Devices and methods for the treatment of vascular defects
Devices and methods for treating vascular defects, such as, for example, balloon-type aneurysms, are described herein. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes an insertion portion and an expandable implant. The expandable implant is configured to be deployed in an aneurysm and is coupled to the insertion portion. The expandable implant has a first portion and a second portion coupled to the first portion. The expandable implant is movable between a first configuration in which the first portion and the second portion are substantially linearly aligned and a second configuration in which the second portion at least partially overlaps the first portion.
1. An implant configured to be positioned within an aneurysm, the implant comprising:
an expandable mesh formed and a tubular braid flattened along at least a portion of its longitudinal axis such that opposing sidewalls of the tubular mesh are urged towards one another, the mesh having an elongated state and a deployed state, wherein—
when the mesh is in the elongated state, the mesh is radially compacted and configured to be contained in a delivery device, and
when the mesh is in the deployed state, the mesh has a narrow portion and at least first and second flattened wide portions, wherein the narrow portion is between the first and second wide portions along a length of the mesh.
2. The implant of claim 1 wherein the first and second wide portions are disc-shaped.
3. The implant of claim 1 wherein, when the mesh is in the deployed state, the mesh is configured to contact and conform to an inner surface of the aneurysm.
4. The implant of claim 1 wherein, when the mesh is in the deployed state, the first and second wide portions are configured to collectively form a pre-determined three-dimensional shape defining an open interior region.
5. The implant of claim 4 wherein the mesh further comprises third and fourth wide portions and wherein, when the mesh is in the deployed state, the third and fourth wide portions are positioned within the interior region.
6. The implant of claim 4 wherein:
the three-dimensional shape is a first three-dimensional shape, and wherein the first three-dimensional shape defines an interior region, and
the mesh further comprises third and fourth wide portions and wherein, when the mesh is in the deployed state, the third and fourth wide portions together form a second pre-determined three-dimensional shape that is configured to be received by the interior region of the first three-dimensional shape.
7. The implant of claim 6 wherein an average width of the first three-dimensional shape is greater than an average width of the second three-dimensional shape.
8. The implant of claim 4 wherein:
the narrow portion is a first narrow portion;
the three-dimensional shape is a first three-dimensional shape, and wherein the first three-dimensional shape defines an interior region, and
the mesh further comprises third and fourth wide portions and a second narrow portion, wherein:
the second narrow portion is between the third and fourth wide portions, and,
when the mesh is in the deployed state, the third and fourth wide portions together form a second pre-determined three-dimensional shape that is configured to be received by the interior region of the first three-dimensional shape.
9. The implant of claim 4 wherein:
the narrow portion is a first narrow portion;
the three-dimensional shape is a first three-dimensional shape, and wherein the first three-dimensional shape defines an interior region, and
the mesh further comprises third and fourth wide portions and second and third narrow portions, wherein:
the second narrow portion is between the second and third wide portions,
the third narrow portion is between the third and fourth wide portions, and,
when the mesh is in the deployed state, the third and fourth wide portions together form a second pre-determined three-dimensional shape that is configured to be received by the interior region of the first three-dimensional shape.
10. The implant of claim 4 wherein the three-dimensional shape is a sphere.
11. The implant of claim 1 wherein, when the mesh in the deployed state, the first wide portion has a first outer perimeter, the second wide portion has a second outer perimeter, and the narrow portion has a third outer perimeter that is smaller than each of the first outer perimeter and the second outer perimeter.
12. The implant of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second wide portions includes a first braided layer and a braided second layer.
13. The implant of claim 1 wherein:
the mesh includes a first layer and a second layer, and
when the mesh is in the deployed state, a porosity of the first wide portion is less than a porosity of the first layer or a porosity of the second layer.
14. The implant of claim 1 wherein:
the narrow portion is a first narrow portion, and
the mesh further includes a third flattened wide portion and a second narrow portion, and wherein the first narrow portion is between the first and second wide portions along the length of the implant and the second narrow portion is between the second and third wide portions along the length of the implant.
15. The implant of claim 1 wherein the first wide portion is configured to be positioned over the neck of the aneurysm.
16. The implant of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the first wide portion is configured to positioned over the neck of the aneurysm.
17. The implant of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the first wide portion and/or at least a portion of the second wide portion is configured to be positioned over the neck of the aneurysm.
18. The implant of claim 1 wherein the mesh further includes a third wide portion, and wherein at least a portion of the first, second, and/or third wide portions is configured to be positioned over the neck of the aneurysm.
19. The implant of claim 1 wherein the mesh further includes a spherically-shaped portion along its length.
20. An implant configured to be positioned within an aneurysm, the implant comprising:
a mesh formed of a tubular braid flattened along at least a portion of its longitudinal axis such that opposing sidewalls of the tubular mesh are urged towards one another, the mesh having an elongated state and a deployed state, wherein—
when the mesh is in the elongated state, the mesh is radially compacted and configured to be contained within a delivery device, and
when the mesh is in the deployed state, the mesh has a narrow portion and at least first and second disc-shaped portions, wherein—
the narrow portion is between the first and second disc-shaped portions along a length of the mesh.
21. The implant of claim 20 wherein, when the mesh is in the deployed state, the mesh is configured to contact and conform to an inner surface of the aneurysm.
22. The implant of claim 20 wherein, when the mesh is in the deployed state, the first and second disc-shaped portions are configured to collectively form a pre-determined three-dimensional shape defining an open interior region.
23. The implant of claim 22 wherein the mesh further comprises third and fourth wide portions and wherein, when the mesh is in the deployed state, the third and fourth wide portions are positioned within the interior region.
24. The implant of claim 22 wherein:
the three-dimensional shape is a first three-dimensional shape, and wherein the first three-dimensional shape defines an interior region, and
the mesh further comprises third and fourth wide portions and wherein, when the mesh is in the deployed state, the third and fourth wide portions together form a second pre-determined three-dimensional shape that is configured to be received by the interior region of the first three-dimensional shape.
25. The implant of claim 24 wherein an average width of the first three-dimensional shape is greater than an average width of the second three-dimensional shape.
26. The implant of claim 22 wherein:
the narrow portion is a first narrow portion;
the three-dimensional shape is a first three-dimensional shape, and wherein the first three-dimensional shape defines an interior region, and
the mesh further comprises third and fourth wide portions and a second narrow portion, wherein:
the second narrow portion is between the third and fourth wide portions, and,
when the mesh is in the deployed state, the third and fourth wide portions together form a second pre-determined three-dimensional shape that is configured to be received by the interior region of the first three-dimensional shape.
27. The implant of claim 22 wherein:
the narrow portion is a first narrow portion;
the three-dimensional shape is a first three-dimensional shape, and wherein the first three-dimensional shape defines an interior region, and
the mesh further comprises third and fourth wide portions and second and third narrow portions, wherein:
the second narrow portion is between the second and third wide portions,
the third narrow portion is between the third and fourth wide portions, and,
when the mesh is in the deployed state, the third and fourth wide portions together form a second pre-determined three-dimensional shape that is configured to be received by the interior region of the first three-dimensional shape.
28. The implant of claim 22 wherein the three-dimensional shape is a sphere.