Stent with anchors to prevent vulnerable plaque rupture during deployment
US7258697B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 22, 2003 |
| Grant date | Aug 21, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 27, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61F2230/0054
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A stent for implantation in a body lumen for protecting from rupture a fibrous cap in order to treat vulnerable plaque. One embodiment of the stent achieves staged expansion through stronger and weaker circumferential regions, and includes optional anchors positioned at the circumferential transition between the stronger and weaker regions. During the first stage expansion, the weaker region expands moving the anchors laterally apart. The anchors straddle the fibrous cap and embed into the vessel wall. The second stage expansion of the stent exerts gentler stresses by the weaker region against the fibrous cap while the stronger region exerts greater stresses on the remainder of the vessel wall to open the vessel.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.