Radially expandable endoprothesis

Claim 2

A radially expandable endoprosthesis, comprising: a plurality of generally circumferential sections (32), 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 (31); at least one of said generally circumferential sections includes an expandable segment (34) 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 (32), characterized in that an outside one of said generally circumferential sections has a free end (43) engaged with an adjacent one of said generally circumferential sections.

Claim 3

The endoprosthesis according to claim 1, wherein said foldable member includes a generally elbow-like member that is a living hinge (36) unitarily connecting a pair of legs (35), and said generally circumferential sections form a substantially cylindrical endoprosthesis.

Claim 4

The endoprosthesis according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said free end (43) has hook means (43) for engaging an adjacent one of said generally circumferential sections (32).

Claim 5

The endoprosthesis according to claim 1, 2 or 3 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 (66).

Claim 6

The endoprosthesis according to claim 1, 2 or 3, 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 (72) of a catheter (71).

Claim 7

The endoprosthesis according to any of claims 1-5, wherein said generally foldable member (52, 56) is substantially V-shaped.

Claim 8

The endoprosthesis according to any of claims 1-6, wherein said endoprosthesis is generally tubular, and respective circumferential edges of respective generally circumferential sections are generally adjacent to each other.

Claim 9

The endoprosthesis according to any of claims 1-7, wherein said expandable segment of the generally circumferential section had been formed by a process including winding a strand (39) on a shaped mandrel (38, 44, 51, 53) to form a wound strand which was subsequently flattened to a generally uni-planar configuration (33, 45, 52, 56).

Claim 12

The method according to claim 9 , wherein said providing step includes selecting the another mandrel to have a generally cylindrical outer surface.

Claim 13

The method according to claim 9 or 10 , wherein said selecting step includes choosing the relatively small mandrel (38) so that the wrapping surface is generally oval in shape.

Claim 14

The method according to claim 9 or 10 , wherein said selecting step includes choosing the relatively small mandrel (44) so that the wrapping surface is generally rectangular in shape.

Claim 15

The method according to claim 9 or 10 , wherein said selecting step includes choosing the relatively small mandrel (51) so that the wrapping surface is generally lens-shaped in shape.

Claim 16

The method according to claim 9 or 10 , wherein said selecting step includes choosing the relatively small mandrel (53) so that the wrapping surface is generally circular in shape.

Claim 17

An implantable and explantable endoprosthesis system, comprising a radially expandable axially extending endoprosthesis (31) and a device (74) for transluminally explanting the endoprosthesis; said endoprosthesis includes: a plurality of generally circumferential sections (32), 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 (34) 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 (32); characterized in that an outside one of said generally circumferential sections has a free end (43) engaged with an adjacent one of said generally circumferential sections; and in that said device for transluminally explanting the endoprosthesis includes: an elongated member (75) that is percutaneously insertable into a blood vessel (62) 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 (77) 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 (78) 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 18

An implantable and explantable endoprosthesis system, comprising a radially expandable axially extending endoprosthesis (31) and a device (74) for transluminally explanting the endoprosthesis; said endoprosthesis includes: a plurality of generally circumferential sections (32), 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 (34) 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 (32); characterized in that an outside one of said generally circumferential sections has a free end (43) engaged with an adjacent one of said generally circumferential sections; and in that said device for transluminally explanting the endoprosthesis includes: an elongated member (75) that is percutaneously insertable into a blood vessel (62) 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 (77) 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 (78) 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 19

The system according to claim 15 , 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 20

The system according to claim 15 , wherein said puller means is for uncoiling the endoprosthesis being explanted.

Claim 21

The system according to claim 15, 16 or 17, further including a catheter body (76) within which said elongated member is slidably mounted.

Claim 22

The system according to claim 15, 16, 17 or 18, wherein said snaring means includes a hook member.