Stent and Stent Retrieval System and a Method of Pulling a Stent into a Tubular Member

Abstract

A stent has an engagement member ( 9 ). A stent retrieval system has a tubular member ( 13 ) and a retrieval member ( 14 ) with an engagement means ( 15 ). The engagement member is attached to an end row of cells of the tubular stent body ( 1 ). The cells in one annular row of cells are interconnected with the subsequent row of similarly oriented cells ( 2 a ) at areas of interconnection ( 7 ) which in the subsequent annular row of cells are circumferentially offset with respect to the connections ( 8 ) between the cells in said subsequent annular row of cells.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A stent and stent retrieval system, said stent retrieval system comprising a tubular member with a lumen terminating in a distal end opening, and a retrieval member having an engagement mechanism, the tubular member and the retrieval member being mutually axially displaceable while the retrieval member extends in said lumen of the tubular member, said stent comprising an engagement member engagable with the engagement mechanism, and a tubular body having a plurality of annular rows of cells, with the annular rows being arranged axially one after the other, adjacent annular rows being joined together at interconnections, and adjacent cells within an annular row of cells being joined together at connections, the interconnections being circumferentially offset from the connections within a common annular row of cells, an end annular row of cells having first cell sides together forming a circumferentially closed loop with an attachment point that is circumferentially offset from the connections in the end annular row of cells, the engagement member being secured to the attachment point. 
     
     
         2 . A stent and stent retrieval system as in  claim 1 , including at least three attachment points circumferentially spaced about said loop. 
     
     
         3 . A stent and stent retrieval system as in  claim 2  wherein said engagement member includes tie members extending from a junction to respective ones of said attachment points. 
     
     
         4 . A stent and stent retrieval system as in  claim 3  wherein said junction is located in a longitudinal central axis of the stent.