US5129910A — Stone expulsion stent

Claim 1

Independent Claim 82 words

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.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 82 words

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.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 24 words

The stent of claim 1, wherein the elongate flexible body includes at least one lumen extending from the proximal end to the distal end.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 15 words

The stent of claim 2, wherein said elongate body includes a plurality of radial passageways.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 21 words

The stent of claim 1, wherein said means for defining a series of spaced apart barriers comprises a continuous helical-like ridge.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 14 words

The stent of claim 4, wherein the helical-like ridge includes a smooth, hydrophilic surface.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 21 words

The stent of claim 1, wherein said means for defining a series of spaced apart barriers comprises a non-continuous helical-like ridge.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 22 words

The stent of claim 1, wherein said means for defining a series of spaced apart barriers comprises a plurality of conical ridges.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 21 words

The stent of claim 1, wherein said means for defining a series of spaced apart barriers comprises a plurality of flippers.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 22 words

The stent of claim 1, wherein said means for defining a series of spaced apart barriers comprises a plurality of finger-like projections.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 32 words

The stent of claim 1, wherein said means for defining a series of spaced apart barriers includes a first surface which is substantially convex and a second surface which is substantially concave.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 19 words

The stent of claim 10, wherein the first surface includes a beveled central portion having a plurality of passageways.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 12 words

The stent of claim 1, wherein the self-retaining means includes double-J ends.

Claim 14

Independent Claim 74 words

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.

Claim 15

Independent Claim 74 words

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.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 13, wherein said barrier includes a continuous helical-like ridge disposed along an outer wall of the stent.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method of claim 14, wherein said continuous helical-like ridge includes a substantially convex surface facing the proximal end and a substantially concave surface facing the distal end.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 53 words

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.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 53 words

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.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 16 words

The stent of claim 16, wherein said series of barriers comprises a substantially continuous helical-like ridge.

Claim 21

Independent Claim 77 words

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.

Claim 22

Independent Claim 77 words

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.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 46 words

The method of claim 18, wherein said placing step includes placing the stent within one of the patient's ureters so that a proximate J end of the stent lies within the patient's kidney and a distal J end of the stent lies within the patient's bladder.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 19, wherein said barrier includes a continuous helical-like ridge disposed along an outer wall of the stent.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 44 words

The method of claim 20, wherein said continuous ridge includes a substantially convex first surface and a substantially concave second surface, said stent being placed so that the first surface faces towards the patient's kidney and the second surface faces towards the patient's bladder.

Claim 26

Independent Claim 77 words

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.

Claim 27

Independent Claim 77 words

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.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 50 words

The method of claim 22, wherein said placing step includes placing the stent within the biliary tract so that a proximal J end of the stent lies within the patient's hepatic duct which opens into the patients liver and a distal J end of the stent within the patient's duodenum.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of claim 23, wherein said barrier means includes a continuous helical-like ridge disposed along an outer wall of the stent.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 44 words

The method of claim 24, wherein said continuous ridge includes a substantially convex first surface and a substantially concave second surface, said stent being placed so that the first surface faces towards the patient's liver and the second surface faces towards the patient's duodenum.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 43 words

The method of claim 22, wherein said placing step includes placing the stent within the biliary tract so that a proximal J end of the stent lies within the patient's gallbladder and a distal J end of the stent within the patient's duodenum.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1995-07-14	1996-01-13	1996-07-14	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1999-07-14	2000-01-13	2000-07-14	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2003-07-14	2004-01-13	2004-07-14	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Stone expulsion stent

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