Stent apparatus and method for making

Claim 2

A stent for use within a subject vessel comprising a cylindrical support defining a fluid flow through passage, said support dimensioned to fit within an interior of said vessel and having opposite first and second end portions, said support characterized by: a) said support being constructed from at least one elongated flexible filament defining a plurality of relatively tightly spaced bends; b) said filament being interlocked together at a first interlocking junction located at said first end portion of said cylindrical support; c) said filament being intertwined together at a first set of junctions substantially aligned along a portion of said stent; d) said filament being intertwined together at a second set of junctions substantially aligned along an opposite portion of said stent; and, e) said filament being permanently adhered together at a second interlocking junction at said second end portion of said cylindrical support.

Claim 3

The stent of claim 1 wherein said support comprises two elongated filaments, said filaments being permanently adhered at said first and second interlocking junctions.

Claim 4

The stent of claim 1 wherein gaps are left along a length portion of said stent to accommodate branches in the vessel so that said stent does not block off fluid flow through said branch.

Claim 5

The stent of claim 1 wherein said stent is radially expandable from a first outer diameter which fits within said vessel to a second increased diameter which contacts an inner wall surface of said vessel to reinforce said inner wall.

Claim 6

The stent of claim 1 wherein an inner diameter of said stent is adapted to frictionally engage a non-inflated balloon catheter and be carried by said non-inflated catheter into a blood vessel.

Claim 7

A stent for use within a subject vessel comprising a cylindrical support defining a fluid flow through passage, said support dimensioned to fit within an interior of said vessel and having opposite first and second end portions, said support characterized by: a) said support being constructed from two elongated flexible filaments, each filament defining a plurality of series of relatively tightly spaced bends; b) said filaments being permanently adhered together at a first interlocking junction located at said first end portion of said cylindrical support; c) said filaments being interconnected together at a first set of junctions substantially aligned along a portion of said stent; d) said filaments being interconnected together at a second set of junctions substantially aligned along an opposite portion of said stent; e) said filaments being permanently adhered together at a second interlocking junction at said second end portion of said cylindrical support; wherein said stent is radially expandable from a first outer diameter which fits within said vessel to a second increased diameter which contacts an inner wall surface of said vessel to reinforce said inner wall, sand wherein an inner diameter of said stent is adapted to frictionally engage a non-inflated balloon catheter and be carried by said non-inflated catheter into a blood vessel.

Claim 8

A stent for use within a subject vessel comprising a cylindrical support defining a fluid flow through passage, said support dimensioned to fit within an interior of said vessel and having opposite first and second end portions, said support characterized by: a) said support being constructed from two elongated flexible filaments, each filament defining a plurality of series of relatively tightly spaced bends; b) said filaments being permanently adhered together at a first interlocking junction located at said first end portion of said cylindrical support; c) said filaments being interconnected together at a first set of junctions substantially aligned along a portion of said stent; d) said filaments being interconnected together at a second set of junctions substantially aligned along an opposite portion of said stent; e) said filaments being permanently adhered together at a second interlocking junction at said second end portion of said cylindrical support; wherein said stent is radially expandable from a first outer diameter which fits within said vessel to a second increased diameter which contacts an inner wall surface of said vessel to reinforce said inner wall, sand wherein an inner diameter of said stent is adapted to frictionally engage a non-inflated balloon catheter and be carried by said non-inflated catheter into a blood vessel.

Claim 9

The stent of claim 6 wherein gaps are left along a length portion of said stent to accommodate branches in the vessel so that said stent does not block off fluid flow through said branches.

Claim 10

A cylindrically shaped support for use in a subject vessel comprising a flexible elongated filament bent at a midpoint to define two filament portions that diverge in two directions away from one end of the support along curved segments to define a cylindrical form wherein said curved segments extend along areas that meet at a sequence of junctions along the length of the cylindrical form, overlap other segments and are reoriented to traverse a given section of the cylindrical form; said curved segments meeting at a second end of the support.

Claim 11

A cylindrically shaped support for use in a subject vessel comprising a flexible elongated filament bent at a midpoint to define two filament portions that diverge in two directions away from one end of the support along curved segments to define a cylindrical form wherein said curved segments extend along areas that meet at a sequence of junctions along the length of the cylindrical form, overlap other segments and are reoriented to traverse a given section of the cylindrical form; said curved segments meeting at a second end of the support.

Claim 12

The support of claim 8 wherein each curved segment bounds a semi-cylindrical section of the cylinder.

Claim 13

The support of claim 8 comprising two filaments each bent at a midpoint to form end positions on opposite sections at one end of the cylindrical form and each curved segment traverses one quadrant of said cylinder.

Claim 14

A stent for use within a subject vessel comprising a cylindrical support defining a fluid flow through passage, said support dimensioned to fit within an interior of said vessel and having opposite first and second end portions, said support characterized by: a) said support being constructed from at least one elongated flexible filament, said filament defining a plurality of series of relatively tightly spaced bends; said support being interlocked together at a first interlocking junction located at said first end portion of said cylindrical support; c) said support being intertwined together at a first set of junctions substantially aligned along a portion of said stent; d) said support being intertwined together at a second set of junctions substantially aligned along an opposite portion of said stent; and, e) said support being permanently adhered together via welding at a second interlocking junction at said second end portion of said cylindrical support.

Claim 15

A stent for use within a subject vessel comprising a cylindrical support defining a fluid flow through passage, said support dimensioned to fit within an interior of said vessel and having opposite first and second end portions, said support characterized by: a) said support being constructed from at least one elongated flexible filament, said filament defining a plurality of series of relatively tightly spaced bends; said support being interlocked together at a first interlocking junction located at said first end portion of said cylindrical support; c) said support being intertwined together at a first set of junctions substantially aligned along a portion of said stent; d) said support being intertwined together at a second set of junctions substantially aligned along an opposite portion of said stent; and, e) said support being permanently adhered together via welding at a second interlocking junction at said second end portion of said cylindrical support.

Claim 16

A stent for use within a subject vessel comprising a cylindrical support defining a fluid flow through passage, said support dimensioned to fit within an interior of said vessel and having opposite first and second end portions, said support characterized by: a) said support being constructed from at least one elongated flexible filament, said filament defining a plurality of series of relatively tightly spaced bends; b) said support being interlocked together at a first interlocking junction located at said first end portion of said cylindrical support; c) said support being intertwined together at a first set of junctions substantially aligned along a portion of said stent; d) said support being intertwined together at a second set of junctions substantially aligned along an opposite portion of said stent; and, e) said support being permanently adhered together via soldering at a second interlocking junction at said second end portion of said cylindrical support.

Claim 17

A stent for use within a subject vessel comprising a cylindrical support defining a fluid flow through passage, said support dimensioned to fit within an interior of said vessel and having opposite first and second end portions, said support characterized by: a) said support being constructed from at least one elongated flexible filament, said filament defining a plurality of series of relatively tightly spaced bends; b) said support being interlocked together at a first interlocking junction located at said first end portion of said cylindrical support; c) said support being intertwined together at a first set of junctions substantially aligned along a portion of said stent; d) said support being intertwined together at a second set of junctions substantially aligned along an opposite portion of said stent; and, e) said support being permanently adhered together via soldering at a second interlocking junction at said second end portion of said cylindrical support.

Claim 18

A stent for use within a subject vessel comprising a cylindrical support defining a fluid flow through passage, said support dimensioned to fit within an interior of said vessel and having opposite first and second end portions, said support characterized by: a) said support being constructed from at least one elongated flexible filament, said filament defining a plurality of series of relatively tightly spaced bends; b) said support being interlocked together at a first interlocking junction located at said first end portion of said cylindrical support; c) said support being intertwined together at a first set of junctions substantially aligned along a portion of said stent; d) said support being intertwined together at a second set of junctions substantially aligned along an opposite portion of said stent; and, e) support being permanently adhered together via tying or suturing at a second interlocking junction at said second end portion of said cylindrical support.

Claim 19

A stent for use within a subject vessel comprising a cylindrical support defining a fluid flow through passage, said support dimensioned to fit within an interior of said vessel and having opposite first and second end portions, said support characterized by: a) said support being constructed from at least one elongated flexible filament, said filament defining a plurality of series of relatively tightly spaced bends; b) said support being interlocked together at a first interlocking junction located at said first end portion of said cylindrical support; c) said support being intertwined together at a first set of junctions substantially aligned along a portion of said stent; d) said support being intertwined together at a second set of junctions substantially aligned along an opposite portion of said stent; and, e) support being permanently adhered together via tying or suturing at a second interlocking junction at said second end portion of said cylindrical support.

Claim 20

The stent of claim 13 wherein the material used for the tying or suturing is bio-degradable.

Claim 21

A stent for sue within a subject vessel comprising: a) a cylindrical support defining a fluid flow through passage, said support dimensioned to fit within an interior of said vessel; b) said support being constructed from two elongated flexible filaments, each filament defining a plurality of series of relatively tightly spaced bends; c) said filaments being permanently adhered together at a first interlocking junction located at said first end portion of said cylindrical support; d) said filaments being interconnected together at a first set of junctions substantially aligned along a portion of said stent; e) said filaments being interconnected together at a second set of junctions substantially aligned along an opposite portion of said stent; f) said filaments being permanently adhered together via welding at a second interlocking junction at said second end portion of said cylindrical support; wherein said stent is radially expandable from a first outer diameter which fits within said vessel to a second increased diameter which contacts an inner wall surface of said vessel to reinforce said inner wall, and wherein an inner diameter of said stent is adapted to frictionally engage a non-inflated balloon catheter and be carried by said non-inflated catheter into a blood vessel.

Claim 22

A stent for sue within a subject vessel comprising: a) a cylindrical support defining a fluid flow through passage, said support dimensioned to fit within an interior of said vessel; b) said support being constructed from two elongated flexible filaments, each filament defining a plurality of series of relatively tightly spaced bends; c) said filaments being permanently adhered together at a first interlocking junction located at said first end portion of said cylindrical support; d) said filaments being interconnected together at a first set of junctions substantially aligned along a portion of said stent; e) said filaments being interconnected together at a second set of junctions substantially aligned along an opposite portion of said stent; f) said filaments being permanently adhered together via welding at a second interlocking junction at said second end portion of said cylindrical support; wherein said stent is radially expandable from a first outer diameter which fits within said vessel to a second increased diameter which contacts an inner wall surface of said vessel to reinforce said inner wall, and wherein an inner diameter of said stent is adapted to frictionally engage a non-inflated balloon catheter and be carried by said non-inflated catheter into a blood vessel.

Claim 23

A stent for use within a subject vessel comprising: a) a cylindrical support defining a fluid flow through passage, said support dimensioned to fit within an interior of said vessel; b) said support being constructed from two elongated flexible filaments, each filament defining a plurality of series of relatively tightly spaced bends; c) said filaments being permanently adhered together at a first interlocking junction located at said first end portion of said cylindrical support; d) said filaments being interconnected together at a first set of junctions substantially aligned along a portion of said stent; e) said filaments being interconnected together at a second set of junctions substantially aligned along an opposite portion of said stent; f) said filaments being permanently adhered together via soldering at a second interlocking junction at said second end portion of said cylindrical support; wherein said stent is radially expandable from a first outer diameter which fits within said vessel to a second increased diameter which contacts an inner wall surface of said vessel to reinforce said inner wall, and wherein an inner diameter of said stent is adapted to frictional engage a non-inflated balloon catheter and be carried by said non-inflated catheter into a blood vessel.

Claim 24

A stent for use within a subject vessel comprising: a) a cylindrical support defining a fluid flow through passage, said support dimensioned to fit within an interior of said vessel; b) said support being constructed from two elongated flexible filaments, each filament defining a plurality of series of relatively tightly spaced bends; c) said filaments being permanently adhered together at a first interlocking junction located at said first end portion of said cylindrical support; d) said filaments being interconnected together at a first set of junctions substantially aligned along a portion of said stent; e) said filaments being interconnected together at a second set of junctions substantially aligned along an opposite portion of said stent; f) said filaments being permanently adhered together via soldering at a second interlocking junction at said second end portion of said cylindrical support; wherein said stent is radially expandable from a first outer diameter which fits within said vessel to a second increased diameter which contacts an inner wall surface of said vessel to reinforce said inner wall, and wherein an inner diameter of said stent is adapted to frictional engage a non-inflated balloon catheter and be carried by said non-inflated catheter into a blood vessel.

Claim 25

A stent for use within a subject vessel comprising: a) a cylindrical support defining a fluid flow through passage, said support dimensioned to fit within an interior of said vessel; b) said support being constructed from two elongated flexible filaments, each filament defining a plurality of series of relatively tightly spaced bends; c) said filaments being permanently adhered together at a first interlocking junction located at said first end portion of said cylindrical support; d) said filaments being interconnected together at a first set of junctions substantially aligned along a portion of said stent; e) said filaments being interconnected together at a second set of junctions substantially aligned along an opposite portion of said stent; f) said filaments being permanently adhered together via typing or suturing at a second interlocking junction at said second end portion of said cylindrical support; wherein said stent is radially expandable from a first outer diameter which fits within said vessel to a second increased diameter which contacts an inner wall surface of said vessel to reinforce said inner wall, and wherein an inner diameter of said stent is adapted to frictionally engage a non-inflated balloon catheter and be carried by said non-inflated catheter into a blood vessel.

Claim 26

A stent for use within a subject vessel comprising: a) a cylindrical support defining a fluid flow through passage, said support dimensioned to fit within an interior of said vessel; b) said support being constructed from two elongated flexible filaments, each filament defining a plurality of series of relatively tightly spaced bends; c) said filaments being permanently adhered together at a first interlocking junction located at said first end portion of said cylindrical support; d) said filaments being interconnected together at a first set of junctions substantially aligned along a portion of said stent; e) said filaments being interconnected together at a second set of junctions substantially aligned along an opposite portion of said stent; f) said filaments being permanently adhered together via typing or suturing at a second interlocking junction at said second end portion of said cylindrical support; wherein said stent is radially expandable from a first outer diameter which fits within said vessel to a second increased diameter which contacts an inner wall surface of said vessel to reinforce said inner wall, and wherein an inner diameter of said stent is adapted to frictionally engage a non-inflated balloon catheter and be carried by said non-inflated catheter into a blood vessel.

Claim 27

The stent of claim 17 wherein the material used for the tying or suturing is bio-degradable.