Stenting method for blood vessels

1. A method of imposing a shape on an intact blood vessel other than a graft, comprising inserting a stent in the vessel, the stent including a supporting portion which internally supports an interior wall of the vessel, wherein the supporting portion comprises a hollow tube, the walls of which have openings therein so that the interior wall of the vessel is exposed via said openings to fluid flow along the vessel, and wherein the central axis of the hollow tube forms a non-planar, three-dimensional, at least partially helical shape and the hollow tube imposes said three-dimensional, at least partially helical shape on the central axis of the vessel, whereby swirling fluid flow is induced within the stent supported part of the vessel.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the stent is in the form of an open lattice generally tubular framework with discrete openings at each end thereof.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the stent is fabricated from a linked mesh so as to be at least partly helical.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the stent is fabricated from a series of linked wire members so as to be at least partly helical.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the stent is in the form of a series of curved rings joined together.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the curved rings are joined together by link members.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the link members have a wavy form.

8. A method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the curved rings are joined together by spot welds.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the stent is fabricated from a shape memory alloy.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the rigidity of the stent is reduced at an end thereof.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising monitoring the condition of the vessel on which said at least partially helical shape is imposed.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11 , further comprising sensing one or more internal flow conditions of the vessel.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising transmitting a signal responsive to said one or more internal flow conditions of the vessel.

14. A method of imposing a shape on an intact blood vessel other than a graft, comprising:

providing a stent including a supporting portion, wherein the supporting portion comprises a hollow tube, the walls of which have openings therein, and wherein the central axis of the hollow tube forms a non-planar three-dimensional at least partially helical shape;

inserting the stent into the intact blood vessel;

internally supporting an interior wall of the blood vessel with the stent;

exposing the interior wall of the blood vessel to fluid flow along the vessel via the openings in the stent;

imposing the three-dimensional at least partially helical shape of the stent on a central axis of the vessel; and

inducing a swirling fluid flow within the stent supported part of the vessel.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising monitoring a condition of the vessel on which the partially helical shape is imposed.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising sensing one or more internal flow conditions of the vessel.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising transmitting a signal responsive to the one or more internal flow conditions of the vessel.

18. A method of inserting a stent having a supporting portion into an associated intact vessel, comprising the step of placing the stent within the associated intact vessel such that part of the associated intact vessel is disposed around the supporting portion, and so that the stent internally supports the associated vessel part, wherein the supporting portion of the stent is of a shape and/or orientation which imposes a non-planar curve on the associated vessel whereby fluid flow within the stent supported part of the associated vessel follows a non-planar curve to induce swirl flow.