Radially expandable endoprothesis

Claim 2

A radially expandable axially extending endoprosthesis, comprising: a plurality of generally circumferential sections, said generally circumferential sections being substantially adjacent to one another and oriented with respect to each other in order to thereby define an axially extending endoprosthesis; at least one of said generally circumferential sections includes an expandable segment that imparts radial expandability to said generally circumferential section whereby said section has an unexpanded insertion circumference and an expanded implantation circumference which is greater than said unexpanded insertion circumference; and said expandable segment of the generally circumferential section is a generally foldable member that is bendable between a generally closed orientation and a generally opened orientation so as to impart radial expandability to the generally circumferential section.

Claim 3

The endoprosthesis according to claim 1, wherein said foldable member includes a generally elbow-like member.

Claim 4

The endoprosthesis according to claim 1, wherein said foldable member includes a living hinge unitarily connecting a pair of legs.

Claim 5

The endoprosthesis according to claim 1, wherein said generally circumferential sections form a substantially cylindrical endoprosthesis.

Claim 6

The endoprosthesis according to claim 1, wherein said generally circumferential sections form a continuous helix that defines the axially extending endoprosthesis.

Claim 7

The endoprosthesis according to claim 5, wherein an outside one of said generally circumferential sections has a free end having hook means for engaging an adjacent one of said generally circumferential sections.

Claim 8

The endoprosthesis according to claim 1, wherein said expandable segment is a generally foldable elastic spring-like member, and wherein the unexpanded insertion circumference of the endoprosthesis is maintained by an overlying sheath.

Claim 9

The endoprosthesis according to claim 1, wherein said expandable segment is a generally foldable malleable member, and wherein the expanded implantation circumference is achieved by radially directed forces from an expandable element of a catheter.

Claim 10

The endoprosthesis according to claim 1, wherein said generally foldable member is substantially U-shaped.

Claim 11

The endoprosthesis according to claim 5, wherein said continuous helix includes a plurality of said generally foldable members, each of which is substantially U-shaped, alternating ones of which are substantially oppositely oriented.

Claim 12

The endoprosthesis according to claim 1, wherein said generally foldable member is substantially V-shaped.

Claim 13

The endoprosthesis according to claim 5, wherein said continuous helix includes a plurality of said generally foldable members, each of which is substantially V-shaped, alternating ones of which are substantially oppositely oriented.

Claim 14

The endoprosthesis according to claim 1, wherein said endoprosthesis is generally tubular, and respective circumferential edges of respective generally circumferential sections are generally adjacent to each other.

Claim 15

The endoprosthesis according to claim 1, wherein said expandable segment of the generally circumferential section had been formed by winding a strand on a shaped mandrel to form a wound strand which was subsequently flattened to a generally uni-planar configuration.

Claim 18

The method according to claim 15, further including hooking a free end of said undulating strand length onto an adjacent portion of said undulating strand length after said generally helically wrapping step has been initiated.

Claim 19

The method according to claim 15, wherein said providing step includes selecting the another mandrel to have a generally cylindrical outer surface.

Claim 20

The method according to claim 15, wherein said selecting step includes choosing the relatively small mandrel so that the wrapping surface is generally oval in shape.

Claim 21

The method according to claim 15, wherein said selecting step includes choosing the relatively small mandrel so that the wrapping surface is generally rectangular in shape.

Claim 22

The method according to claim 15, wherein said selecting step includes choosing the relatively small mandrel so that the wrapping surface is generally lens-shaped in shape.

Claim 23

The method according to claim 15, wherein said selecting step includes choosing the relatively small mandrel so that the wrapping surface is generally circular in shape.

Claim 26

The method according to claim 22, wherein said sliding step includes at least partially uncoiling the radially expanded endoprosthesis.

Claim 27

The method according to claim 22, wherein said continued sliding step reduces the radial size of the endoprosthesis until it is generally less than the radius of the blood vessel or the like.

Claim 30

The device according to claim 25, wherein said puller means is for uncoiling the endoprosthesis being explanted.

Claim 31

The device according to claim 25, further including a catheter body within which said elongated member is slidably mounted.

Claim 32

The device according to claim 25, wherein said snaring means includes a hook member.

Claim 33

An implantable and explantable endoprosthesis system, comprising a radially expandable axially extending endoprosthesis and a device for transluminally explanting the endoprosthesis; said endoprosthesis includes: a plurality of generally circumferential sections, said generally circumferential sections being substantially adjacent to one another and generally axially oriented with respect to each other in order to thereby generally define an endoprosthesis, at least one of said generally circumferential sections includes an expandable segment that imparts radial expandability to said generally circumferential section whereby said section has an unexpanded insertion circumference and an expanded implantation circumference which is greater than said unexpanded insertion circumference, and said expandable segment of the generally circumferential section is a generally foldable member that is bendable between a generally closed orientation and a generally opened orientation so as to impart radial expandability to the generally circumferential section; and said device for transluminally explanting the endoprosthesis includes: an elongated member that is percutaneously insertable into a blood vessel or the like within which said endoprosthesis has been radially expanded and implanted, said elongated member having a proximal portion exterior of the body, snaring means at a distal end of the elongated member, means for manipulating a proximal portion of the elongated member from a location exterior of the body, said manipulating means facilitating engagement of said snaring means with one of said circumferential sections of the implanted endoprosthesis, puller means for sliding the elongated member in a proximal direction by moving the body-exterior proximal portion of the elongated member in a direction away from the endoprosthesis, said puller means further being for reducing the radial size of the endoprosthesis to less than said expanded implantation circumference and such that it will pass through the blood vessel or the like, and means for completely removing the elongated member from the body until the endoprosthesis of reduced radial size has been fully explanted.

Claim 34

An implantable and explantable endoprosthesis system, comprising a radially expandable axially extending endoprosthesis and a device for transluminally explanting the endoprosthesis; said endoprosthesis includes: a plurality of generally circumferential sections, said generally circumferential sections being substantially adjacent to one another and generally axially oriented with respect to each other in order to thereby generally define an endoprosthesis, at least one of said generally circumferential sections includes an expandable segment that imparts radial expandability to said generally circumferential section whereby said section has an unexpanded insertion circumference and an expanded implantation circumference which is greater than said unexpanded insertion circumference, and said expandable segment of the generally circumferential section is a generally foldable member that is bendable between a generally closed orientation and a generally opened orientation so as to impart radial expandability to the generally circumferential section; and said device for transluminally explanting the endoprosthesis includes: an elongated member that is percutaneously insertable into a blood vessel or the like within which said endoprosthesis has been radially expanded and implanted, said elongated member having a proximal portion exterior of the body, snaring means at a distal end of the elongated member, means for manipulating a proximal portion of the elongated member from a location exterior of the body, said manipulating means facilitating engagement of said snaring means with one of said circumferential sections of the implanted endoprosthesis, puller means for sliding the elongated member in a proximal direction by moving the body-exterior proximal portion of the elongated member in a direction away from the endoprosthesis, said puller means further being for reducing the radial size of the endoprosthesis to less than said expanded implantation circumference and such that it will pass through the blood vessel or the like, and means for completely removing the elongated member from the body until the endoprosthesis of reduced radial size has been fully explanted.

Claim 35

The system according to claim 29, wherein said generally circumferential sections form a continuous helix that defines the axially extending endoprosthesis, and wherein said puller means is for at least partially uncoiling said helix.

Claim 36

The endoprosthesis according to claim 30, wherein said continuous helix includes a plurality of said generally foldable members, alternating ones of which are substantially oppositely oriented.

Claim 37

The system according to claim 29, wherein said foldable member of the endoprosthesis includes a generally elbow-like member.

Claim 38

The system according to claim 29, wherein said foldable member of the endoprosthesis includes a living hinge unitarily connecting a pair of legs.

Claim 39

The system according to claim 29, wherein said expandable segment of the generally circumferential section of the endoprosthesis had been formed by winding a strand on a shaped mandrel to form a wound strand, said wound strand having been subsequently flattened, and said circumferential section is defined by said flattened wound strand.