Tubular stent and methods of making the same

Abstract

A stent and a method of making a stent from a tubular member. The stent includes a pattern and an opening cut into the wall of the stent and extending from the first end to the second end. One or more connectors may be cut in the tubular wall and extend into the opening cut in the tubular member. The connectors may aid in subsequent expansion and/or forming of the stent.

1 . A method of forming a stent comprising: 
 providing a tubular structure having a first end and a second end, a wall surface disposed between the first end and the second end, and a lumen extending longitudinally through the tubular structure from the first end to the second end;    cutting a pattern in the wall surface of the tubular structure, the pattern adapted to allow radial expansion or radial contraction of the tubular structure; and    cutting an opening in the wall surface that extends from the first end to the second end of the tubular structure, the opening defining a first edge and a second edge, each extending from the first end to the second end of the tubular structure on either side of the opening.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the opening extends substantially longitudinally from the first end to the second end of the tubular structure.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the opening extends substantially helically from the first end to the second end of the tubular structure.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the opening extends in an undulating course from the first end to the second end of the tubular structure.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tubular structure is further processed to form a coiled stent.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cutting step is performed with a laser.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a connector is cut into the wall surface of the tubular structure and extends from the first edge.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the connector extends into the opening between the first edge and the second edge and connects the first edge to the second edge.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein a first connector is cut into the wall surface of the tubular structure at the first edge and a second connector is cut into the wall surface of the tubular structure at the second edge.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first connector and the second connector are not connected.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first connector is a tooling node for unrolling, stretching, expanding, handling or rolling the stent.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the second connector is a tooling node for unrolling, stretching, expanding, handling or rolling the stent.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first connector and the second connector are connected, thereby interrupting the opening extending from the first end to the second end of the tubular structure.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the connector includes an aperture.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the aperture is a hole extending through the connector.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the aperture is a recess in the connector.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the connector is a shape adapted to expand or contract upon expansion or contraction of the tubular structure.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the connector is a serpentine or zig-zag shape.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the connector includes a hole extending through the connector.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the connector is adapted to elongate upon expansion of the tubular structure.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the tubular structure is processed to remove the first connector from the first edge and the second connector from the second edge.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the tubular structure is processed to remove the connector from the first edge.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the tubular structure is processed to form a coiled stent.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the connector is a plurality of tooling nodes, wherein the plurality of tooling nodes are engaged to unroll the tubular structure from a tubular shape to a substantially planar shape for processing.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein a wire is laced between the first connector and the second connector.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising a connecting spine extending along the opening, a first connector extending from the first edge to the connecting spine, and a second connector extending from the second edge to the connecting spine.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising applying an electrical current to the connecting spine.  
     
     
         28 . A method of forming a stent, comprising: 
 providing a tubular member having a first end and a second end, a wall surface disposed between the first end and the second end, and a lumen extending longitudinally through the tubular member from the first end to the second end;    cutting a pattern in the wall surface of the tubular member to form a tubular structure, the pattern adapted to allow radial expansion or radial contraction of the tubular structure; wherein the tubular structure includes an opening defining a first edge and a second edge extending from the first end to the second end of the tubular member; wherein the tubular structure further includes a connector extending from the first edge into the opening; and    expanding the tubular structure.    
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising removing the connector from the tubular structure.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising electro-polishing the tubular structure.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the tubular structure is expanded into a substantially planar sheet.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising wrapping the tubular structure into a coil stent.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the connector includes a tooling node having an aperture.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the aperture is a hole extending through the tooling node.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the aperture is a recess in the tooling node.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising wrapping the tubular structure into a coil stent by gripping the tooling node and wrapping the tooling node toward the second edge.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the tubular structure is wrapped such that the first edge overlaps the second edge.  
     
     
         38 . A tubular structure having a pattern provided therein, the pattern adapted to allow radial expansion or contraction of the tubular structure; 
 the tubular structure having a first end and a second end with a circumferential wall disposed between the first end and the second end and a lumen extending therethrough;    the tubular structure having an opening in the wall extending from the first end to the second end of the tubular structure, the opening defining a first wall edge and a second wall edge extending from the first end to the second end of the tubular structure; and    a connector extending into the opening from the first edge toward the second edge.    
     
     
         39 . The tubular structure of  claim 38 , wherein the connector extends from the first edge to the second edge.  
     
     
         40 . The tubular structure of  claim 38 , wherein the connector includes an aperture.  
     
     
         41 . The tubular structure of  claim 40 , wherein the aperture is a hole extending through the connector.  
     
     
         42 . The tubular structure of  claim 40 , wherein the aperture is a recess in the connector.  
     
     
         43 . The tubular structure of  claim 38 , wherein a first connector extends into the opening from the first edge and a second connector extends into the opening from the second edge.  
     
     
         44 . The tubular structure of  claim 43 , wherein the first connector and the second connector are substantially adjacent each other on opposite sides of the opening.  
     
     
         45 . The tubular structure of  claim 44 , wherein the first connector is connected to the second connector to form a strut.  
     
     
         46 . The tubular structure of  claim 45 , wherein the strut is a shape adapted to elongate upon expansion of the tubular structure.  
     
     
         47 . The tubular structure of  claim 46 , wherein the strut is serpentine or zig-zag shaped.  
     
     
         48 . The tubular structure of  claim 43 , wherein the first and second connectors each include an eyelet having a hole extending therethrough.  
     
     
         49 . The tubular structure of  claim 43 , wherein the first and second connectors are each a tooling node adapted to be gripped to unroll or expand the tubular structure.  
     
     
         50 . The tubular structure of  claim 43 , wherein the first connector overlaps the second connector.