Flexible vascular occluding device
A vascular occluding device for modifying blood flow in a vessel, while maintaining blood flow to the surrounding tissue. The occluding device includes a flexible, easily compressible and bendable occluding device that is particularly suited for treating aneurysms in the brain. The neurovascular occluding device can be deployed using a micro-catheter. The occluding device can be formed by braiding wires in a helical fashion and can have varying lattice densities along the length of the occluding device. The occluding device could also have different lattice densities for surfaces on the same radial plane.
1. A method, comprising:
expanding, from a delivery catheter, a device to an expanded state within a blood vessel, the device comprising a plurality of strands forming a lattice structure along the length of the device;
wherein, while in the expanded state, the density of the lattice structure is between about 25 to about 50 picks per inch, the plurality of strands form a plurality of openings extending between adjacent strands of the device, outer surfaces of the plurality of strands comprising between about 20 percent to about 50 percent of a total circumferential area of the device; the device being configured to bend 90 degrees about a fulcrum upon application of a bending moment of 0.005 lb-in to the device, and the device being configured to be compressed to 50% of an original diameter of the device upon application of a force of less than 10 grams.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the openings occupy between about 50 to about 80 percent of the total circumferential area of the device.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising adjusting the length of the device after the device is loaded within the delivery catheter.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the expanding comprises aligning regions of the device proximate a branch or feeder portion of the vessel, the regions having a lesser lattice density relative to a region positioned proximate an aneurysm.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein, while in the expanded state, at least two of the strands have different cross-sectional dimensions.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least two of the strands are of different metallic materials.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the strands comprise platinum.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the strands are round in cross section.
9. A method, comprising:
expanding, from a delivery catheter, a device to an expanded state within a blood vessel, the device comprising a braided pattern of strands;
wherein, while in the expanded state, outer surfaces of the strands form between about 20 percent to about 50 percent of a total circumferential area of the device; the density of the braided pattern of strands is between about 25 to about 50 picks per inch, the device, upon application of a bending moment of 0.005 lb-in, is configured to bend 90 degrees about a longitudinal axis of the device, and the device is configured to be compressed to 50% of an original diameter of the device upon application of a force of less than 10 grams.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein a first portion of the braided pattern allows a first amount of radial blood flow to pass there through and a second portion of the braided pattern allows a second amount of radial blood flow there through, the first amount being greater than the second amount; wherein the first and second portions have different lattice densities.
11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising adjusting the length of the device after the device is loaded within the delivery catheter.
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein at least two of the strands have different cross-sectional dimensions.
13. The method of claim 9 , wherein at least two of the strands are of different metallic materials.
14. The method of claim 9 , wherein at least some of the strands comprise platinum.
15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the strands are round in cross section.
16. A method comprising:
expanding, from a delivery catheter, a device from a compressed cross-sectional measurement in a compressed state to an expanded cross-sectional measurement, greater than the compressed cross-sectional measurement, in an expanded state within a blood vessel, the device comprising a braided pattern of strands;
wherein, while in the expanded state, outer surfaces of the strands comprise between about 20 percent to about 50 percent of a total circumferential area of the device, the strands form a lattice structure along the length of the device, the density of the lattice structure is between about 25 to about 50 picks per inch, a first portion of the elongate structure deflects 90 degrees about a fulcrum and relative to a second portion of the elongate structure when a bending moment of 0.005 lb-in is applied to the first portion, and the elongate structure is configured to be compressed to 50% of an original diameter of the device upon application of a force of less than 10 grams.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein at least two of the strands have different cross-sectional dimensions.
18. The method of claim 16 , wherein at least two of the strands are of different metallic materials.
19. The method of claim 16 , wherein at least some of the strands comprise platinum.
20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the strands are round in cross section.