Medical implant attachment mechanism

Abstract

An attachment mechanism for a medical implant system may include a first part fixedly attached to a distal end of an elongate shaft, the first part having a first longitudinal lumen configured to slidably receive a release wire disposed within the elongate shaft, and a second part fixedly attached to a proximal end of a medical implant, the second part having a second longitudinal lumen configured to slidably receive the release wire. A tubular distal portion of the second part may include an engagement feature configured to non-releasably engage the second part with the medical implant.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An attachment mechanism for a medical implant system, comprising:
 a first part fixedly attached to a distal end of an elongate shaft; and   a second part fixedly attached to a proximal end of a medical implant;   wherein a tubular distal portion of the second part includes an engagement feature configured to non-releasably engage the second part with the medical implant.   
     
     
         2 . The attachment mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the second part is formed from a first metallic material, and the medical implant is formed from a second metallic material dissimilar from the first metallic material. 
     
     
         3 . The attachment mechanism of  claim 2 , wherein the second metallic material is a shape memory alloy. 
     
     
         4 . The attachment mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the engagement feature includes one or more recesses extending into an outer surface of the tubular distal portion of the second part. 
     
     
         5 . The attachment mechanism of  claim 4 , wherein a portion of the medical implant extends into the one or more recesses. 
     
     
         6 . The attachment mechanism of  claim 5 , wherein the portion of the medical implant extending into the one or more recesses includes a movable tab biased radially inward. 
     
     
         7 . The attachment mechanism of  claim 4 , wherein the portion of the medical implant extending into the one or more recesses includes at least one plug inserted through a window in the medical implant. 
     
     
         8 . The attachment mechanism of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one plug is fixedly attached to the medical implant after the at least one plug is inserted through the window. 
     
     
         9 . The attachment mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the engagement feature includes at least one protrusion extending radially outward from an outer surface of the tubular distal portion of the second part. 
     
     
         10 . The attachment mechanism of  claim 9 , wherein the medical implant includes at least one window extending through a wall of the medical implant configured to receive the at least one protrusion. 
     
     
         11 . The attachment mechanism of  claim 9 , wherein the medical implant includes at least one longitudinally-oriented cut extending distally from the proximal end of the medical implant. 
     
     
         12 . The attachment mechanism of  claim 11 , wherein material on opposing sides of the at least one longitudinally-oriented cut is fixedly secured together after the tubular distal portion of the second part is inserted into the proximal end of the medical implant. 
     
     
         13 . An attachment mechanism for a medical implant system, comprising:
 a first part fixedly attached to a distal end of an elongate shaft; and   a second part fixedly attached to a proximal end of a medical implant;   wherein a tubular proximal portion of the first part includes an engagement feature configured to non-releasably engage the first part with the elongate shaft;   wherein a tubular distal portion of the second part includes an engagement feature configured to non-releasably engage the second part with the medical implant.   
     
     
         14 . The attachment mechanism of  claim 13 , wherein the first part and the second part are configured to interlock with each other such that relative axial translation between the first part and the second part is prevented when the first part abuts the second part and a first longitudinal lumen of the first part is aligned coaxially with a second longitudinal lumen of the second part. 
     
     
         15 . The attachment mechanism of  claim 14 , wherein the first part and the second part are configured to interlock with each other such that relative lateral translation between the first part and the second part is prevented when the first part abuts the second part, the first longitudinal lumen is aligned coaxially with the second longitudinal lumen, and the release wire is slidably engaged with the first longitudinal lumen and the second longitudinal lumen. 
     
     
         16 . A method of making a medical implant system, comprising:
 inserting a first part of an attachment mechanism into a distal end of an elongate shaft and securing the first part to the elongate shaft;   inserting a second part of the attachment mechanism into a proximal end of a medical implant, wherein the second part is formed from a first metallic material and the medical implant is formed from a second metallic material dissimilar from the first metallic material; and   applying heat to the medical implant to fixedly attach the second part to the medical implant.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein applying heat to the medical implant causes a portion of the medical implant to reflow into one or more recesses extending into an outer surface of the second part. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein applying heat to the medical implant includes welding the medical implant to itself. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein applying heat to the medical implant includes heating a plug inserted through a window in the medical implant such that the plug reflows with the medical implant and becomes integrated with the medical implant. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first part is formed from the first metallic material and the elongate shaft is formed from a third metallic material dissimilar from the first metallic material;
 the method further comprising applying heat to the distal end of the elongate shaft to fixedly attach the first part to the distal end of the elongate shaft.