Stent with expandable foam
A stent for treating a physical anomaly. The stent includes a skeletal support structure for expanding in the physical anomaly and a shape memory material coupled to the skeletal support structure.
1 . A stent for treating a physical anomaly comprising:
a skeletal support structure for expanding in the a physical anomaly, and a shape memory material coupled to said skeletal support structure.
2 . The stent of claim 1 wherein said shape memory material has a first shape that is skeletal and a second shape that is non-skeletal.
3 . The stent of claim 2 wherein said second shape is configured to alter blood flow parameters to treat an AVM.
4 . The stent of claim 2 wherein said second shape is configured to alter blood flow parameters to treat an aneurysm.
5 . The stent of claim 2 wherein said second shape is configured to alter blood flow parameters to treat a necked aneurysm.
6 . The stent of claim 2 wherein said second shape is configured to alter blood flow parameters to treat a wide-necked aneurysm.
7 . The stent of claim 2 wherein said second shape is configured to alter blood flow parameters to treat a fusiform aneurysm.
8 . The stent of claim 2 wherein said second shape is configured to extend at least in part outwardly from said skeletal support structure.
9 . The stent of claim 2 wherein said skeletal support structure has openings and said second shape is configured to extend within said openings of said skeletal support structure.
10 . The stent of claim 1 wherein said shape memory material includes a shape memory polymer.
11 . The stent of claim 2 wherein said shape memory material is a fabricated open-cell material.
12 . An implant body for treating vasculature including a shape memory polymer capable of a first temporary compacted shape for endovascular introduction and a second memory expanded shape for altering blood flow parameters in a targeted region of the vasculature.
13 . An implant body as in claim 12 wherein the shape memory polymer is coupled to struts of an expandable stent.
14 . An implant body as in claim 12 wherein the shape memory polymer has an elongated configuration for occluding a blood vessel.
15 . An implant body as in claim 12 wherein the shape memory polymer comprises a constraint for constraining an interior portion of the implant body.
16 . An implant body as in claim 12 wherein the shape memory polymer is at least one of bioerodible and bioabsorbable.
17 . A method of treating an arteriovascular malformation (AVM) comprising introducing a stent in a collapsed shape into a blood vessel, expanding the stent in or proximate to an AVM, and altering the shape of a shape-transformable polymer structure coupled to surface portions of the stent to alter blood flow parameters in or proximate to the AVM.
18 . A method of treating an aneurysm comprising introducing a stent in a collapsed shape into a blood vessel, expanding the stent in or proximate to an aneurysm, and altering the shape of a shape-transformable polymer structure coupled to surface portions of the stent to alter blood flow parameters in or proximate to the aneurysm.