Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090240270 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR OPENING BLOOD VESSELS BY PRE-ANGIOPLASTY SERRATION AND DILATATION OF ATHEROSCLEROTIC PLAQUE - A device and method for intravascular treatment of atherosclerotic plaque perforates the plaque with microperforations by small sharp spikes to act as serrations for forming cleavage lines or planes in the plaque. In preferred embodiments, expansion may be obtained by mechanical apparatus, expansion balloon, or balloon-assisted deployment. The plaque treatment enables a subsequent balloon angioplasty to be performed without creating substantial dissections and at low balloon pressure so as to avoid injury to the arterial wall. The plaque treatment may include dilatation of the plaque at low pressure, sufficiently that no subsequent balloon angioplasty is needed. The plaque preparation may be followed by applying one or a few ring tacks to secure the compressed plaque with minimal emplacement of foreign material. | 09-24-2009 |
20100042121 | PRE-ANGIOPLASTY SERRATION OF ATHEROSCLEROTIC PLAQUE ENABLING LOW-PRESSURE BALLOON ANGIOPLASTY AND AVOIDANCE OF STENTING - A device and method for intravascular treatment of atherosclerotic plaque prior to balloon angioplasty which microperforates the plaque with small sharp spikes acting as serrations for forming cleavage lines or planes in the plaque. The spikes may also be used to transport medication into the plaque. The plaque preparation treatment enables subsequent angioplasty to be performed at low balloon pressures of about 4 atmospheres or less, reduces dissections, and avoids injury to the arterial wall. The subsequent angioplasty may be performed with a drug-eluting balloon (DEB) or drug-coated balloon (DCB). The pre-angioplasty perforation procedure enables more drug to be absorbed during DEB or DCB angioplasty, and makes the need for a stent less likely. Alternatively, any local incidence of plaque dissection after balloon angioplasty may be treated by applying a thin, ring-shaped tack at the dissection site only, rather than applying a stent over the overall plaque site. | 02-18-2010 |
20100262225 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR TACKING PLAQUE TO A BLOOD VESSEL WALL - A tack device for holding plaque against blood vessel walls in treating atherosclerotic occlusive disease is formed as a thin, annular band of durable, flexible material having a plurality of barbs or anchoring points on its outer annular periphery. The annular band has a length in the axial direction of the blood vessel walls that is about equal to or less than its diameter as installed in the blood vessel. In a preferred embodiment, the tack device is formed as a compressible metallic mesh band having outer barbs on outer sides of the mesh structure. Another embodiment may have a plurality of compressible mesh bands may be formed spaced apart coaxially from each other and connected by longitudinally extending bridge members. A preferred method is to perform angioplasty with a drug eluting balloon as a first step, and if there is any dissection to the blood vessel caused by the balloon angioplasty, one or more tack devices may be installed to tack down the dissected area of the blood vessel surface, in order to avoid the need to install a stent and thereby maintain a ‘stent-free’ environment. | 10-14-2010 |
20110004237 | MINIMAL SURFACE AREA CONTACT DEVICE FOR HOLDING PLAQUE TO BLOOD VESSEL WALL - A tack device for holding plaque against blood vessel walls in treating atherosclerotic occlusive disease is formed as a thin, annular band of durable, flexible material having a plurality of focal elevating elements on its outer annular periphery for holding loose plaque under a spring or other expansion force against a blood vessel wall. The focal elevating elements are designed to exert a holding force on a plaque position while minimizing the amount of material surface area in contact with the plaque or blood vessel wall and reducing the potential of friction with the intraluminal surface. This approach offers clinicians the ability to perform a minimally invasive post-angioplasty treatment and produce a stent-like result without using a stent. | 01-06-2011 |
20110230954 | STENT DEVICE HAVING FOCAL ELEVATING ELEMENTS FOR MINIMAL SURFACE AREA CONTACT WITH LUMEN WALLS - An improved stent device has a body structure in tubular form sized to an organ lumen in which it is to be used and made of a wire mesh or cage structure of interwoven or interdigitated strut sections, and a plurality of focal elevating elements of relatively small point-like size or vector-like edge in an array over outer surfaces of the wire mesh or strut sections of the stent body structure. The focal elevating elements elevate the wire mesh or strut sections away from and minimize surface area contact with the organ lumen walls. They also reduce contact pressure in regions neighboring the focal elevating elements in order to minimize trauma due to contact or movement against the organ lumen walls. A preferred use for the stent device is in a blood vessel lumen, particularly to retain plaque dissection after balloon angioplasty. | 09-22-2011 |
20110301690 | ENDOVASCULAR STAPLE - A plaque tack can be used for holding plaque against blood vessel walls such as in treating atherosclerotic occlusive disease. The plaque tack can be formed as a thin, annular band for holding loose plaque under a spring or other expansion force against a blood vessel wall. Focal elevating elements and/or other features, such as anchors, can be used to exert a holding force on a plaque position while minimizing the amount of material surface area in contact with the plaque or blood vessel wall and reducing the potential of friction with the endoluminal surface. This approach offers clinicians the ability to perform a minimally invasive post-angioplasty treatment and produce a stent-like result without using a stent. | 12-08-2011 |
20120035705 | DEPLOYMENT DEVICE FOR PLACEMENT OF MULTIPLE INTRALUMINAL SURGICAL STAPLES - A system for delivering a surgical staple can include various components. The system may include an elongate body with a proximal end, a distal end, and a plurality of delivery platforms disposed adjacent the distal end. A sheath can move relative to the elongate body from a first position in which the distal end of the sheath is disposed distally of a distal-most distal delivery platform to a second position in which the distal end of the sheath is disposed proximally of at least one delivery platform. A plurality of intravascular tacks can be within the system with each disposed about a corresponding delivery platform. | 02-09-2012 |
20120083872 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR TACKING PLAQUE TO A BLOOD VESSEL WALL - A tack device for holding plaque against blood vessel walls in treating atherosclerotic occlusive disease can be formed as a thin, annular band of durable, flexible material. The tack device may also have a plurality of barbs or anchoring points on its outer annular periphery. The annular band can have a length in the axial direction of the blood vessel walls that is about equal to or less than its diameter as installed in the blood vessel. A preferred method is to perform angioplasty with a drug eluting balloon as a first step, and if there is any dissection to the blood vessel caused by the balloon angioplasty, one or more tack devices may be installed to tack down the dissected area of the blood vessel surface, in order to avoid the need to install a stent and thereby maintain a ‘stent-free’ environment. | 04-05-2012 |