Multilayer stent

Abstract

A composite stent having a substrate tube made of stainless steel, a nickel-cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloy, or chonichrome with at least one metal cladding tube is disclosed. Specifically, the substrate tube is placed within a metal cladding tube made of platinum, gold, tantalum, tungsten, platinum-iridium, palladium, or nickel-titanium, preferably with an interference fit therebetween. The composite, laminate tube then undergoes a series of rolling or cold drawing processes interspersed with heat treating to release built up stresses. When the final diameter of the laminate tube is reached, the cladding has been laminated to the exterior of the substrate tube by a bond generated from the rolling and / or cold drawing operations. The finished laminate tube is then cut by laser cutting or chemical etching to form a suitable stent pattern.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This is a divisional application of co-pending parent application having U.S. Ser. No. 09 / 270,403, filed Mar. 16, 1999, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to expandable intraluminal vascular devices, generally referred to as stents. More precisely, the present invention is directed to stents that have a metallic cladding for improved expansion characteristics and radiopacity.[0003]Stents are used to maintain patency of vessels in the body, such as a patient's arteries. A variety of delivery systems have been devised that facilitate the placement and deployment of stents. The stent is initially manipulated while in its contracted or unexpanded state, wherein its reduced diameter more readily allows it to be introduced into the body lumen, such as a coronary artery, and maneuvered into the target site where a lesion has been dilated. Once at the target site, the stent is ex...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009]The present invention is directed to a multilayer intracorporeal device, specifically a multilayer or laminate stent that has a metallic substrate and at least one layer of metallic cladding. The cladding is generally joined to the substrate under high pressure resulting in a structure that resists separation or delamination under normal stress. The cladding metal and the base or substrate material form a bond between them during a deep drawing, cold drawing, or co-drawing on a mandrel process. The method of combining two or more layers of different materials allows for the combination of desirable properties of those materials. Typical material properties to be considered for stent design and performance include strength, ductility, and radiopacity. For example, a substrate layer material may be chosen for its strength, a first cladding material chosen for its ductility, and a second cladding material chosen for its radiopacity.

[0010]The present invention provides a method of fabricating a stent for implantation within a body lumen, comprising the steps of providing a substrate tube having an outside surface and an inside surface; disposing a first cladding tube about the substrate tube, wherein the first cladding tube includes a metal; joining the first cladding tube to the outside surface of the substrate tube to form a laminate tube; and forming a stent pattern in the laminate tube to provide for expansion of the stent. In a preferred embodiment, the substrate tube includes a metal selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, a nickel-cobaltchromium-molybdenum alloy, or chonichrome; and the first cladding tube includes a radiopaque metal, preferably selected from the group consisting of platinum, gold, tantalum, tungsten, platinum-10% iridium, or palladium. It may also be desirable to have a substrate tube of a psuedoelastic alloy such as NiTi. A substrate tube from such an alloy can provide mechanical characteristics which facilitate expansion of a stent within a patient's vessels and minimize trauma to the vessels, particularly in indications such as carotid artery treatment.

[0014]In particular, it has been found that for the substrate tube, materials such as 316L stainless steel, nickel-cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloys such as MP35N, or cobalt-chromium-tungsten-nickel-iron alloys such as L605, (chonichrome) are preferable. For the cladding tube, it has been found that platinum, gold, tantalum, tungsten, platinum-10% iridium, or palladium are preferred. Each of the cladding material adds to the performance of the finished laminate tube which would otherwise not be possible with a pure 316L stainless steel, MP35N, or chonichrome tube alone. Another benefit of the present invention is that the metal cladded stent can have a desired amount of radiopacity. Indeed, using cladding tubes made of radiopaque alloys or metals such as platinum, gold, tantalum, or platinum-iridium increases the radiopacity of the stent to assist the cardiologist in tracking the stent during implantation.

[0015]The present invention can additionally benefit from use of a substrate or cladding tube made from nickel-titanium, which is a shape memory alloy which can exhibit superelastic properties. With a higher deformation rate due to a nickel-titanium cladding tube, the laminate stent eliminates the need for higher pressure balloons and as a result, the risk of injury to the vessel walls is reduced. The nickel-titanium eases the expansion of the stent in normal temperatures and contraction in relatively elevated temperatures. Where a superelastic alloy such as NiTi is used as a cladding layer in combination with a non-radiopaque high strength alloy substrate such as stainless steel, MP35N or L605, it is generally preferred to include a second cladding layer or tube of a radiopaque metal such as those described above. In this way, the desired mechanical characteristics of the stent can be achieved with the appropriate combination of substrate and first cladding materials, and radiopacity is added to the stent by the second cladding layer or tube.

Problems solved by technology

But stents can sometimes cause complications including thrombosis, and neointimal hyperplasia by inducement of smooth muscle cell proliferation at the site of implantation of the stent.

Such stents typically also do not provide for delivery of localized therapeutic pharmacological treatment of a blood vessel at the location being treated with the stent, which can be useful for overcoming such problems.

Despite progress in the art, there is presently no stent available that has a metallic cladding for improved strength reinforcement, expansion characteristics and radiopacity.

Images