US6051021A — Self-expanding endoprosthesis

Claim 1

Independent Claim 126 words

A luminal endoprosthesis, adapted for introduction into an anatomical conduit of an organism, comprising: a self-expandable braided framework of filaments, radially expandable to a nominal diameter, said filaments including a temperature transitionable material; said temperature transitionable material of said framework being adapted to experience a phase transition in which a rigidity of said transitionable material changes from a first rigidity to a second rigidity, greater than said first rigidity, at a temperature equal to or lower than a temperature of said organism; and said framework being compressible to a reduced diameter for introduction into said anatomical conduit of said organism, and upon release of compression, said framework being adapted to spontaneously adopt said nominal diameter independent of a temperature surrounding said framework and said phase transition.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 126 words

A luminal endoprosthesis, adapted for introduction into an anatomical conduit of an organism, comprising: a self-expandable braided framework of filaments, radially expandable to a nominal diameter, said filaments including a temperature transitionable material; said temperature transitionable material of said framework being adapted to experience a phase transition in which a rigidity of said transitionable material changes from a first rigidity to a second rigidity, greater than said first rigidity, at a temperature equal to or lower than a temperature of said organism; and said framework being compressible to a reduced diameter for introduction into said anatomical conduit of said organism, and upon release of compression, said framework being adapted to spontaneously adopt said nominal diameter independent of a temperature surrounding said framework and said phase transition.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 33 words

An endoprosthesis according to claim 1, wherein at its nominal diameter, the braided filaments form between each other, along at least a section of the braid, an angle .sub.α between 30° and 95°.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 15 words

An endoprosthesis according to claim 2, wherein the angle .sub.α is between 50 and 90°.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 17 words

An endoprosthesis according to claim 2, wherein the angle .sub.α varies along the length of the braid.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 14 words

An endoprosthesis according to claim 1, wherein the metal of the filaments is superelastic.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 26 words

An endoprosthesis according to claim 5, wherein the metal of the filaments is chosen from the group consisting in the nickel/titanium alloys and the nickel/titanium/cobalt alloys.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 18 words

An endoprosthesis according to claim 6, wherein the alloy comprises between 52 and 56% by weight of nickel.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 113 words

Method for manufacturing an endoprosthesis according to claim 1, comprising the following operations: producing filaments made of an elastic metal on which it is possible to confer a transition of atomic structure, causing it to change from a given rigidity to a greater rigidity, braiding these filaments around a mandrel in such a way as to obtain a braid, of a given nominal diameter, subjecting sections of this braid, at their nominal diameter, to a thermal treatment establishing a phase transition at a temperature equal to or lower than the temperature of a warm-blooded organism, placing an optional coating on the said framework, cutting the sections of braid into segments of suitable length.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 40 words

Method according to claim 8, wherein the braiding is effected using cold-hammered nickel/titanium filaments from the die, and in that the thermal treatment comprises at least one heating operation in a zone between 400° and 600° C., and air cooling.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 18 words

Method according to claim 9, wherein the thermal treatment is carried out at 500° C. for 10 minutes.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 34 words

Method according to claim 8, wherein the braiding is carried so that the filaments form between each other at least along a section of the braid, an angle .sub.α of between 30° and 95°.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 21 words

An endoprosthesis as claimed in claim 1, wherein said nominal diameter of said framework varies along a length of said framework.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 26 words

An endoprosthesis as claimed in claim 1, wherein said temperature at which said temperature transitionable material of said framework experiences said phase transition is 37° C.

Claim 15

Independent Claim 158 words

A method of placing a self-expanding endoprosthesis in an anatomical conduit of an organism, said endoprosthesis being radially expandable to a nominal diameter and including a temperature transitionable material, said method comprising the steps of: placing said endoprosthesis in an environment having a temperature at or below a transition temperature at which said endoprosthesis experiences a phase transition in which a rigidity of said transitionable material changes from a first rigidity to a second rigidity, greater than said first rigidity, said transition temperature being a temperature equal to or lower than a temperature of said organism; compressing said endoprosthesis to reduce a diameter of said endoprosthesis from said nominal diameter to a reduced diameter for introduction into said anatomical conduit of said organism; introducing said compressed endoprosthesis into said anatomical conduit; and releasing compression from said endoprosthesis to enable said endoprosthesis to spontaneously adopt said nominal diameter independent of a temperature surrounding said endoprosthesis and said phase transition.

Claim 16

Independent Claim 158 words

A method of placing a self-expanding endoprosthesis in an anatomical conduit of an organism, said endoprosthesis being radially expandable to a nominal diameter and including a temperature transitionable material, said method comprising the steps of: placing said endoprosthesis in an environment having a temperature at or below a transition temperature at which said endoprosthesis experiences a phase transition in which a rigidity of said transitionable material changes from a first rigidity to a second rigidity, greater than said first rigidity, said transition temperature being a temperature equal to or lower than a temperature of said organism; compressing said endoprosthesis to reduce a diameter of said endoprosthesis from said nominal diameter to a reduced diameter for introduction into said anatomical conduit of said organism; introducing said compressed endoprosthesis into said anatomical conduit; and releasing compression from said endoprosthesis to enable said endoprosthesis to spontaneously adopt said nominal diameter independent of a temperature surrounding said endoprosthesis and said phase transition.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 43 words

A method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising the step of: exposing said endoprosthesis to said temperature of said organism to enable said endoprosthesis to experience said phase transition in which said rigidity of said transitionable material changes to said second rigidity.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 16 words

A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein said endoprosthesis includes a braided framework of filaments.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 14 words

A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein said transition temperature is 37° C.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 118 words

A luminal endoprosthesis, adapted for introduction into an anatomical conduit of an organism, comprising: a self-expandable framework, radially expandable to a nominal diameter and including a temperature transitionable material; said temperature transitionable material of said framework being adapted to experience a phase transition in which a rigidity of said transitionable material changes from a first rigidity to a second rigidity, greater than said first rigidity, at a transition temperature within a predefined temperature range; and said framework being compressible to a reduced diameter for introduction into said anatomical conduit of said organism, and upon release of compression, said framework being adapted to spontaneously adopt said nominal diameter independent of a temperature surrounding said framework and said phase transition.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 118 words

A luminal endoprosthesis, adapted for introduction into an anatomical conduit of an organism, comprising: a self-expandable framework, radially expandable to a nominal diameter and including a temperature transitionable material; said temperature transitionable material of said framework being adapted to experience a phase transition in which a rigidity of said transitionable material changes from a first rigidity to a second rigidity, greater than said first rigidity, at a transition temperature within a predefined temperature range; and said framework being compressible to a reduced diameter for introduction into said anatomical conduit of said organism, and upon release of compression, said framework being adapted to spontaneously adopt said nominal diameter independent of a temperature surrounding said framework and said phase transition.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 17 words

A luminal endoprosthesis as claimed in claim 18, wherein said framework includes a braided framework of filaments.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 20 words

A luminal endoprosthesis as claimed in claim 18, wherein said predefined temperature range is between 30° C. and 40° C.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 15 words

A luminal endoprosthesis as claimed in claim 18, wherein said transition temperature is 37° C.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2003-04-18	2003-10-18	2004-04-18	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2007-04-18	2007-10-18	2008-04-18	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2011-04-18	2011-10-18	2012-04-18	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Self-expanding endoprosthesis

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