Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
95 words
A stent comprising a wire formed into a serpentine configuration including a series of straight sections and a plurality of bends, said straight sections being joined by said bends to form a series of alternating loops, said serpentine configuration being formed into a cylindrical shape having a longitudinal axis and wherein said straight sections are bent into generally circular configurations surrounding and generally perpendicular to said axis, and expansion means within said cylindrical stent for radially expanding said circular configurations within a body passageway of a patient when said stent is disposed within said passageway.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
95 words
A stent comprising a wire formed into a serpentine configuration including a series of straight sections and a plurality of bends, said straight sections being joined by said bends to form a series of alternating loops, said serpentine configuration being formed into a cylindrical shape having a longitudinal axis and wherein said straight sections are bent into generally circular configurations surrounding and generally perpendicular to said axis, and expansion means within said cylindrical stent for radially expanding said circular configurations within a body passageway of a patient when said stent is disposed within said passageway.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
The stent of claim 1, wherein said wire is made of malleable material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The stent of claim 1, wherein said wire is made of malleable material from the group consisting of annealed stainless steel, tungsten and platinum.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
The stent of claim 1, wherein said means for radially expanding is a balloon catheter, said balloon catheter being received within said cylindrical shape and extending along said axis, whereby as said balloon catheter is inflated, said ballon contacts said circular configurations to radially expand said circular configurations.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The stent of claim 4, wherein said balloon catheter is a folded balloon catheter.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The stent of claim 1, wherein said circular configurations have a contracted condition in which said alternating loops include longitudinally overlapping portions adjacent said bends.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
The stent of claim 6, wherein said circular configurations further have an expanded condition in which said longitudinally overlapping portions of adjacent loops are circumferentially diverged relative to said contracted condition.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
50 words
The stent of claim 7, wherein said means for radially expanding is a balloon catheter, and said balloon catheter is folded and received within said cylindrical shape and extends along said axis, whereby as said balloon catheter is inflated, said balloon contacts said circular configurations to radially expand said configurations.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
The stent of claim 1, wherein said alternating loops include longitudinally overlapping portions adjacent said bends which are arranged to diverge circumferentially in responsee to expansion of said means for expanding.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
50 words
The stent of claim 9, wherein said means for radially expanding is a balloon catheter, and said balloon catheter is folded and received within said cylindrical shape and extends along said axis, whereby as said balloon catheter is inflated, said balloon contacts said circular configurations to radially expand said configurations.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
The stent of claim 1, wherein said wire includes two opposite ends, said wire being formed into a loop adjacent each of said ends such that said ends are substantially shielded.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
The stent of claim 1, wherein said wire has a outer diameter of 0.018 inches.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
99 words
A stent having a longitudinal axis and comprising: a plurality of longitudinally-spaced wire loops, each having a cusp, adjacent ones of said loops sharing a common length of wire, each of said loops being formed about said longitudinal axis into a discontinuous cylindrical shape such that said cylindrical shape can be expanded or contracted by displacing said loops circumferentially; and expansion means within said cylindrical stent for expanding said cylindrical shape from a contracted condition to an expanded condition by displacing said loops circumferentially within a body passageway of a patient when said stent is disposed within said passageway.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
99 words
A stent having a longitudinal axis and comprising: a plurality of longitudinally-spaced wire loops, each having a cusp, adjacent ones of said loops sharing a common length of wire, each of said loops being formed about said longitudinal axis into a discontinuous cylindrical shape such that said cylindrical shape can be expanded or contracted by displacing said loops circumferentially; and expansion means within said cylindrical stent for expanding said cylindrical shape from a contracted condition to an expanded condition by displacing said loops circumferentially within a body passageway of a patient when said stent is disposed within said passageway.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
A stent according to claim 13, wherein said loops are arranged so that said cusps of adjacent loops are in opposing orientation.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
46 words
A stent according to claim 13, wherein: said loops are arranged so that said cusps of adjacent loops are in opposing orientation; and said contracted condition includes said cylindrical shape having a first overlap region in which adjacent ones of said loops longitudinally overlap each other.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
41 words
A stent according to claim 15, wherein said expanded condition includes said cylindrical shape having a second overlap region in which adjacent ones of said loops longitudinally overlap each other, said second overlap region being smaller than said first overlap region.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
44 words
A stent according to claim 13, wherein said means for expanding includes a balloon catheter extending along said longitudinal axis and received through said cylindrical shape, whereby as said balloon catheter is inflated, said balloon contacts said cylindrical shape to circumferentially displace said loops.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
A stent according to claim 17, wherein said means for expanding includes a folded balloon catheter.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
17 words
The stent according to claim 13, wherein each of said wire loops is made of malleable material.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
The stent of claim 13, wherein each of said wire loops has a wire outer diameter of 0.018 inches.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
79 words
A wire stent having a longitudinal axis and comprising: alternating clockwise and counterclockwise single coil helical sections situated about said longitudinal axis, adjacent ones of said helical sections being joined at a cusp; and expansion means within said coil sections for expanding said helical sections from a contracted condition to an expanded condition within a body passageway of a patient when said stent is disposed within said passageway such that adjacent cusps are displaced circumferentially relative to each other.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
79 words
A wire stent having a longitudinal axis and comprising: alternating clockwise and counterclockwise single coil helical sections situated about said longitudinal axis, adjacent ones of said helical sections being joined at a cusp; and expansion means within said coil sections for expanding said helical sections from a contracted condition to an expanded condition within a body passageway of a patient when said stent is disposed within said passageway such that adjacent cusps are displaced circumferentially relative to each other.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
48 words
A stent according to claim 21, wherein said means for expanding is a folded balloon catheter extending along said longitudinal axis and received through each of said helical sections, whereby as said ballon catheter is inflated, said balloon contacts said helical sections to circumferentially displace said adjacent cusps.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
15 words
The stent according to claim 21, wherein said helical sections are made of malleable material.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
19 words
The stent of claim 21, wherein each of said helical sections has a wire outer diameter of 0.018 inches.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
21 words
The stent of claim 1, wherein: said means for radially expanding includes means for conveying said stent into said body passageway.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
33 words
The stent of claim 25, wherein: said means for radially expanding includes a balloon catheter, whereby said catheter provides said means for conveying said stent and said balloon provides said means for expanding.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
23 words
The stent of claim 13, wherein: said means for expanding said cylindrical shape includes means for conveying said stent into said body passageway.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
32 words
The stent of claim 27, wherein: said means for expanding includes a balloon catheter, whereby said catheter providse said means for conveying said stent and said balloon provides said means for expanding.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
23 words
The stent of claim 21, wherein: said means for expanding said helical sections includes means for conveying said stent into said body passageway.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
32 words
The stent of claim 29, wherein: said means for expanding includes a balloon catheter, whereby said catheter provides said means for conveying said stent and said balloon provides said means for expanding.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
81 words
A method for inserting a stent which comprises: (a) engaging a wire stent around a folded balloon catheter, said wire stent comprising alternating clockwise and counterclockwise single coil wire helical sections, adjacent ones of said helical sections being joined at a cusp; (b) using said folded balloon catheter, conveying said stent within a passageway; and (c) inflating the balloon catheter within said wire stent so that adjacent cusps are circumferentially displaced relative to each other until the stent engages the passageway.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
81 words
A method for inserting a stent which comprises: (a) engaging a wire stent around a folded balloon catheter, said wire stent comprising alternating clockwise and counterclockwise single coil wire helical sections, adjacent ones of said helical sections being joined at a cusp; (b) using said folded balloon catheter, conveying said stent within a passageway; and (c) inflating the balloon catheter within said wire stent so that adjacent cusps are circumferentially displaced relative to each other until the stent engages the passageway.