Medical stent with a valve and related methods of manufacturing
View Patent ↗Medical stents having valves and their methods of manufacture are disclosed. The valve may be basket-shaped and formed integral to a medical stent to prevent undesirable backflow across the valve. The valve can be formed by converting the braided wires of the stent, by providing elastomeric material onto a mold or fixture to form an elastomeric valve, or by attaching a gasket valve. The valve is normally closed but configured to allow easy opening in response to a predetermined condition.
1. A method of manufacturing a medical stent having an elastomeric valve, comprising:
providing a generally tubular body;
positioning a fixture proximate to a distal end of the tubular body;
applying an elastomeric material onto the fixture; and
removing the fixture to form the elastomeric valve at the distal end of the tubular body;
wherein the elastomeric valve is configured to be normally closed and to be open in response to a predetermined condition, the elastomeric valve having a circular cross-section when the elastomeric valve is in the closed configuration; and
wherein the elastomeric valve has a generally dome-shaped, convex outer surface, is substantially symmetric about a longitudinal axis of the tubular body when in the normally closed position, and consists of the elastomeric material.
2. The method of manufacturing the medical stent according to claim 1 , further comprising a step of curing the applied elastomeric material.
3. The method of manufacturing the medical stent according to claim 1 , further comprising a step of providing a covering to at least a portion of the tubular body.
4. The method of manufacturing the medical stent according to claim 3 , wherein the step of providing the covering is performed simultaneously with the step of applying the elastomeric material.
5. The method of manufacturing the medical stent according to claim 3 , wherein a material for the covering and the elastomeric material are the same.
6. The method of manufacturing the medical stent according to claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric material is selected from a group of polyurethane, polytetrafluoroethylene, and silicone.
7. The method of manufacturing the medical stent according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined condition is a predetermined pressure difference between an upstream and a downstream of the elastomeric valve.
8. The method of manufacturing the medical stent according to claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric valve is configured to function as a one-way valve.
9. The method of manufacturing the medical stent according to claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric valve is formed so that the valve has an opening in the normally closed state.
10. The method of manufacturing the medical stent according to claim 9 , the opening includes at least one slit.
11. The method of manufacturing the medical stent according to claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric valve defines an opening therethrough in the normally closed configuration, the opening being between 1 and 10 mm in diameter.
12. The method of manufacturing the medical stent according to claim 11 , wherein the opening is 3 mm in diameter.
13. The method of manufacturing the medical stent according to claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric valve comprises a plurality of pleats.
14. A method of manufacturing a medical stent having a valve, the valve having an open configuration and a closed configuration, the method comprising:
providing a tubular body defining a lumen therethrough;
positioning at least a portion of a fixture proximate to a distal end of the tubular body;
coating the fixture with an elastomeric material to form a valve consisting of the elastomeric material at the distal end of the tubular body, wherein the elastomeric valve has a convex outer surface; and
attaching the elastomeric valve to a portion of the tubular body, wherein the elastomeric valve has a circular cross-section when the elastomeric valve is in the closed.