed configuration. Expansion takes place by
ejecting the sheet from the end of the catheter.
[0006] Kreamer, Intraluminal Graft, U.S. Pat. No. 4,740,207 (Apr.
26, 1988) describes a rolled stent in which a sheet of stainless
steel is rolled around an angioplasty type balloon. After being
introduced into a treatment area, the sheet is expanded by
inflating the balloon with a fluid. In this case compression is
maintained during the early stages of deployment by the relaxed
nature of the sheet in the compressed configuration, i.e., the
internal mechanical resistance of the sheet to deformation.
Expansion of the sheet, on the other hand, occurs under radial
pressure exerted by the expanding balloon.
[0007] Sigwart, Intravascular Stent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,443,500 (Aug.
22, 1995) describes a stent in which a flat sheet is perforated to
form a reticulated or lattice type structure having a ratcheting
locking mechanism. Compression in stents according to the Sigwart
patent are maintained by a holding wire or adhesive, and the sheet
is contemplated to be expanded under the influence of an
angioplasty balloon.
[0008] Sigwart also describes another stent comprising an elastic
stainless steel mesh. The diameter of the mesh is slightly larger
than the normal inner diameter of the vessel to be treated, so that
the mesh can exert a residual radial pressure on the arterial wall
after being implanted. Before being introduced into a patient's
blood vessel the stent is reduced in diameter. The reduced diameter
is maintained while advancing the stent into a target treatment
area by an outer sleeve. Once the device is implanted, the stent is
deployed by withdrawal of the outer sleeve. In this instance,
compression is thus maintained by the outer sleeve, and expansion
is achieved by removal of the outer sleeve.
[0009] Alfidi and Cross, Vessel Implantable Appliance and Method of
Implanting It, U.S. Pat. No. 3,868,956 (Mar. 4, 1975) describes a
stent which utilizes a recovery alloy such as nitinol. In such
stents an initial expanded configuration is permanently set into
the alloy by heating the material to a relatively high temperature
while the alloy is maintained in the expanded configuration. The
alloy is then cooled and deformed to a compressed configuration.
The compressed configuration is retained at room temperature, but
recovers to the expanded configuration when reheated to a
transition temperature. Here, compression is maintained during the
early stages of deployment by the internal mechanical resistance of
the alloy against deformation, and the sheet is expanded under the
influence of heat.
[0010] These and all other known teachings reflect the accepted
wisdom that rolled stents are to be maintained in their compressed
configurations by the operation of static forces (e.g., biasing
produced by the internal mechanical resistance of the sheet to
deformation, presence of holding wires, outer sleeves and so
forth), while expansion of the sheeted materials is to be produced
by application of a dynamic force (e.g., radial pressure exerted by
an expanding balloon, application of heat, removal of a holding
wire or sheath, and so forth). While such strategies undoubtedly
have their benefits, it is useful to have stents which operate
outside of these accepted constraints.
[0011] Where the stent is to be deployed in very small vessels of
the body, such as the arteries in the brain, the size of the stents
is quite small, and the material used for the stents is on the
order of 0.0001-0.0004 inches thick. The small size and extreme
thinness of the stent material makes it difficult to deploy the
stent using the typical push-pull type deployment mechanisms
generally used for stents. The frictional force exerted on the
stent by the catheter sheaths and cores as they slide over the
stent often tears the stent. In our co-pending U.S. patent
application 08/762,110, filed Dec. 9, 1996, we provide a number of
devices that do not require any sliding movement of the stent or
catheter sheath relative to each other. The devices described below
provide additional mechanisms and methods for deploying stents
while minimizing the frictional forces operating between the stents
and the catheters used for their insertion.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] Stents for intra-cranial use and methods for using these
stents are described in detail below. The physical characteristics
of prior art balloon expandable stents and self expanding stents
make them clearly unsuitable for intra-cranial use, because of
their delivery profile, their lack of flexibility and their
tendency to temporarily occlude the vessel during deployment. They
have not been proposed for intra-cranial use. Palmaz stents,
Palmaz-Schatz.TM. stents, Wallstents, Cragg stents, Strecker stents
and Gianturco stents and other stents are too rigid to allow
placement in the cerebral blood vessels, some require a balloon for
deployment, and all are too open to occlude or prevent blood flow
into an aneurysm. Presented below are several embodiments of stents
suitable for intra-cranial use, along with methods for using these
stents to treat intra-cranial vascular disease.
[0013] The self expanding rolled sheet stent is suitable for use in
the intra-cranial arteries. The rolled sheet is made of
Elgiloy.TM., nitinol, stainless steel, plastic or other suitable
material, and is imparted with resilience to urge outward expansion
of the roll to bring the rolled stent into contact with the inner
wall of a diseased artery. The rolled sheet is adapted for easy
insertion and non-deforming radial flexibility to facilitate
tracking along the tortuous insertion pathways into the brain. In
some embodiments, as much of the material of the stent is removed
as is consistent with eventual creation of a solid walled stent
upon unrolling of the stent within the blood vessel. The unrolled
stent may be two or more layers of Elgiloy.TM., thus providing
radial strength for the stent and creating at least a slight
compliance mismatch between the stent and the blood vessel, thereby
creating a seal between the stent and the blood vessel wall. For
placement, the stent is tightly rolled upon or captured within the
distal tip of an insertion catheter. The release mechanism is
extremely low profile (3 Fr or less), and permits holding the
rolled stent in a tight roll during insertion and permits
atraumatic release when in the proximity of the site of arterial
disease, without completely occluding the vessel with the
deployment catheter. The stent can be placed in the intra-cranial
blood vessels (arteries and veins) of a patient to accomplish
immediate and complete isolation of an aneurysm and side branches
from the circulatory system. The stent can be placed so as to
partially occlude or modify blood flow into an aneurysm. The stent
can be placed so as to allow for injection of coils (GDC coils or
Gianturco coils) or embolic material into an aneurysm and prevent
wash-out of the coils or embolic material. The stent may be placed
across a target site such as an aneurysm neck, origin of a fistula,
or branch blood vessels feeding a tumor in order to redirect the
flow of blood away from the target. It can be used as a stand alone
device which is left in the intra-cranial artery permanently, or it
may be used as a temporary device which allows for immediate
stabilization of a patient undergoing rupture of a blood vessel an
aneurysm or awaiting open skull surgery for clipping or resection
of an aneurysm. The stent can be used for stabilization and
isolation of a vascular defect during surgery of the vascular
defect. Another advantage of this type of stent is that it can be
wound down should repositioning be required prior to full release.
It is possible to rewind and reposition or remove the device using
a crooked rotating wire or other grasping tools.
[0014] The present invention is directed to expandable stents
having a sheeted material configurable in both a compacted
configuration and an expanded configuration, in which the compacted
configuration during deployment is maintained at least in part by
operation of a dynamic force, and expansion to the expanded
configuration occurs at least in part by removal of the dynamic
force.
[0015] In preferred embodiments, a biocompatible sheeted material
is wrapped around a retaining wire to produce the compacted
configuration, and the retaining wire is rotated to maintain the
compacted configuration during insertion of the stent into a
patient. The rotation is continued while the stent positioned, and
then the rotation is stopped or slowed to permit expansion of the
sheet. Counter rotation may be used to enhance expansion, if
desired.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the vasculature of the
brain showing a typical placement of an intra-cranial stent.
[0017] FIG. 2 is schematic diagram of the vascular of the brain
illustrating the circle of Willis and arteries supplying the circle
of Willis.
[0018] FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic representation of a stent according
to the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic representation of a motor drive
used for the stent and its connection to the system.
[0020] FIGS., 5a, 5b and 5c are a diagrammatic representations of a
the stent in the process of deployment.
[0021] FIGS. 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D and 6E illustrate various methods of
attaching and detaching a stent from the insertion catheter.
[0022] FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of the rotating stent deployment
system with a tear-away tab release.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] The stent delivery system is particularly well suited for
delivery of stents into very small vessels in the body, such as the
blood vessels within the brain. FIGS. 1 and 2 show the vasculature
of the brain in sufficient detail to understand the invention. The
brain 3 is supplied with blood through the carotid and the
vertebral arteries on each side of the neck. The important arteries
include the common carotid artery 4 in the neck, which will be the
most common access pathway for the stent, the internal carotid 5
which supplies the opthalmic artery 6. The external carotid 7
supplies the maxillary artery 8, the middle meningeal artery 9, and
the superficial temporal arteries 10 (frontal) and 11 (parietal).
The vertebral artery 12 supplies the basilar artery 13 and the
cerebral arteries including the posterior cerebral artery 14 and
the circle of Willis indicated generally at 15. Also supplied by
the internal carotid artery are the anterior cerebral artery 16 and
the middle cerebral artery 17, as well as the circle of Willis,
including the posterior communicating artery 18 and the anterior
communicating artery 19. These arteries typically have an internal
diameter of about 1 mm to 5 mm, most commonly from 2-4 mm. The
methods and devices described herein allow access to these arteries
and placement of a stent in these arteries. In FIG. 1, the
insertion catheter 2 and stent 1 are shown in an exemplary use,
threaded through the common carotid artery 4 and the internal
carotid artery 5, with the stent extending into the anterior
cerebral artery 16. The rotating wire 20 extends from the proximal
end of the insertion catheter 2 to the distal end, and into the
stent to impart rotation to the stent.
[0024] FIG. 2 shows the same blood vessels in a schematic view that
better illustrates the circle of Willis and the arteries which
supply this important anatomic feature. The circle of Willis 15 is
a ring of arteries connecting the internal carotid arteries and the
basilar artery (and hence the left and right vertebral arteries) to
the anterior cerebral arteries 16, middle cerebral arteries 17 and
posterior cerebral arteries 14. The system provides a redundant
supply of blood to the cerebral arteries. Aneurysms, fistulas,
AVM's and tumors occurring inside the brain, in the intracranial
portion of the carotid arteries, vertebral arteries and basilar
artery, in the circle of Willis or even deeper within the brain may
be treated with the stents and delivery systems described below.
FIG. 2 shows an exemplary use in which a delivery catheter 2 is
inserted through the aorta into the common carotid, internal
carotid and through the circle of Willis 15 into the middle
cerebral artery 17 to treat an aneurysm 21 with a stent which is
deployed while being rotated by rotating wire 20, as explained
below.
[0025] In FIG. 3, the structure of the stent and stent delivery
system are shown in detail. The stent 10 used with the system
generally comprises a rolled sheet 22. The rolled sheet is sized
appropriately to both fit within a delivery sheath when rolled
tightly, and fit snugly within a blood vessel when released and
allowed to open to a loosely rolled configuration. The sheet 22 is
releasably coupled to the insertion catheter 2 via the retaining
wire 20 which has a tightly bent crook 23 which grasps the inner
edge 24 or the stent. The retaining wire 20 is rotated in the
direction of arrow 25 such that the sheet 22 tends to wrap around
the retaining wire 20. Rotation in this manner tends to cause the
sheet 22 to assume an at least partially compacted configuration.
The sheet is 22 initially wrapped around the retaining wire and
slipped into the distal end 26 of the insertion catheter. Once
compacted in this manner, the stent 10 can be introduced into the
insertion catheter 2 for deployment into an artery or other
passageway. When inserted into the insertion catheter 2, the
retaining wire securely holds the stent in the tight roll within
the insertion catheter.
[0026] The proximal end of the stent delivery system is shown in
FIG. 4. The retaining wire 20 is attached at its proximal end 30 to
a proximal hub 31 and an electric motor 32 which is housed within
the handle 33. The motor 32 is used to rotate the retaining wire 20
and the stent 1. The motor may be operated to rotate the retaining
wire 20 and the stent 1 in the direction which urges sheet to
tighten upon itself and remain in a small diameter configuration
(indicated by arrow 25). The motor is controlled with a spring
loaded thumb slide 34. A portion of the stent 1 passes through a
catheter 2, but during at least a portion of its travel during
deployment in a target lumen, the sheet is maintained in a
compacted configuration at least partially as a result of continued
rotation of the stent 1 by the motor 32.
[0027] The motor 32 is presently contemplated to have an
operational range of between zero and 200 revolutions per minute
(rpm). It is considered advantageous for the motor 32 to include a
variable speed control, and the motor may have a reverse mode. The
motor may be battery operated to avoid the need for a power cord.
It is also desirable to have a manual turning device, such as the
proximal hub 31 which is connected directly to the retaining wire
20, or to the motor 32, or indirectly coupled to the retaining wire
20 through a clutch mechanism. For small rotations needed for some
manipulations of the stent during and after placement, it is
sufficient to rotate the entire handle and motor assembly by hand.
A typical retaining wire comprises a wire 100-175 cm long, and may
measure about 0.005 to 0.020 inches (5-20 mils, or 0.1-0.4 mm) in
diameter. Of that length, about 0.5 cm at the distal end is bent
around to form the retaining wire crook. The proximal end is
attached to the proximal hub connector in motor and handle
assembly. The retaining wire may be releasably attached with
connections such as the couplings typically used for rotational
atherectomy catheters and intravascular ultrasound catheters.
Preferred materials for the retaining wire include stainless steel
and nitinol.
[0028] Turning in greater detail to specific elements of the stent
1, it should be apparent that the sheet 22 can have any suitable
composition, surface characteristics, shape, thickness, elasticity
and so forth. When used in the illustrated use for blocking off
side wall aneurysms or side vessels in an artery, the stent sheet
material is preferably made of Elgiloy or nitinol (with nickel-rich
nitinol being preferred). The sheets preferably comprise
biocompatible material, but there may be circumstances in which
stent is to be used for occlusion or tissue disruption, in which
case a non- or only minimally compatible material may be preferred.
Biocompatible materials include various metals, synthetics and
ceramics, and may also include living tissue or a composite of
living tissues and non-living material such as described in Turi,
Composite Intraluminal Graft, U.S. Pat. No. 5,556,414 (Sep. 17,
1996). Thus, the terms "sheet" and "sheeted material" are used
herein in a very broad sense, including relatively thin meshes and
other materials having a relatively large flattened surface.
[0029] Sheets according to the present invention may advantageously
have a smooth outer surface to minimize trauma to tissues with
which the sheet comes in contact. The surface may also include an
anti-restenosis coating such as heparin, fibrin or a fibrin/elastic
compound. Other useful coatings, such as a degradable mucin or
other coating to minimize friction, may also be used. The stent may
be treated so as to be radioactive, in order to minimize
hyperplasia and excessive neointimal growth. A radiographically
opaque coatings, such as tin or platinum, have proven to enhance
radiographic visibility of the stent during and after deployment.
Tantalum plating of about 1000 to 10,000 .ANG. thickness is
sufficient to provide good visibility of the stent when rolled in
many layers within the insertion catheter, and a plating of 500 to
5000 .ANG. on both sides of the sheet is sufficient for good
visibility of the stent when expanded into just a few layers within
the blood vessel.
[0030] As with the other characteristics mentioned herein, there
are numerous contemplated variations for the shape and thickness of
the sheet. The sheet should have sufficient size and stiffness to
handle the relatively high stresses involved. Thus, the length of
the sheet employed to treat aneurysms of the carotid arteries in an
adult male may advantageously measure about 2.5 mm in longitudinal
length 1 and about 40 mm in wrap length w. For aneurysms of the
cavernous carotid arteries, the stent may be telescoped to cover
distances as much as 10 mm or more. Where the stent is deployed in
smaller vessels, however, such as the cerebral arteries, the
corresponding dimensions may be 1 mm in length and 20 mm in wrap
length. The thickness may measure 0.0001" to 0.0004" (0.1-0.4 mil,
or 0.0025-0.01 mm) when the sheet is made of Elgiloy. The thickness
of 0.0002-0.0003" (0.2-0.3 mil, or 0.0050-0.0075 mm) has worked
best in bench tests and animal studies, resulting in negligible
crimping from the crook and providing for easy deployment without
the tearing associated with push-type deployment methods. Nitinol
sheets may be slightly thicker and may allow for greater radial
force applied by the stent against the blood vessel wall. The wrap
length of the stent may vary according to the size of the target
vessel and the number of overlapping layers desired in the deployed
configuration.
[0031] The stent sheets may be perforated to any degree necessary
to encourage tissue ingrowth or to allow for some blood flow
through the stent wall. Although the sheets illustrated are
rectangular or ribbon shaped, the sheets used for the stents need
not be rectangular. A triangular shape, for example, may also be
feasible, with either an edge or a point of the triangle being
grasped by the retaining wire. The wrap length of the sheet may be
variable, and may be long enough to wrap the sheet around itself
three, four, five or more times, or it may be short enough so that
the wrap length is substantially equal to the circumference of the
target vessel, in which case the sheet will have a single layer
after deployment. In such cases, it may be desirable to translate
the retaining wire within the lumen back and forth during
deployment to reduce the possibility of gaps. The stent may be
telescoped to allow for greater length than its straight rolled
configuration would otherwise allow. Also, the rotational method of
deployment may be used with the extreme cases of a wire coil stent
wherein the stent comprised a coil of round or square wire (as
opposed to the ribbon shape used in the illustrations).
[0032] The use of Elgiloy.TM. or nitinol provides elasticity that
is suitable for easy deployment of the stent, providing for
adequate self expandability and also providing adequate strength
for the stent after deployment. The crimping at the inner edge of
the stent, where the crook grasps the sheet, is negligible or
acceptably small with Elgiloy and nitinol. Other materials may be
used which provide relatively more or less of a self expanding
quality. One alternative is to make the sheet with material that
has high elasticity, and will expand to a substantially
predetermined shape upon cessation of rotation. In other instances,
the sheet may have little or no elasticity, and may be optimally
deployed by ceasing rotation, and then unwinding the sheet by
rotation in the opposite direction, by balloon expansion, or
otherwise applying active force upon the sheet. There may also be
greater elasticity in one dimension than in another Lumenal
deployment occurs by rotating the stent 1 while extending it from
the open distal end of the catheter. While still under the
influence of continued rotation, the stent 10 is pushed from the
distal end of the insertion catheter, using the motor and handle
assembly. The stent is navigated through any length of blood vessel
while rotating, and fed to a target area for deployment, where the
rotation is stopped or even reversed slightly to unwrap the sheet
22. Simple manual rotation of the retaining wire may be used to
assist in proper deployment. The stent 1 is then pushed, pulled, or
otherwise manipulated to free the retaining wire 20 from the sheet,
and the stent is withdrawn. FIGS. 5a, 5b and 5c illustrate the
method of deployment of a stent which is enabled by the device. In
FIG. 5a the stent 1 is positioned at the distal end of the
insertion catheter 2. The stent is still wrapped around the
retaining wire and secured by the crook of the wire. In FIG. 5b,
the retaining wire 20 is rotated in the direction necessary to
tighten the stent, and this rotation causes the stent to tighten
into a tighter roll (the diameter may remain the same or become
smaller, depending on the speed of rotation and the flexibility of
the stent) and also causes the stent to rotate with the retaining
wire. As illustrated in FIG. 5b the stent 1 is advanced out
insertion catheter 2. The longitudinal movement of the stent within
the insertion catheter is facilitated by the rotation, and the
stent 1 is maintained in a tightened configuration by rotation of
the retaining wire 20 in the direction of arrow 25. The stent also
does not spread longitudinally during the rotation, and this also
facilitates deployment (although the rolled sheet may be telescoped
to spread it out and cover a length of the blood vessel). Finally,
as shown 5c, the stent is pushed longitudinally out of the distal
end of the insertion catheter and into the lumen of the blood
vessel 35 in position to close off the aneurysm 36. The retaining
wire may be used to push or pull the stent into better position as
it is rotating. Rotation is ceased when the position is acceptable,
whereupon the stent opens fully. Fully unwinding of the stent can
be ensured by counter-rotating the retaining wire (with the motor
in reverse, or by hand turning the handle or the proximal hub). To
release the stent, the retaining wire is pushed distally until the
crook slips off the stent. The retaining wire may again be used to
push or pull the stent into better position, or adjust the inner
layer to compact or spread the stent longitudinally. The crook may
be used to re-engage the stent and resume rotation (in order to
move or remove the stent) by advancing the retaining wire to a
position distal of the stent and carefully slipping the crook
between the layers and resuming rotation. With this technique, the
stent may be used as a permanent stent or as a temporary stent, for
blood vessels deep within the body, and in particular for blood
vessels within the brain. When used as a permanent stent to occlude
and aneurysm, the stent may constitute the primary treatment for
the aneurysm. When used as a temporary stent, the stent may be
placed to occlude an aneurysm before invasive surgery such as
aneurysm clipping or ligation, thereby eliminating much of the risk
inherent in open surgical techniques for treating aneurysms within
the brain. After a successful clipping or ligation, the stent can
be re-engaged and rotated, and pulled into the distal end of the
insertion catheter. It should be apparent that, when used as a
temporary stent in an interoperative setting, the retaining wire
may be left in place and need not be removed from the stent at any
time. The stent may also be used to control blood flow through the
neck of an aneurysm in conjunction with coils, embolic materials or
other devices, or it may operate as a primary treatment.
[0033] Other embodiments of distal rotatable and releasable
connection may be used. As discussed above, the rotation of the
stent is accomplished with the crooked retaining wire 20. Other
stent rotation means are shown in FIGS. 6A through 6E. In FIG. 6A,
the retaining means comprises a rotating shaft 37 with a split reed
grasper 38 disposed on the distal end of the rotating shaft. The
inside edge of the stent is trapped in the split reed, so that when
the rotating shaft is spun from the distal end the stent is spun at
the distal end. The stent is released when the split reed is pulled
into the insertion catheter. FIG. 6B includes a compression ring 39
and pullwire 40 (which extends to the proximal end of the catheter)
which can be used to compress the split reed during insertion and
rotation, after which the compression ring can be pull proximally
to allow the split reed to open slightly and release the stent. In
FIG. 6C, the retaining means comprises a hollow shaft 41 (such as a
hollow guidewire) combined with a pullwire retainer 42 runs
generally through the center of the hollow shaft and but exits the
center of the shaft though proximal wire port 43p, then runs over
the inner edge of the stent before reentering the hollow shaft
through distal wire port 43d. The stent is thereby trapped by the
pullwire retainer 42. Rotation of the hollow shaft 41 causes
rotation of the stent to tighten the stent configuration during
insertion and longitudinal movement. When the stent is properly
positioned, rotation is stopped and the pullwire retainer is pulled
proximally to release the stent. FIG. 6D shows the crooked
retaining wire 20, and the stent 1 which is trapped in the crook
23. The inner edge 24 of the stent is folded back, toward the
outside surface, to form a flap 44. This outwardly facing flap
provides extra holding power for the crook during rotation of the
stent. FIG. 6E discloses yet another embodiment in which the stent
1 is retained between two spinning wires, a mounting spinning wire
45 and a retaining pullwire 46. Both wires extend to the proximal
end of the insertion catheter 2 where they are attached to the
proximal hub and motor. At the distal end, the mounting spinning
wire is fixed to the guidewire tip 47, and the retaining pullwire
is not fixed and therefore can be moved longitudinally in relation
to the mounting spinning wire. The space between the wires is
maintained tight by the rings 48d and 48p which are fixed to the
mounting spinning wire, and through which the retaining pullwire 46
may move longitudinally. The stent will rotate with the wires, and
release may be accomplished by pulling retaining pullwire 46
proximally away from the stent. The stent may be crimped, folded or
provided with a beaded edge 49 on the inside edge 24 to ensure a
good grip on the stent. Each of the embodiments can incorporate an
integral guidewire tip which extends distally from the crooked
retaining wire or the rotating hollow shaft, as the case may be.
Alternatively, the device may be inserted in over the guidewire
fashion, or in rapid exchange fashion (in which case the insertion
catheter may be provided with a monorail tip).
[0034] In FIG. 7 another embodiment of the rotating and retaining
means is illustrated. The retaining means comprises a core 50 which
includes a retaining wire 51 which is bonded at or near the inner
edge 24 of the sheet 22. The starter notch 52 on the stent, located
to correspond to the diameter of the core 43, creates a tear line
53 which separates the sheet into the major portion of the sheet 22
which will remain in the blood vessel after deployment, and a small
tear-away tab 54 which will be torn from the major portion of the
sheet in order to release the stent. During deployment the core 43
and the inner wire 44 are rotated to tighten the stent and
facilitate longitudinal movement of the stent out of the distal end
of the catheter and within the lumen of the blood vessel. When the
stent is properly placed, the small tear-away tab can be retracted
proximally using several gentle tugs, which strips off the major
portion of the sheet 22 from the inner wire 44. The bonding can be
achieved using cyanoacrylate adhesive (super glue) or any other
suitable adhesive.
[0035] The various embodiments of the releasable retaining
mechanism provide a dynamic rotational force that maintains the
stent in a configuration in which longitudinal movement is
facilitated. Rotation may be at such speed as to spin the stent
into a smaller diameter, but this is not strictly necessary. It is
sufficient that the stent be urged toward a more tightly wound
condition, such that the outer layers may slide more freely over
each other and past the inner surfaces of the catheter and blood
vessel. The process is similar to that used to remove a roll of
paper from a mailing tube, which often requires that the roll be
twisted from an inside layer to loosen the roll within the mailing
tube while the roll is pulled from the mailing tube. In this
analogous situation, it is apparent that the roll of paper need not
be spun so much that is actually takes on a smaller diameter, and
that it is sufficient to remove the outwardly compressive force
exerted by the inner rolls as they resiliently try to expand
against the outer layers. We say that the roll of paper is rotated
to urge the roll toward a smaller diameter configuration, realizing
that the smaller diameter configuration need never be achieved. We
also refer to the configuration achieved by rotation as the
compacted configuration, realizing that this includes
configurations in which inner layers are rotated into a tighter
roll but outer layers may be tightened into a smaller diameter or
may merely become loose compared to the inner layers, depending on
the rotational speed applied. Such a compacted configuration is
maintained at least in part by operation of the dynamic force
applied by rotation, and expansion to the expanded configuration
occurs at least in part by removal of the dynamic force.
[0036] Thus, while specific embodiments and applications of
expandable stents have been disclosed and described in reference to
the environment in which they were developed, they are merely
illustrative of the principles of the inventions. Although
described in reference to the treatment of blood vessels, the
devices may be employed in any vessel of the body. It should be
apparent to those skilled in the art that many more modifications
besides those already described are possible without departing from
the inventive concepts herein. For examples it is contemplated that
new and better materials be discovered for use and intravascular
stents. Similarly, it is possible to devise a number of releasable
attachment means in addition to those illustrated. The inventive
subject matter, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the
spirit of the appended claims.
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