Implantable device for promoting repair of a body lumen

Abstract

An implantable stent having surface features adapted to promote an organized growth pattern of infiltrating cells when implanted in a tubular organ is provided. The surface features comprise depressions, pores, projections, pleats, channels or grooves in the stent body and are designed to increase turbulence or stagnation in the flow of a liquid, such as blood through the stent, and/or to promote the growth of infiltrating cells in an organized pattern. Alternatively, the invention stent can be populated with living cells prior to implant and can be heatable from an external source of energy, thereby inducing production of therapeutic bioactive agents from ingrowing cells. The invention also provides an implantable heatable stent for transcutaneously monitoring the flow of fluid through a lumen into which the stent is implanted by measuring the rate at which the heated stent cools in response to blood flow when the source of heat is removed.

1 . An implantable stent comprising a tubular stent body having a plurality of interconnected microholes distributed throughout said stent body substantially uniformally along the entire length of said stent body, said plurality of microholes being sufficiently small so as to promote an organized growth pattern of infiltrating cells throughout said stent body, and said stent body being otherwise substantially free of holes larger than said microholes.  
     
     
         2 . The stent according to  claim 1  wherein the organized growth pattern is angiogenesis.  
     
     
         3 . The stent according to  claim 1  wherein the stent is diametrically adjustable.  
     
     
         4 . An active stent comprising a stent according to  claim 1  and further comprising live cells growing in said interconnected microholes.  
     
     
         5 . The active stent according to  claim 4  wherein the live cells are selected from the group consisting of endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, leukocytes, monocytes, epithelial cells, polymorphonuclear leukocytes, lymphocytes, basophils, fibroblasts, stem cells, epithelial cells and eosinophils.  
     
     
         6 . The active stent according to  claim 5  wherein the live cells are smooth muscle cells, epithelial cells, or endothelial cells.  
     
     
         7 . A method for treating a tubular body organ in a subject in need thereof said method comprising: 
 promoting the ingrowth of living cells in a stent having a plurality of interconnected microholes distributed within said stent body substantially uniformally along the entire length of said stent body, said plurality of microholes being sufficiently small in size so as to promote ingrowth of the cells, and said stent body being otherwise substantially free of holes larger than said microholes, and,    implanting the stent into the tubular organ of the subject prior to or following the promoting of the ingrowth of the living cells so as to treat the tubular organ.    
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7  wherein the living cells are donor or autologous cells.  
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8  wherein the living cells are autologous.  
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 7  wherein the treatment further comprises promoting or inhibiting angiogenesis within the stent body.  
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 7  wherein the body organ is a blood vessel.  
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 7  wherein the treating comprises holding the cells in a specific pattern or stimulating the growth of the cells into an organized growth pattern.  
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12  wherein the organized growth pattern develops into an organized cellular structure within the stent body.  
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 7  wherein the living cells are endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, leukocytes, monocytes, polymorphonuclear leukocytes, lymphocytes, basophils, fibroblasts, stem cells, epithelial cells or eosinophils.  
     
     
         15 . The stent according to  claim 1 , wherein said stent body is penetrated with said microholes.  
     
     
         16 . The stent according to  claim 1 , wherein said stent body is formed from a three dimensional non-woven matrix.  
     
     
         17 . The stent according to  claim 1 , wherein said microholes extend throughout said stent body so as to promote cell growth outward into said stent tube and into attachment with cells at either end of said stent.  
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein said stent body is penetrated with said microholes.  
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein said stent body is formed from a three dimensional non-woven matrix.  
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein after the implanting of said stent, said ingrowth of living cells is promoted such that said cells grow outward into said stent tube and into attachment with cells at either end of said stent.