Medical device including corrugated braid and associated method

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide medical devices for treating a target site within the body and associated methods for fabricating and delivering medical devices. According to one embodiment, a medical device includes a tubular structure having proximal and distal ends and a side wall extending therebetween. At least a portion of the side wall can have a corrugated surface. The side wall further includes at least one layer of a metallic fabric configured to be compressed and heat set to define the corrugated surface. The tubular structure may comprise an expanded shape, and may be configured to be constrained to a smaller diameter than the expanded shape for delivery within a catheter to a target site and to assume the expanded shape upon release from the catheter.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1) Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates to medical devices and associated methods for treating various target sites within the body and, in particular, to medical devices and associated methods for fabricating and delivering medical devices that respectively include corrugated surfaces.[0003]2) Description of Related Art[0004]Vascular disease is common in the arterial system of humans. This disease often results in a build up of plaque or deposits on the vessel wall, which narrow the vessel carrying oxygenated blood and nutrients throughout the body. If narrowing should occur, for example, in an artery within the heart, blood flow may be restricted to the point of causing pain or ischemia upon body exertion due to the lack of oxygen delivery to the heart muscle. The flow disruption from a severe narrowing of the vessel or a plaque rupture may result in a blood clot formation and flow stoppage which, if occurring in the heart, wou...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0016]According to another embodiment, a method for increasing the radial strength or resistance to radial compression of a medical device is provided. The method includes providing a tubular structure comprised of at least one layer of metallic material and having proximal and distal ends and a side wall extending therebetween. In some cases, the side wall can be formed at least partially from a plurality of metallic strands. The tubular structure can be compressed (for example, axially compressed) such that the side wall defines a corrugated surface extending at least partially between the proximal and distal ends. For example, where the side wall includes a plurality of metallic strands, the tubular structure may be compressed until some of the strands buckle to define the corrugated surface. Alternatively, an external or internal mold or both may be used to facilitate formation of the corrugated surface or to induce a thread-like pitch to the corrugation. The compressed tubular structure is then heat set.

Problems solved by technology

This disease often results in a build up of plaque or deposits on the vessel wall, which narrow the vessel carrying oxygenated blood and nutrients throughout the body.

If narrowing should occur, for example, in an artery within the heart, blood flow may be restricted to the point of causing pain or ischemia upon body exertion due to the lack of oxygen delivery to the heart muscle.

The flow disruption from a severe narrowing of the vessel or a plaque rupture may result in a blood clot formation and flow stoppage which, if occurring in the heart, would result in a heart attack.

One limiting aspect of conventional braided Nitinol stents, however, is the ability to achieve high radial support compared to self-expanding stents cut from Nitinol tubing.

This increases the length of the collapsed stent and increases the delivery force needed to push the stent through the delivery catheter since the filaments are under greater stress at a given collapsed diameter.

The weakened wall is of greater risk of rupture due to pulsing blood pressure.

Such leaks would subject the weakened aneurysm wall to blood pressure.

Most of these solutions increase the collapsed profile of the stent graft and increase the stiffness during delivery to the artery.

Images