Integrated stent repositioning and retrieval loop

Abstract

A braided stent having an integral retrieval and/or repositioning loop includes a plurality of wires having first and second ends interbraided in a braided pattern to form a tubular stent having opposed atraumatic first and second open ends with each open end having a circumference; wherein said first and second wires ends are disposed at said second stent open end and said wires are looped at said second stent open end so that none of the first or second wires ends are exposed at the circumference of second stent open end; wherein at least of two of said wires are formed into a repositioning and/or retrieval loop having an elongated portion circumferentially disposed at said first opposed open end; and wherein said reposition and/or retrieval loop comprises two sections which run adjacent to each other prior to crossing to permit grabbing of both sections simultaneously by a practitioner.

1 . A stent comprising:
 a tubular body formed from a plurality of wires, the tubular body having a lumen extending therethrough from a proximal open end of the tubular body to a distal open end of the tubular body, the proximal open end including a plurality of closed loops formed from the plurality of wires and the distal open end including a plurality of distal loops formed from the plurality of wires; and   a repositioning and/or retrieval loop extending longitudinally beyond the plurality of closed loops at the proximal open end, wherein the repositioning and/or retrieval loop includes a first section formed of a first wire of the plurality of wires and a second section formed of a second wire of the plurality of wires, the first section and the second section cross one another at a grabbing area located longitudinally beyond the proximal open end to permit grabbing of the first and second sections simultaneously by a practitioner;   wherein a distal end region adjacent the distal open end includes the plurality of distal loops, each distal loop being formed by an end region of one of the plurality of wires connected to an end region of another one of the plurality of wires at a joining region.   
     
     
         2 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein each joining region includes only two wires of the plurality of wires. 
     
     
         3 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein the first wire includes a circumferential portion substantially circumferentially disposed around a majority of a circumference at the proximal open end of the tubular body and first and second legs extending from the circumferential portion to an apex of the first section. 
     
     
         4 . The stent of  claim 3 , wherein the second wire includes first and second legs emerging from the tubular body, the first and second legs of the second wire extending from the proximal open end to an apex of the second section. 
     
     
         5 . The stent of  claim 3 , wherein the circumferential portion of the first wire is interlaced with the closed loops at the proximal open end. 
     
     
         6 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein the second wire extends helically along a length of the tubular body to the distal open end of the tubular body. 
     
     
         7 . The stent of  claim 6 , wherein one of the closed loops at the distal open end is at least partially formed from the second wire. 
     
     
         8 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein opposing ends of the second wire are disposed proximate the distal open end of the tubular body, each opposing end of the second wire forming one of the joining regions. 
     
     
         9 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein the first wire extends to the distal terminal end of the tubular body and is bent back toward the proximal open end to be joined to another one of the plurality of wires at one of the joining regions. 
     
     
         10 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of distal loops circumferentially overlaps two adjacent distal loops of the plurality of distal loops. 
     
     
         11 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and the second wires forming each of the distal loops crosses over and/or under two other distal loops of the plurality of distal loops. 
     
     
         12 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of distal loops is interbraided with two adjacent loops of the plurality of distal loops. 
     
     
         13 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein the first wire of the plurality of wires extends in a first helical direction around the tubular body and the second wire of the plurality of wires extends in a second helical direction around the tubular body, the first helical direction being opposite the second helical direction. 
     
     
         14 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein the tubular body has a proximal end region extending to the proximal open end of the tubular body and a medial region between the proximal end region and the distal end region, wherein the proximal end region is flared outward relative to the medial region. 
     
     
         15 . The stent of  claim 1 , further comprising a polymeric covering disposed over the tubular body but excluding portions of the repositioning and/or retrieval loop. 
     
     
         16 . A stent comprising:
 a braided tubular body formed from a plurality of interwoven wires, the braided tubular body extending from a proximal open end to a distal open end, the proximal open end including a plurality of closed loops formed from the plurality of wires and the distal open end including a plurality of distal loops formed from the plurality of wires; and   a repositioning and/or retrieval loop extending longitudinally and proximally beyond the braided tubular body at the proximal open end, wherein the repositioning and/or retrieval loop includes a first section formed of a first wire of the plurality of wires and a second section formed of a second wire of the plurality of wires.   
     
     
         17 . The stent of  claim 16 , wherein the first wire includes a circumferential portion substantially circumferentially disposed around a majority of a circumference at the proximal open end of the braided tubular body and first and second legs extending from the circumferential portion to an apex of the first section. 
     
     
         18 . The stent of  claim 17 , wherein the second wire includes first and second legs emerging from the braided tubular body, the first and second legs of the second wire extending from the proximal open end to an apex of the second section. 
     
     
         19 . The stent of  claim 16 , wherein the second wire extends helically along a length of the braided tubular body to the distal open end of the braided tubular body to least partially form one of the distal loops in the braided tubular body from the second wire. 
     
     
         20 . The stent of  claim 19 , wherein opposing ends of the second wire are disposed proximate the distal open end of the braided tubular body.