Implant implantation unit and procedure for implanting the unit

Abstract

The implant. implantation unit ( 2 ), at a determined position in the tubular element ( 51 ) with a wall comprising a cavity ( 50 ), is pushed there by a catheter ( 60 ) and the unit comprises deformable feelers ( 31 ) to, under the control of remote activation elements ( 42 ), change from a stowed form to a deployed functional form, to detect the cavity ( 50 ) and position itself there with reference to the position of the cavity.

1 . Unit for implantation of an implant ( 2 ) at a determined position in a tubular element ( 51 ) with a wall comprising a cavity ( 50 , 52 ), the unit ( 10 ) being arranged to work with driving means ( 60 ) to drive the unit into the tubular element ( 51 ), the unit characterised by the fact that it comprises deployable feeler means ( 30 ,  31 ,  131 ) arranged to, under the control of remote control means ( 42 ), change from a stowed form to a functional deployed form, to detect the cavity ( 50 ,  52 ) and position themselves there with reference to the position of the cavity ( 50 ,  52 ).  
     
     
         2 . A unit in accordance with  claim 1 , in which the feeler means ( 30 ,  31 ) are made from a shape memory material.  
     
     
         3 . A unit in accordance with one of the claims  1  and  2 , in which the remote control means are detachable and comprise a retaining sleeve ( 42 ) to hold the feeler means ( 30 ,  31 ) in the stowed form, said sleeve extending over the feeler means ( 30 , 31 ) to free them by relative withdrawal of the sleeve relative to a wire unit thrust drive element ( 60 ).  
     
     
         4 . A unit in accordance with one of the  claims 1  to  3 , in which the feeler means ( 30 ,  31 ) comprise a ring, of generally cylindrical form with a radial direction, of loops ( 31 ) made of a wire with a limited stiffness in the radial direction, at least one of the loops ( 31 ) being arranged to protrude laterally so as to make a feeler.  
     
     
         5 . A unit in accordance with one of the  claims 1  to  4 , in which the feeler means ( 30 ,  31 ) comprrise a plurality of feeler fingers ( 31 ) regularly spaced angularly and arranged so that, in the deployed form, they extend in respective inclined directions, at acute angles to a longitudinal drive axis ( 62 ) forward from the unit towards the cavity ( 50 )  
     
     
         6 . A unit according to one of  claims 1  to  5 , in which the feeler means ( 30 ,  31 ) are joined to deformable means ( 20 ), to hold an implant ( 2 ), arranged so that, under the action of release means ( 41 ), it changes from a stowed form to a radially deployed form, pressed against the wall of the tubular element ( 51 ) and bringing the implant ( 2 ) into use.  
     
     
         7 . A unit according to claims  3  and  6  together, in which the means. ( 20 ) to receive the implant ( 2 ) comprise a mesh in a generally cylindrical form having an axial direction, to carry the implant, with a limited rigidity in the axial. direction, and the release means include a moveable sleeve ( 41 ) to retain the carrier mesh ( 20 ) in the stowed position, extending axially above the mesh to release it by a relative axial withdrawal of the sleeve ( 42 ) connected to a wire unit thrust drive element ( 60 ), the retention and holding sleeves ( 41 ,  42 ) being concentric.  
     
     
         8 . A unit in accordance with one of the claims  6  and  7 , in which the implant reception means ( 20 ) are covered with a lateral sealing sleeve ( 21 ) intended to be pressed against the wall of the tubular element ( 51 ) by said implant reception means ( 20 ) and the sleeve sealing casing ( 21 ) occupies an angular position determined relative to the feeler means.  
     
     
         9 . A unit in accordance with one of  claims 1  to  8 , in which the feeler means ( 131 ) comprise a cylindrical element arranged to change from a stowed form to a radially deployed form arranged for pushing against a wall of the cavity ( 52 ) under the effect of remote control means.  
     
     
         10 . A procedure, non surgical and with non therapeutic aims, of implanting a unit ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , in a determined position in a tubular element with a wall ( 51 ) comprising a cavity ( 50 ,  52 ), the procedure characterised by the fact that 
 a user inserts the unit ( 10 ) by an open end of the tubular element,    the user activates the drive means ( 60 ) to make the unit ( 10 ) move forward to a position upstream the determined position,    the user commands the feeler means ( 30 ,  31 ,  131 ), remote control means ( 42 ), and with the forward motion continuing,    the user stops the activation of the drive means ( 60 ) when he detects that the motion is blocked, due to the fact that the feeler means  30 ,  31 ,  131 ) are positioned in the cavity ( 50 ,  52 ).