BILIARY STENTS AND METHODS
A tissue lumen stent is provided with a body having an elongated tubular configuration and a foreshortened configuration. In the foreshortened configuration, downstream and upstream ends of the body expand radially into downstream and upstream flange structures, leaving a generally cylindrical saddle region therebetween. In some embodiments, the flange structures are non-symmetrical with respect to one another. Systems and methods of using the stents are also disclosed.
1 . A tissue lumen stent comprising a body having an elongated tubular configuration and a foreshortened configuration where a downstream end of the body expands radially into a downstream flange structure and an upstream end of the body expands into a distally and radially outward inclined structure.
2 . The tissue lumen stent of claim 1 , wherein the body upstream of the downstream flange structure continuously increases in diameter as the body extends to the upstream end.
3 . The tissue lumen stent of claim 1 , wherein the upstream and downstream flange structures are non-symmetrical with respect to one another.
4 . The tissue lumen stent of claim 1 , wherein the downstream flange structure comprises a larger maximum lateral diameter than that of the upstream flange structure when the body is in the foreshortened configuration.
5 . The tissue lumen stent of claim 1 , wherein the upstream flange structure and downstream flange structure are substantially symmetric when the body is in the extended configuration.
6 . The tissue lumen stent of claim 1 , further comprising a covering or membrane over the cylindrical saddle portion of the stent.
7 . The tissue lumen stent of claim 6 , wherein the covering extends over the downstream flange structure.
8 . The tissue lumen stent of claim 6 , wherein the covering extends over the upstream flange structure.
9 . The tissue lumen stent of claim 6 , wherein the upstream flange structure is uncovered and the downstream flange structure is covered.
10 . The tissue lumen stent of claim 1 , wherein the one or more of the downstream and upstream flange structures have a pull-out force of greater than about 2.94N.
11 . A tissue lumen stent comprising a body having an elongated tubular configuration and a foreshortened configuration where each of the downstream and/or upstream ends of the body expand radially into downstream and upstream flange structures leaving a generally cylindrical saddle region therebetween, the upstream and downstream flange structures being non-symmetrical with respect to one another.
12 . The tissue lumen stent of claim 11 , wherein the upstream flange structure comprises a larger maximum lateral diameter than that of the downstream flange structure when the body is in the foreshortened configuration.
13 . The tissue lumen stent of claim 11 , wherein the upstream flange structure comprises a larger maximum axial width than that of the downstream flange structure when the body is in the foreshortened configuration.
14 . The tissue lumen stent of claim 11 , wherein the upstream flange structure comprises both a larger maximum lateral diameter and a larger maximum axial width than those of the downstream flange structure when the body is in the foreshortened configuration.
15 . The tissue lumen stent of claim 11 , further comprising a covering or membrane over the body of the stent.
16 . The tissue lumen stent of claim 15 , wherein the covering extends over the downstream flange structure.
17 . The tissue lumen stent of claim 15 , wherein the covering extends over the upstream flange structure.
18 . The tissue lumen stent of claim 15 , wherein the upstream flange structure is uncovered and the downstream flange structure is covered.
19 . A method of treating a patient, comprising:
accessing a biliary system of a patient with an endoscope; and
deploying, within a the biliary system of the patient, a tissue lumen stent having a foreshortened configuration defining non-symmetrical upstream and downstream flange structures and a cylindrical portion extending therebetween.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the tissue lumen stent contacts a lumen selected from the group consisting of the common bile duct, the pancreatic duct, and the hepatic duct.