Medical implant having a curlable matrix structure
A medical implant, having a proximal and a distal end, that is preformed to assume a superimposed structure at an implantation site but can be made to take on a volume-reduced form making it possible to introduce it with a micro-catheter and a guide wire arranged at the proximal end, with the implant in its superimposed structure assuming the form of a longitudinally open tube and having a mesh structure of interconnected strings or filaments. The implant has a tapering structure at its proximal end where the strings or filaments converge at a connection point.
1. An expandable medical implant for implantation in a vessel, comprising:
a mesh structure comprising a first plurality of mesh cells, the mesh structure having a proximal end and a distal end;
a tapering portion comprising a second plurality of mesh cells, the tapering portion disposed toward the proximal end of the mesh structure; and
a connection point, at which the tapering portion converges, located at a proximal end of the tapering portion,
a first guide wire detachably coupled and proximally extending from the connection point;
wherein the implant is performed by curling the mesh structure such that a seam extends along the longitudinal axis of the implant;
wherein the implant is delivered in a volume-reduced form having overlapping edges; and
wherein the mesh structure partially uncurls such that the implant assumes a volume-enlarged form to provide wall opposition to the vessel, and wherein the volume-enlarged implant takes the form of a tube tapering toward the connection point and the tube further comprises substantially open ends.
2. The implant according to claim 1 , comprising an alloy having shape-memory properties.
3. The implant according to claim 1 , wherein:
the connection point is centrally arranged in the tapering portion.
4. The implant according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a platinum spiral coupled to the connection point.
5. The implant according to claim 1 , wherein:
at least one of the tapering portion and the mesh structure is made from one of:
a cut foil curled to form the longitudinally open tube; and
an expanded metal foil curled to form the longitudinally open tube.
6. The implant according to claim 1 , wherein:
at least one of the tapering portion and the mesh structure comprises one of:
a plurality of filaments interconnected to one another by welding; and
a mesh braiding of individual filaments.
7. The implant according to claim 6 wherein each filament comprises individual strands worked into a rope-like structure.
8. The implant according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one marker disposed at the distal end of the mesh structure.
9. The implant according to claim 6 , further comprising at least one marker disposed at the distal end of the mesh structure, wherein the at least one marker is arranged at a junction point of at least two filaments.
10. The implant according to claim 6 , wherein the mesh braiding comprises a knitted structure that imparts curled up edges to at least one of the tapering portion and the mesh structure.
11. The implant according to claim 10 , wherein the knitted structure comprises a fluse-like structure.
12. The implant according to claim 1 , wherein the mesh cells of the first plurality are smaller than the mesh cells of the second plurality.
13. System for the treatment of aneurysms or other vascular malformations, comprising a micro-catheter; and a second guide wire for the placement of the micro-catheter; wherein the implant of claim 1 is detachably coupled to the first guide wire through the micro-catheter.
14. The system according to claim 13 , wherein the implant is detachably coupled to the first guide wire via an electrolytically corrodible element.
15. The implant of claim 1 , further comprising a substantially continuous mesh along the longitudinal axis.
16. The implant of claim 1 , wherein the implant comprises a longitudinally open tube in the volume-enlarged form.