Expandable slide and lock stent
View Patent ↗An expandable slide and lock stent is provided that comprises a plurality of radial elements interconnected to form a tubular member. Each radial element can comprise a helical backbone and at least one elongate member extending from the helical backbone in a circumferential direction. Each backbone can have at least one slot that can be configured to receive an elongate member of an adjacent radial element.
1. An expandable slide and lock stent comprising:
a generally tubular body configured to radially expand from a contracted state to an expanded state, the body having a central lumen and defining a longitudinal axis, the body comprising:
a first backbone and a second backbone, the second backbone comprising a plurality of slots, the first and second backbones being circumferentially offset from each other;
a plurality of elongate members extending from the first backbone in a circumferential direction, each of the plurality of elongate members having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end being coupled to the first backbone; and
a locking mechanism on the second backbone;
wherein each particular one of the plurality of elongate members has one or more longitudinally adjacent elongate members of the plurality of elongate members, the distal end of each particular one of the plurality of elongate members being circumferentially offset from the distal end of the longitudinally adjacent elongate members of that particular one of the plurality of elongate members, and the plurality of elongate members being longitudinally offset from each other;
wherein each of the plurality of elongate members extending from the first backbone is configured to slidably engage and extend through a corresponding one of the plurality of slots in the second backbone, the locking mechanism being configured to facilitate substantially one-way movement of the elongate members through the corresponding slots, thereby inhibiting radial contraction of at least a portion of the tubular body.
2. The expandable slide and lock stent of claim 1 , wherein each of the elongate members comprises a plurality of teeth configured to interact with the locking mechanism.
3. The expandable slide and lock stent of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of teeth are disposed on opposite sides of each of the elongate members.
4. The expandable slide and lock stent of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of teeth are disposed on one side of each of the elongate members.
5. The expandable slide and lock stent of claim 1 , wherein each of the elongate members has at least a first and second portion, the thickness of the first and second portion being different.
6. The expandable slide and lock stent of claim 5 , wherein each of the elongate members comprises a thinner portion located closer to the proximal end than a thicker portion.
7. The expandable slide and lock stent of claim 1 , wherein the first and second backbones each comprise a plurality of adjacent backbone portions extending at approximately the same angle relative to the longitudinal axis.
8. The expandable slide and lock stent of claim 1 , wherein the first and second backbones each comprise a plurality of adjacent backbone portions forming a generally stair-step pattern for at least a portion of the first and second backbones.
9. The expandable slide and lock stent of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of slots are configured to capture a lateral, upper, and lower side of the elongate members, allowing only one degree of motion.
10. An expandable slide and lock stent comprising:
a generally tubular body configured to radially expand from a contracted state to an expanded state, the body having a central lumen and defining a longitudinal axis, the body comprising:
a first backbone and a second backbone, the second backbone comprising a plurality of slots, the first and second backbones being circumferentially offset from each other;
a plurality of pairs of elongate members extending from the first backbone in a circumferential direction, each of the plurality of elongate members having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end being coupled to the first backbone, wherein the distal end of each elongate member in a pair of elongate members circumferentially extends to approximately the same circumferential location; and
a locking mechanism on the second backbone;
wherein each particular pair of the plurality of pairs of elongate members has one or more longitudinally adjacent pairs of elongate members of the plurality of pairs of elongate members, the distal end of each of the elongate members of the particular pair of the plurality of pairs of elongate members being circumferentially offset from the distal end of the elongate members of the longitudinally adjacent pairs of that particular pair of the plurality of pairs of elongate members, and the plurality of pairs of elongate members being longitudinally offset from each other;
wherein each of the elongate members extending from the first backbone is configured to slidably engage and extend through a corresponding one of the plurality of slots in the second backbone, the locking mechanism being configured to facilitate substantially one-way movement of the elongate members through the corresponding slots, thereby inhibiting radial contraction of at least a portion of the tubular body.
11. The expandable slide and lock stent of claim 10 , wherein each of the elongate members comprises a plurality of teeth configured to interact with the locking mechanism.
12. The expandable slide and lock stent of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of teeth are disposed on opposite sides of each of the elongate members.
13. The expandable slide and lock stent of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of teeth are disposed on one side of each of the elongate members.
14. The expandable slide and lock stent of claim 10 , wherein each of the elongate members has at least a first and second portion, the thickness of the first and second portion being different.
15. The expandable slide and lock stent of claim 14 , wherein each of the elongate members comprises a thinner portion located closer to the proximal end than a thicker portion.
16. The expandable slide and lock stent of claim 10 , wherein the first and second backbones each comprise a plurality of adjacent backbone portions extending at approximately the same angle relative to the longitudinal axis.
17. The expandable slide and lock stent of claim 10 , wherein the first and second backbones each comprise a plurality of adjacent backbone portions forming a generally stair-step pattern for at least a portion of the first and second backbones.
18. The expandable slide and lock stent of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of slots are configured to capture a lateral, upper, and lower side of the elongate members, allowing only one degree of motion.