Hybrid balloon expandable/self expanding stent

Abstract

A stent comprises a tubular member having openings therein and having a plurality of interconnected members and one or more frangible restraining members. The frangible restraining members break upon partial expansion of the stent. Thereafter, the stent self-expands.

1 . A stent comprising: 
 a non-woven tubular element having a plurality of openings therein, the tubular element comprising a plurality of interconnected members and at least one frangible restraining member which connects at least two interconnected members and is disposed between and not about the at least two interconnected members, at least a portion of the stent constructed and arranged to self-expand upon breaking of the at least one frangible restraining member.    
     
     
         2 . The stent of  claim 1  wherein the portion of the stent which is constructed and arranged to self-expand upon breaking of the frangible restraining member is made of a shape-memory material.  
     
     
         3 . The stent of  claim 2  wherein the shape memory material is from the group consisting of shape-memory metals and shape-memory plastics.  
     
     
         4 . The stent of  claim 1  wherein the entirety of the stent is constructed and arranged to self-expand upon breaking of the frangible restraining member.  
     
     
         5 . The stent of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of interconnected members and the at least one frangible restraining member are constructed from the same material.  
     
     
         6 . The stent of  claim 1  wherein the at least one frangible restraining member is constructed from a different material than the interconnected members.  
     
     
         7 . The stent of  claim 1  comprising a plurality of frangible restraining members, each of which extends between at least two adjacent interconnected members.  
     
     
         8 . The stent of  claim 7  wherein the frangible restraining members are selected from at least one member of the group consisting of: frangible welds, frangible glues, frangible solder, and any combination thereof.  
     
     
         9 . The stent of  claim 7  wherein the frangible restraining members are distributed uniformly throughout the stent.  
     
     
         10 . The stent of  claim 7  wherein the frangible restraining members are distributed about at least one end of the stent.  
     
     
         11 . The stent of  claim 7  wherein the stent is capable of withstanding radially and/or axially outward pressures of up to 2 atmospheres without breakage of the frangible restraining members.  
     
     
         12 . The stent of  claim 7  wherein the stent is capable of withstanding radially and/or axially outward pressures of up to 5 atmospheres without breakage of the frangible restraining members.  
     
     
         13 . The stent of  claim 7  wherein the stent is capable of withstanding radially and/or axially outward pressures of up to 12 atmospheres without breakage of the frangible restraining members.  
     
     
         14 . The stent of  claim 1  wherein the frangible restraining members includes a circumferential extending component.  
     
     
         15 . The stent of  claim 1  wherein the frangible restraining member includes a curved portion.  
     
     
         16 . The stent of  claim 7  wherein the plurality of frangible restraining member are arranged to form one or more helical bands.  
     
     
         17 . A stent comprising a generally tubular body of non-woven elements and at least one frangible restraining member disposed about at least a portion of the tubular body, the at least one frangible restraining member made of the same material as the tubular body, at least a portion of the stent capable of self-expanding upon breaking of the at least one frangible restraining member.  
     
     
         18 . The stent of  claim 17  wherein the generally tubular body and the at least one frangible restraining member are made of the same material.  
     
     
         19 . The stent of  claim 18  wherein the generally tubular body and the at least one frangible restraining member are made of the same metals.  
     
     
         20 . The stent of  claim 17  wherein the generally tubular body and the at least one frangible restraining member are made of different materials.  
     
     
         21 . The stent of  claim 17  wherein the generally tubular body and the at least one frangible restraining member are made of different metals.  
     
     
         22 . The stent of  claim 17  wherein the at least one frangible restraining member is helical wound about the tubular body.  
     
     
         23 . The stent of  claim 17  wherein the at least one frangible restraining member is in the form of a band disposed at least partially about the circumference of the tubular member.  
     
     
         24 . The stent of  claim 17  comprising a plurality of frangible restraining members.  
     
     
         25 . The stent of  claim 17  wherein the at least one frangible restraining member is interweaved through the tubular body.  
     
     
         26 . The stent of  claim 17  where the entirety of the stent is capable of self-expanding upon breaking of the at least one frangible restraining member.  
     
     
         27 . The stent of  claim 17  wherein the stent is capable of withstanding radially and/or axially outward pressures of up to 2 atmospheres without breakage of the at least one frangible restraining member.  
     
     
         28 . The stent of  claim 17  wherein the stent is capable of withstanding radially and/or axially outward pressures of up to 5 atmospheres without breakage of the at least one frangible restraining member.  
     
     
         29 . The stent of  claim 17  wherein the stent is capable of withstanding radially and/or axially outward pressures of up to 12 atmospheres without breakage of the at least one frangible restraining member.  
     
     
         30 . A stent comprising a generally tubular body and a frangible restraining member disposed about at least a portion of the tubular body, at least a portion of the stent capable of self-expanding upon breaking of the frangible restraining member, the frangible restraining member at least partially constructed from metal, plastic or a combination thereof.  
     
     
         31 . The stent of  claim 30  wherein the frangible restraining member is helical wound about the tubular body.  
     
     
         32 . The stent of  claim 30  wherein the frangible restraining member is in the form of a band disposed about the circumference of the tubular member.  
     
     
         33 . The stent of  claim 30  comprising a plurality of frangible restraining members.  
     
     
         34 . The stent of  claim 30  where the entirety of the stent is capable of self-expanding upon breaking of the frangible restraining member.  
     
     
         35 . The stent of  claim 30  wherein the stent is capable of withstanding radially and/or axially outward pressures of up to 2 atmospheres without breakage of the frangible restraining member.  
     
     
         36 . The stent of  claim 30  wherein the stent is capable of withstanding radially and/or axially outward pressures of up to 5 atmospheres without breakage of the frangible restraining member.  
     
     
         37 . The stent of  claim 30  wherein the stent is capable of withstanding radially and/or axially outward pressures of up to 12 atmospheres without breakage of the frangible restraining member.  
     
     
         38 . A stent formed of a plurality of interconnected struts, the interconnected struts including temporary struts and permanent struts, the temporary struts but not the permanent struts breaking upon the application of a predetermined radially and/or axially outward pressure to the stent.  
     
     
         39 . The stent of  claim 38  wherein the predetermined radially and/or axially outward pressure is in excess of 2 atmospheres.  
     
     
         40 . The stent of  claim 38  wherein the predetermined radially and/or axially outward pressure is in excess of 12 atmospheres.  
     
     
         41 . A method of delivering a stent to a desired bodily location comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing a catheter with an expandable member and a stent as in  claim 1  disposed thereabout;    (b) inserting the stent and catheter in a bodily vessel and delivering the stent to the desired bodily location;    (c) expanding the expandable member to break the at least one frangible restraining member; and thereafter    (d) allowing the stent to self-expand.    
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41  further comprising the step of: 
 (e) seating the stent into the desired body location.  
 
     
     
         43 . A method of delivering a stent to a desired bodily location comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing a catheter with an expandable member and a stent as in  claim 17  disposed thereabout;    (b) inserting the stent and catheter in a bodily vessel and delivering the stent to the desired bodily location;    (c) expanding the expandable member to break the at least one frangible restraining member; and thereafter    (d) allowing the stent to self-expand.    
     
     
         44 . A method of delivering a stent to a desired bodily location comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing a catheter with an expandable member and a stent as in  claim 30  disposed thereabout;    (b) inserting the stent and catheter in a bodily vessel and delivering the stent to the desired bodily location;    (c) expanding the expandable member to break the at least one frangible restraining member; and thereafter    (d) allowing the stent to self-expand.    
     
     
         45 . A method of delivering a stent to a desired bodily location comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing a catheter with an expandable member and a stent as in  claim 38  disposed thereabout;    (b) inserting the stent and catheter in a bodily vessel and delivering the stent to the desired bodily location;    (c) expanding the expandable member to break the at least one frangible restraining member; and thereafter    (d) allowing the stent to self-expand.