US3882845A — Methods and devices for reducing lumen constricti…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 262 words

In a surgical method to be performed at the region of a tubular body organ, the steps of performing surgical procedures at the region of the tubular body organ for obtaining access to the interior thereof, so that subsequent to the surgical procedure scar tissue will form at the latter region during healing of tissue at said region, and introducing into the tubular body organ after access is obtained thereto by the surgical procedures a tubular implant which is longer than said region, the implant having an intermediate portion for opposing constriction by scar tissue which forms at said region and for performing a specific function for which the implant is designed and a pair of opposed elongated flexible portions extending in opposite directions beyond the intermediate portion and while being substantially less rigid than said intermediate portion and bendable with respect thereto also having sufficient rigidity to support the wall of the tubular organ in the interior thereof for opposing constriction and preventing kinking of the tubular organ in opposite directions beyond the intermediate portion of the implant while providing beyond the intermediate portion of the implant in the lumen of the tubular organ a clearance sufficient to permit fluid to flow through the tubular organ, and introducing the implant into the tubular organ with the intermediate portion thereof situated at the region where scar tissue forms while locating said elongated flexible portions at regions extending along the interior of the tubular organ in opposite directions beyond opposed ends of the intermediate portion situated at said region where scar tissue forms.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 262 words

In a surgical method to be performed at the region of a tubular body organ, the steps of performing surgical procedures at the region of the tubular body organ for obtaining access to the interior thereof, so that subsequent to the surgical procedure scar tissue will form at the latter region during healing of tissue at said region, and introducing into the tubular body organ after access is obtained thereto by the surgical procedures a tubular implant which is longer than said region, the implant having an intermediate portion for opposing constriction by scar tissue which forms at said region and for performing a specific function for which the implant is designed and a pair of opposed elongated flexible portions extending in opposite directions beyond the intermediate portion and while being substantially less rigid than said intermediate portion and bendable with respect thereto also having sufficient rigidity to support the wall of the tubular organ in the interior thereof for opposing constriction and preventing kinking of the tubular organ in opposite directions beyond the intermediate portion of the implant while providing beyond the intermediate portion of the implant in the lumen of the tubular organ a clearance sufficient to permit fluid to flow through the tubular organ, and introducing the implant into the tubular organ with the intermediate portion thereof situated at the region where scar tissue forms while locating said elongated flexible portions at regions extending along the interior of the tubular organ in opposite directions beyond opposed ends of the intermediate portion situated at said region where scar tissue forms.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 78 words

In a method as recited in claim 1, and wherein the tubular organ is of the type which pumps a body fluid by a contracting and expanding action such as a peristaltic action, and situating said elongated portions of the implant along the interior of the tubular organ in such a way that while the tubular organ is supported by said elongated portions of the implant the latter will not inhibit the pumping action of the tubular organ.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 60 words

In a method as recited in claim 1 and including the step of introducing as at least part of the implant a material which is capable of being absorbed at a rate enabling the latter material to contribute to internal support of the tubular body organ opposing constriction thereof during healing while subsequent to healing the latter material will dissapear.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 28 words

In a method as recited in claim 3 and wherein the material which is capable of being absorbed holds together parts of the implant for facilitating introduction thereof.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 55 words

In a method as recited in claim 3 and wherein the implant includes a valve while the tubular organ is a vas deferens, and the material which is capable of being absorbed extends beyond the valve in opposite directions from the area where scar tissue grows into an area where scar tissue does not grow.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 28 words

In a method as recited in claim 1 and including the step of situating around the exterior of the implant a means for promoting the ingrowth of tissue.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 260 words

An implant to be introduced into a tubular organ after surgical procedures are performed to give access to the interior of the tubular organ at a region along the tubular organ where scar tissue will form during healing subsequent to the introduction of the implant into the tubular organ, said implant having a length which is greater than the length required to occupy the interior of the tubular organ at the region thereof where the scar tissue subsequently grows and said implant including elongated tubular means for permitting a body fluid to flow along the interior of the tubular organ through the implant, said tubular means having a rigidity sufficiently great to support the tubular organ and oppose substantial constriction thereof by the scar tissues the implant further including a pair of elongated flexible means of substantially greater flexibility than said tubular means connected with and extending in opposite directions beyond opposed ends of said tubular means for extending therefrom respectively beyond said opposed ends into regions of the tubular organ beyond the region where scar tissue subsequently grows, said pair of elongated flexible means while being bendable nevertheless having sufficient rigidity to support the wall of the tubular organ and permit curving thereof without kinking at regions beyond the region where scar tissue subsequently grows, and said pair of flexible means each having a cross section adapted to occupy only part of the cross section of the lumen of the tubular organ for leaving therein a clearance extending longitudinally along the lumen sufficiently great for fluid to flow therethrough.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 260 words

An implant to be introduced into a tubular organ after surgical procedures are performed to give access to the interior of the tubular organ at a region along the tubular organ where scar tissue will form during healing subsequent to the introduction of the implant into the tubular organ, said implant having a length which is greater than the length required to occupy the interior of the tubular organ at the region thereof where the scar tissue subsequently grows and said implant including elongated tubular means for permitting a body fluid to flow along the interior of the tubular organ through the implant, said tubular means having a rigidity sufficiently great to support the tubular organ and oppose substantial constriction thereof by the scar tissues the implant further including a pair of elongated flexible means of substantially greater flexibility than said tubular means connected with and extending in opposite directions beyond opposed ends of said tubular means for extending therefrom respectively beyond said opposed ends into regions of the tubular organ beyond the region where scar tissue subsequently grows, said pair of elongated flexible means while being bendable nevertheless having sufficient rigidity to support the wall of the tubular organ and permit curving thereof without kinking at regions beyond the region where scar tissue subsequently grows, and said pair of flexible means each having a cross section adapted to occupy only part of the cross section of the lumen of the tubular organ for leaving therein a clearance extending longitudinally along the lumen sufficiently great for fluid to flow therethrough.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 23 words

An implant as recited in claim 7 and wherein said implant carries at its exterior a means for promoting the ingrowth of tissue.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 35 words

An implant as recited in claim 7 and wherein the pair of elongated means support the tubular organ while permitting contraction and expansion thereof so that the tubular organ can carry out a pumping action.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 47 words

An implant as recited in claim 9 and wherein each of the elongated means has at least a pair of opposed edge regions for engaging the interior surface of the tubular organ while leaving on opposite sides of each edge region free spaces in the tubular organ.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 21 words

An implant as recited in clAim 10 and wherein each of said elongated means has the configuration of an elongated strip.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 51 words

An implant as recited in claim 10 and wherein each of the elongated means has a central region extending centrally along the interior of the tubular organ and a plurality of ribs projecting from the central region and having the edge regions which engage the inner surface of the tubular organ.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 18 words

An implant as recited in claim 10 and wherein each elongated means is of a V-shaped cross section.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 26 words

An implant as recited in claim 9 and wherein each of said elongated means is made of a flexible material of a substantially U-shaped cross section.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 26 words

An implant as recited in claim 9 and wherein each of said elongated means is made of a flexible material having a substantially spiral-shaped cross section.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 41 words

An implant as recited in claim 9 and wherein each of said elongated means is in the form of a plurality of elongated filaments extending from said tubular portions and free to move inwardly toward and outwardly away from each other.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 128 words

The combination of claim 7 and wherein the implant is in the form of a control means adapted to be introduced into a tubular organ for acting on fluid therein, said control means having a central control region and a pair of elongated tubular portions extending in opposite directions from said central control region and having a length great enough to extend through and beyond a region where scar tissue will form into a region where scar tissue will not form, each of said tubular portions having along at least part of its length a section which is flexible to enable the tubular organ to bend, so as to prevent kinking thereof, while at the same time capable of opposing constriction of the tubular organ during healing thereof.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 22 words

The combination of claim 17 and wherein the flexible sections of said tubular portions are respectively situated next to the central region.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 22 words

The combination of claim 7 and wherein said implant includes a flexible tubular wall extending along the entire length of the implant.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 23 words

The combination of claim 17 and wherein said flexible section of each tubular portion is in the form of a series of convolutions.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 28 words

The combination of claim 17 and wherein the flexible section of each tubular portion is situated at an outer end region thereof distant from the central control region.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 33 words

The combination of claim 17 and wherein the flexible sections of said tubular portion are each in the form of coil springs fixed to and extending from the remainder of the tubular portions.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 57 words

The combination of claim 17 and wherein each tubular portion has a solid wall portion next to the central control region and beyond said solid wall portion an elongated free end portion which is cut through along a spiral to form a spring from the part of each tubular portion which extends beyond its solid wall portion.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 46 words

The combination of claim 17 and wherein the flexible sections of said tubular portions are respectively in the form of elongated tapered free end portions of each tubular portion situated distant from the central control region and having a tapered as well as a convoluted configuration.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1978-05-12	1978-11-11	1979-05-13	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1982-05-12	1982-11-11	1983-05-13	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1986-05-12	1986-11-11	1987-05-13	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Methods and devices for reducing lumen constriction

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