Expandable stent having a fabric liner

Claim 2

Apparatus for use in maintaining an opening within a vessel, said apparatus comprising a stent having a wall expandable from a first position providing a collapsed diameter of said stent, and a second position providing an expanded diameter of said stent, a catheter assembly receivable within the vessel, said stent configured to be carried on a first catheter, said catheter assembly including said first catheter for carrying said stent, and a second catheter disposed within said first catheter and coaxial with said first catheter, said second catheter including a inflatable balloon which is inflated while said catheter is within the vessel, whereby said first catheter carries said stent adjacent to said balloon so that said stent can be placed over said balloon, said balloon is inflated to open said stent to said expanded diameter such that said stent is left in place in the vessel, after said balloon performs angioplasty, said stent having internally a tubular fabric liner of substantially the same length as said stent;

Claim 3

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said stent includes pin means for holding said wall in said first position, said pin means being carried at the end of a wire, a channel carried by said catheter for slidably receiving said wire, so that said wire can be moved within said channel to pull said pin means from said stent and allow said wall to move to said second position.

Claim 4

Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, said channel being carried by the exterior of said first catheter.

Claim 5

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said wall of said stent defines a plurality of openings therein, and a plastic material covering said wall, said plastic material being an implantable material.

Claim 6

Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said wall comprises a network of filaments.

Claim 7

Apparatus of claims 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 wherein the liner is constructed of a polyester fabric material having interstices.

Claim 8

An implantable prosthesis for use in maintaining an opening within an artery, said prosthesis comprising a generally cylindrical sleeve having a wall, said wall defining a gap longitudinally thereof for allowing said sleeve selectively to assume a first position wherein said wall moves inwardly for providing a collapsed diameter of said sleeve, and a second position wherein said wall moves inwardly for providing a collapsed diameter of said sleeve, and a second position wherein said wall moves outwardly for providing an expanded diameter of said sleeve, means for urging said wall in one direction towards either said collapsed diameter or said expanded diameter, and locking means for preventing motion of said wall by said means for urging said wall in one direction, said one direction being outwardly towards said expanded diameter, said locking means including a plurality of lugs, at least one lug of said plurality of lugs being on each side of said discontinuity in said wall, and pin means receivable through said lugs for holding said sleeve inwardly at said collapsed diameter, said sleeve having mounted therein a tubular fabric liner of a substantially the same length as said sleeve.

Claim 9

An implantable prosthesis for use in maintaining an opening within an artery, said prosthesis comprising a generally cylindrical sleeve having a wall, said wall defining a gap longitudinally thereof for allowing said sleeve selectively to assume a first position wherein said wall moves inwardly for providing a collapsed diameter of said sleeve, and a second position wherein said wall moves inwardly for providing a collapsed diameter of said sleeve, and a second position wherein said wall moves outwardly for providing an expanded diameter of said sleeve, means for urging said wall in one direction towards either said collapsed diameter or said expanded diameter, and locking means for preventing motion of said wall by said means for urging said wall in one direction, said one direction being outwardly towards said expanded diameter, said locking means including a plurality of lugs, at least one lug of said plurality of lugs being on each side of said discontinuity in said wall, and pin means receivable through said lugs for holding said sleeve inwardly at said collapsed diameter, said sleeve having mounted therein a tubular fabric liner of a substantially the same length as said sleeve.

Claim 10

A prosthesis as claimed in claimed 7, said lugs being so placed that said wall is overlapped when said lugs are aligned, said pin comprising a wire extending longitudinally of said sleeve and selectively movable for disengagement from said lugs.

Claim 11

A prosthesis as claimed in claim 8, and further including second locking means for fixing the diameter of said wall at said expanded diameter.

Claim 12

An implantable prosthesis for use in maintaining an opening within an artery, said prosthesis comprising a generally cylindrical sleeve having a wall, said wall defining a gap longitudinally thereof for allowing said sleeve selectively to assume a first position wherein said wall moves inwardly for providing a collapsed diameter of said sleeve, and a second position wherein said wall moves outwardly for providing an expanded diameter of said sleeve, means for urging said wall in one direction towards either said collapsed diameter or said expanded diameter, and locking means for preventing motion of said wall by said means for urging said wall in one direction, said wall having a bottom, a top diametrically removed from said bottom, a top diametrically removed from said bottom, and comprising a plurality of segments, a spine extending longitudinally of said sleeve along said bottom of said sleeve, each segment of said plurality of segments extending from said spine, around one side of said sleeve and to said top of said sleeve, said plurality of segments being spaced apart along each side of said spine so that said sleeve is longitudinally bendable, said sleeve having mounted therein a tubular fabric liner of substantially the same length as said sleeve.

Claim 13

An implantable prosthesis for use in maintaining an opening within an artery, said prosthesis comprising a generally cylindrical sleeve having a wall, said wall defining a gap longitudinally thereof for allowing said sleeve selectively to assume a first position wherein said wall moves inwardly for providing a collapsed diameter of said sleeve, and a second position wherein said wall moves outwardly for providing an expanded diameter of said sleeve, means for urging said wall in one direction towards either said collapsed diameter or said expanded diameter, and locking means for preventing motion of said wall by said means for urging said wall in one direction, said wall having a bottom, a top diametrically removed from said bottom, a top diametrically removed from said bottom, and comprising a plurality of segments, a spine extending longitudinally of said sleeve along said bottom of said sleeve, each segment of said plurality of segments extending from said spine, around one side of said sleeve and to said top of said sleeve, said plurality of segments being spaced apart along each side of said spine so that said sleeve is longitudinally bendable, said sleeve having mounted therein a tubular fabric liner of substantially the same length as said sleeve.

Claim 14

A prosthesis as claimed in claim 10 and further including a plurality of lugs, each lug of said plurality of lugs being carried generally at said top of one segment of said plurality of segments, such that when said sleeve is moved inwardly to said collapsed diameter, said lugs are aligned, and a pin receivable through said plurality of lugs constituting said locking means.

Claim 15

A prosthesis as claimed in claim 11, said means for urging said wall in one direction including an elastic force inherent in said wall.

Claim 16

A prosthesis as claimed in claim 11, said means for urging said wall in one direction including spring means embedded within said wall.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tubular fabric liner is constructed of a polyester material.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tubular fabric liner is constructed of a non-woven polytetrafluoroethylene material.