US6015429A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Procedures for introducing stents and stent-grafts
Assignee: W.L. Gore and Associates Inc
•
Filing: 1996-03-12
•
Granted: 2000-01-18
•
Expires: 2016-03-12
Abstract
Abstract This invention is a medical device and a method of using it. The device is a foldable stent or stent-graft which may be percutaneously delivered with (or on) a catheter, typically an endovascular catheter, to a body cavity or lumen and then expanded. It may also be delivered or via surgical (or other) techniques. The expandable stent structure utilizes torsional members which distribute bending and folding loads in such a way that the stent is not plastically deformed. The stent's configuration allows it to be folded or otherwise compressed to a very small diameter prior to deployment without changing the length of the stent. The graft component cooperating with the stent is tubular and preferably is blood-compatible material which may, if desired, be reinforced with fibers. The stent is able to provide collapsible support for otherwise frangible graft material. The invention also involves procedures for folding stents and for deploying stents or stent-grafts which have been folded, bound, or otherwise collapsed to significantly smaller diameters for insertion into a human or animal body. When used with super-elastic alloys, the stent may be collapsed at a convenient temperature either above or, preferably, below the transition temperature of the alloy.
Inventors
- 👤 Lilip Lau
- 👤 Charles T. Maroney
- 👤 William M. Hartigan
- 👤 Sharon Lam
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 18:30
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/82; A61F2/86; A61F2/88; A61F2/02; A61F2/04; A61F2/06; A61F2/07; A61F2/844; A61F2/90; A61F2/91; A61F2/915; A61F2/92; A61F2/89; A61F2/95; A61F2002/061; A61F2002/072; A61F2002/075; A61F2/30; A61F2002/30001; A61F2002/30003; A61F2002/3006; A61F2002/3008; A61F2002/30092; A61F2002/30316; A61F2002/30329; A61F2002/30462; A61F2002/828; A61F2002/91508; A61F2002/91516; A61F2002/91533; A61F2002/9155; A61F2002/91558; A61F2002/91575; A61F2002/9505; A61F2002/9511; A61F2/962; A61F2/966; A61F2002/9665; A61F2210/00; A61F2210/0014; A61F2210/0019; A61F2220/00; A61F2220/0025; A61F2220/0075; A61F2230/00; A61F2230/0002; A61F2230/0028; A61F2230/0039; A61F2230/0041; A61F2230/006; A61F2230/0063; A61F2230/0073; A61F2230/0078; A61F2250/00; A61F2250/0058; A61F2250/0096; A61F2250/0098; A61F2310/00; A61F2310/00005; A61F2310/00011; A61F2310/00017; A61F2310/00023; A61F2310/00029; A61F2310/00035; A61F2310/00137; A61F2310/00149
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 47
Claim 1
Independent Claim
72 words
A method for preparing a self-expanding stent-graft further comprises: providing a stent-graft which includes a stent and a graft; folding said self-expanding stent-graft around a longitudinal axis to form at least one longitudinal fold line; and introducing a removable slip line into the stent of said stent-graft along said at least one longitudinal fold line, to maintain said stent-graft in a folded condition, and which upon removal allows said stent-graft to unfold.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
72 words
A method for preparing a self-expanding stent-graft further comprises: providing a stent-graft which includes a stent and a graft; folding said self-expanding stent-graft around a longitudinal axis to form at least one longitudinal fold line; and introducing a removable slip line into the stent of said stent-graft along said at least one longitudinal fold line, to maintain said stent-graft in a folded condition, and which upon removal allows said stent-graft to unfold.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 in which the stent further comprises loops along said at least one longitudinal fold line through which the slip line is introduced.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said introducing comprises weaving the removable slip line into the stent at said at least one fold line in a sack knot configuration so as to allow removal of the slip line by unweaving the sack knot through axial movement of the slip line.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 in which the stent further comprises a metal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 in which the stent further comprises a super-elastic alloy.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 in which the stent further comprises a nickel-titanium alloy.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said stent comprises at least one helically aligned member having undulating elements defining a passageway.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 7 where the stent additionally comprises at least one flexible link passing through said helical member and maintains said at least one helical member in alignment.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 7 where the stent additionally comprises at least one flexible link passing through said undulating elements on adjacent helical turns.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 8 where said undulating elements are arranged in an intercooperating phased relationship between adjacent helical turns.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 10 where said flexible link maintains said undulating elements in phased relationship between adjacent helical turns.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said stent comprises at least one ring assembly extending circumferentially about a longitudinal axis and forming a passageway.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
13 words
The method claim of 1 in which the graft comprises a polymeric material.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the graft comprises polyethylene terephthalate.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 further in which the graft further comprises reinforcing fibers.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 where the graft further comprises radio paque markers.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
69 words
A method for preparing a self-expanding stent-graft having a stent component and a graft component comprising: folding said self-expanding stent-graft along a longitudinal axis to form at least one longitudinally extending fold line; and introducing a removable slip line into the stent component along said at least one longitudinally extending fold line to maintain the stent-graft in a folded condition, and which upon removal allows said stent-graft to unfold.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
69 words
A method for preparing a self-expanding stent-graft having a stent component and a graft component comprising: folding said self-expanding stent-graft along a longitudinal axis to form at least one longitudinally extending fold line; and introducing a removable slip line into the stent component along said at least one longitudinally extending fold line to maintain the stent-graft in a folded condition, and which upon removal allows said stent-graft to unfold.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 17 wherein the stent component further comprises loops alone said at least one fold line through which the slip line is introduced.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of claim 17 wherein said introducing further comprises weaving the removable slip line into the stent component at said at least one fold line in a sack knot configuration so as to allow removal of the slip line by unweaving said sack knot through axial movement of the slip line.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 17 wherein said stent component is configured from at least one helical member having undulating elements defining a passageway.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 20 wherein the stent component additionally comprises at least one flexible link passing through said helical member.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 20 wherein the stent additionally comprises at least one flexible link passing through said undulating elements on adjacent helical turns.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 21 wherein said undulating elements are arranged in an intercooperating phased relationship between adjacent helical turns.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 23 wherein said flexible link maintains said undulating elements in phased relationship between adjacent helical turns.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 17 wherein said stent component comprises at least one ring shaped undulating member extending circumferentially about a longitudinal axis of said stent-graft.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the graft comprises a polyaramid.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the graft comprises a fluoropolymer.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
10 words
The method of claim 27 wherein the fluoropolymer comprises polytetrafluoroethylene.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the graft comprises a polyurethane.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 17 wherein the graft component comprises a polyaramid material.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 17 wherein the graft comprises a fluoropolymer.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
10 words
The method of claim 31 wherein the fluoropolymer comprises polytetrafluoroethylene.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 17 wherein the graft component comprises a polyurethane material.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
58 words
A method for preparing a self-expanding stent comprising: folding a self-expanding stent along a longitudinal axis to form at least one longitudinul fold line; and introducing a removable slip line into said stent along said at least one longitudinal fold line to maintain the stent in a folded condition, and which upon removal permits said stent to unfold.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
58 words
A method for preparing a self-expanding stent comprising: folding a self-expanding stent along a longitudinal axis to form at least one longitudinul fold line; and introducing a removable slip line into said stent along said at least one longitudinal fold line to maintain the stent in a folded condition, and which upon removal permits said stent to unfold.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 34 in which the self-expanding stent further comprises loops along said at least one longitudinal fold line of the stent through which the slip line is introduced.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of claim 34 wherein said introducing further comprises weaving the removable slip line into the stent at said at least one longitudinal fold line in a sack knot configuration so as to allow removal of the slip line by unweaving the sack knot through axial movement of the slip line.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 34 in which the stent further comprises a metal.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 34 in which the stent further comprises a super-elastic alloy.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 34 in which the stent further comprises a nickel-titanium alloy.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 34 wherein said stent comprises at least one helically aligned member having undulating elements defining a passageway.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 40 wherein the stent additionally comprises at least one flexible link passing through said undulating elements.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 40 where the stent additionally comprises at least one flexible link passing through said undulating elements on adjacent helical turns of said helical member.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 41 where said undulating elements are arranged in an intercooperating phased relationship between adjacent helical turns.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 42 where said flexible link maintains said undulating elements in phased relationship between adjacent helical turns.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-01-17 | 2003-07-19 | 2004-01-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-01-17 | 2007-07-19 | 2008-01-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-01-17 | 2011-07-19 | 2012-01-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |