Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
120 words
A percutaneously implanted valve stent comprising: a tubular graft of bio-compatible material capable of conducting fluid, said graft capable of substantial deformation so as to conform to the interior surface of a patient's internal passage, said graft having proximal and distal ends; a radially compressible spring means for biasing said proximal and distal ends of said graft radially outward into dynamic conforming fixed engagement with said interior surface of said internal passage; and a valve means capable of blocking flow in one direction, said valve means being sealingly and permanently attached to the internal tubular portion of said graft or said spring means or both; wherein said graft material being attached to said spring means and enclosing said spring means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
120 words
A percutaneously implanted valve stent comprising: a tubular graft of bio-compatible material capable of conducting fluid, said graft capable of substantial deformation so as to conform to the interior surface of a patient's internal passage, said graft having proximal and distal ends; a radially compressible spring means for biasing said proximal and distal ends of said graft radially outward into dynamic conforming fixed engagement with said interior surface of said internal passage; and a valve means capable of blocking flow in one direction, said valve means being sealingly and permanently attached to the internal tubular portion of said graft or said spring means or both; wherein said graft material being attached to said spring means and enclosing said spring means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
The valve stent of claim 1, wherein said graft includes a middle portion extending between said proximal and distal ends, and said graft material is tapered to define a smaller fluid conducting area through said middle portion.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
The valve stent of claim 1, wherein at least one of said tubular graft and said spring means contains a radio opaque marker.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
The valve stent of claim 1, wherein said spring means is a wire spring comprising a pair of annular spring portions, and at least one connecting bar extending between said spring portions for connecting said pair of spring portions to one another.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
The valve stent of claim 4, wherein each of said annular spring portions comprises a continuous zig-zag pattern of straight spokes connected by alternating crests and troughs, and said crest and troughs are of a predetermined radius.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
The valve stent of claim 5, wherein said graft material is cut out between said crests of at least one of said pair of spring portions to define a plurality of radially distensible fingers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
The valve stent of claim 1, further including tissue adhesive means on the outside of said graft for bonding said graft to said interior surface of said passage and forming a substantially fluid-tight seal therebetween.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
The valve stent of claim 7, wherein said tissue adhesive means comprises a plurality of packets including a degradable photo-sensitive outer packet material enclosing tissue adhesive, whereby said tissue adhesive may be released by exposing said packets to a light beam.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
The stent of claim 7, wherein said tissue adhesive means is biocompatible and biodegradable.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The valve stent of claim 7, wherein said tissue adhesive remains adhesively inert until said adhesive is exposed to a light beam.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
The valve stent of claim 7, wherein said tissue adhesive is at least one of fibrin glue, isobutyl 2 cyanoacrylate, and cryroparticipate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The valve stent of claim 1, further comprising a deployment means for deploying said valve stent.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
The valve stent of claim 1, further comprising a retreival means for retreiving said valve stent after deployment from said deployment means for removal from the patient.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
The retreival means of claim 13, wherein said retreival means also allows repositioning of said valve stent within the patient.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
The valve stent of claim 1, further comprising a filter means for capturing particles during deployment of said valve stent.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
The valve stent of claim 1, wherein said graft material prevents contact between said spring means and living tissue.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
164 words
A percutaneously implanted valve stent comprising: a tubular graft of bio-compatible material capable of conducting fluid, said graft capable of substantial deformation so as to conform to the interior surface of a patient's internal passage, said graft having proximal and distal ends; a radially compressible spring means for biasing said proximal and distal ends of said graft radially outward into dynamic conforming fixed engagement with said interior surface of said internal passage; a valve means capable of blocking flow in one direction, said valve means being sealingly and permanently attached to the internal tubular portion of said graft or said spring means or both; and tissue adhesive means on the outside of said graft for bonding said graft to said interior surface of said passage and forming a substantially fluid-tight seal therebetween; wherein said graft material is attached to said spring means and encloses said spring means; and said tissue adhesive means is adhesively inert until said tissue adhesive means is exposed to light.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
164 words
A percutaneously implanted valve stent comprising: a tubular graft of bio-compatible material capable of conducting fluid, said graft capable of substantial deformation so as to conform to the interior surface of a patient's internal passage, said graft having proximal and distal ends; a radially compressible spring means for biasing said proximal and distal ends of said graft radially outward into dynamic conforming fixed engagement with said interior surface of said internal passage; a valve means capable of blocking flow in one direction, said valve means being sealingly and permanently attached to the internal tubular portion of said graft or said spring means or both; and tissue adhesive means on the outside of said graft for bonding said graft to said interior surface of said passage and forming a substantially fluid-tight seal therebetween; wherein said graft material is attached to said spring means and encloses said spring means; and said tissue adhesive means is adhesively inert until said tissue adhesive means is exposed to light.