Segmented ostial protection device

1 . A device for implantation in a vessel, the device comprising:

an anchor portion having a proximal end, a distal end, and an anchor body connecting said proximal and distal ends, said anchor body comprising a series of struts configured to exert a radial force;

a cap portion positioned proximal to said anchor portion;

a plurality of protruding elements disposed at a proximal end of the cap portion; and

an articulating module positioned proximal to the anchor portion and distal to the cap portion, the articulating module having a module body;

at least one compressible cap connector connecting said module body to said cap portion; and

and at least one compressible anchor connector connecting said module body to said proximal end of the anchor portion.

2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein:

the at least one compressible cap connector comprises an S-shaped connector having a compressible space A disposed between portions of the S-shaped connector.

3 . The device of claim 2 , wherein:

the at least one compressible anchor connector comprises an S-shaped connector having a compressible space A disposed between portions of the S-shaped connector.

4 . The device of claim 3 , wherein said body of said articulating module comprises multiple columns of struts connected by articulating body connectors.

5 . A device for implantation in a vessel, the device comprising:

an anchor portion having a proximal end, a distal end, and an anchor body connecting said proximal and distal ends, said anchor body comprising a series of struts configured to exert a radial force;

a cap portion positioned proximal to said anchor portion; and

articulating means, disposed between the anchor portion and the cap portion, for absorbing a portion of linear movement of the cap portion toward the anchor portion such that the absorbed portion of the linear movement of the cap portion is not transmitted to the anchor portion.

6 . The device of claim 5 , wherein the articulating means comprise:

a module body;

cap connecting means for connecting said module body to said cap portion; and

anchor connecting means for connecting said module body to said anchor portion.

7 . The device of claim 6 , wherein:

one or more of the module body, cap connecting means and anchor connecting means absorbs the portion of the linear movement of the cap portion.

8 . A method of implanting a device in a vessel, wherein the device comprises:

an anchor portion having a proximal end, a distal end, and an anchor body connecting said proximal and distal ends, said anchor body comprising a series of struts configured to exert a radial force;

a cap portion positioned proximal to said anchor portion;

a plurality of protruding elements disposed at a proximal end of the cap portion; and

an articulating module positioned proximal to the anchor portion and distal to the cap portion, the articulating module having a module body;

at least one compressible cap connector connecting said module body to said cap portion; and,

and at least one compressible anchor connector connecting said module body to said proximal end of the anchor portion,

the method comprising:

positioning the anchor portion of the device in a side branch vessel such that the struts of the anchor body exert a radial force on the side branch vessel and the cap portion is positioned at a bifurcation location between the side branch vessel and a main branch vessel;

exerting a force upon the cap portion to urge the cap portion a linear distance toward the anchor portion; and

absorbing a portion of the linear distance with the articulating module such that the anchor portion substantially remains in position within the side branch vessel.

9 . A device for implantation in a vessel, the device comprising:

an anchor portion having a proximal end, a distal end, and an anchor body connecting said proximal and distal ends, said anchor body comprising a series of struts configured to provide a radial force to a wall of the vessel;

a cap portion positioned proximal to said anchor portion, said cap portion comprised of multiple protruding elements for extension into an ostial region of said vessel; and

an articulating module having a body, at least one cap connector for connecting said body to said cap portion, and at least one anchor connector for connecting said body to said anchor portion,

wherein said at least one cap connector is configured for flexing in a first direction and said at least one anchor connector is configured for flexing in a second direction.

10 . The device of claim 9 , wherein said first direction is substantially orthogonal to said second direction.

11 . The device of claim 9 , wherein at least one of said multiple protruding elements is longer than at least another one of said multiple protruding elements.

12 . The device of claim 9 , wherein said multiple protruding elements are configured from upper segments and lower segments forming peaks and valleys, and wherein said body of said articulating module has a repeating pattern including peaks and valleys, wherein said at least one cap connector connects a valley of said body to a peak of said cap portion, and wherein said at least one anchor connector connects a peak of said body to a valley of said anchor portion.

13 . The device of claim 9 , wherein said multiple protruding elements form a trumpet shape upon deployment of said device.

14 . The device of claim 9 , wherein said device is comprised of at least one of: a super-elastic material; a shape-memorizing material; an elastic material.

15 . The device of claim 9 , wherein said at least one cap connector comprises two cap connectors separated from one another by approximately 180 degrees around said body of said articulating module.

16 . The device of claim 9 , wherein said at least one anchor connector comprises two anchor connectors separated from one another by approximately 180 degrees around said body of said articulating module.

17 . The device of claim 9 , wherein at least part of said device is coated with at least one layer of a desired medication.

18 . The device of claim 9 , wherein at least one of said multiple protruding elements is longer than said struts of said anchor portion.

19 . The device of claim 9 , wherein said anchor portion is comprised of multiple anchor sections.

20 . A device for implantation in a vessel, the device comprising:

an anchor portion having a proximal end, a distal end, and an anchor body connecting said proximal and distal ends, said anchor body comprising a series of struts configured to provide a radial force to a wall of the vessel;

a cap portion positioned proximal to said anchor portion, said cap portion comprised of multiple protruding elements for extension into an ostial region of said vessel; and

articulating means, coupled between the anchor portion and the cap portion, for flexing in a first direction and in a second direction.

21 . The device of claim 20 , wherein said first direction is substantially orthogonal to said second direction.

22 . The device of claim 20 , wherein said multiple protruding elements are configured from upper segments and lower segments forming peaks and valleys, and wherein said body of said articulating module has a repeating pattern including peaks and valleys, wherein said at least one cap connector connects a valley of said body to a peak of said cap portion, and wherein said at least one anchor connector connects a peak of said body to a valley of said anchor portion.

23 . he device of claim 20 , wherein said multiple protruding elements form a trumpet shape upon deployment of said device.

24 . The device of claim 20 , wherein said device is comprised of at least one of: a super-elastic material; a shape-memorizing material and an elastic material.

25 . The device of claim 20 , wherein said articulating means comprise two cap connectors coupled to the cap portion and separated from one another by approximately 180 degrees around said device.

26 . The device of claim 20 , wherein said articulating means comprise two anchor connectors coupled to the anchor portion and separated from one another by approximately 180 degrees around said device.

27 . The device of claim 20 , wherein at least part of said device is coated with at least one layer of a desired medication.

28 . The device of claim 20 , wherein at least one of said multiple protruding elements is longer than said struts of said anchor portion.

29 . The device of claim 20 , wherein said anchor portion is comprised of multiple anchor sections.

30 . A method for providing coverage to an ostial region of a bifurcated vessel, the method comprising:

providing a device including an anchor portion, a cap portion positioned proximal to said anchor portion, said cap portion comprised of multiple protruding elements, and an articulating module including a body, at least one cap connector for connecting said body to said cap portion, and at least one anchor connector for connecting said body to said anchor portion;

introducing said device into a side branch of said bifurcated vessel;

at least partially releasing said anchor portion for anchoring said device in said side branch; and

releasing said cap portion such that said multiple protruding elements extend into the ostial region, wherein said extension includes providing an angular shift in accordance with an anatomy of the ostial region.

31 . The method of claim 30 , further comprising:

introducing a stent into a main branch of the bifurcated vessel; and

compressing at least some of said multiple protruding elements.

32 . The method of claim 31 , further comprising:

introducing a main vessel balloon into a main vessel of the bifurcation and a side branch vessel balloon into a side branch vessel of the bifurcation;

inflating said main vessel balloon and said side branch vessel balloon;

deflating said main vessel balloon and said side branch vessel balloon; and

removing said main vessel balloon and said side branch vessel balloon from the main vessel and side branch vessel, respectively.