An endoprosthesis is implantable in the body of the patient, such as a blood vessel, or other body cavity, such as non-vascular orifices and/or lumens. The endoprosthesis includes a medical structure, such as a stent, which may be braided. A braided stent may include loop structures and adjacent crossover structures. The crossover structures include longitudinal portions of the elongate members of the braided stent which overlap one another and may be in direct contact. A suture structure may extend through the loop structures to, for example, provide for the cinching of the stent structure. Cinching of the stent structure may be desired to reduce the profile thereof for insertion in and displacement through a vessel in the body of a patient.
Manipulation of the suture structure in the stent structure may cause the suture structure to approach the crossover structures and directly contact the longitudinal portions of the elongate members which overlap. The direct contact of the suture structure with the overlapping longitudinal portions of the elongate members may result in the suture structure becoming tangled therewith. Alternatively, the suture structure may be drawn into direct contact with the longitudinal portions of the elongate members with sufficient force and the elongate members may be sufficiently resilient such that the direct contact of the suture structure forces the elongate members apart to provide a path for the suture structure to translate through the crossover structure. Neither of the scenarios is typically desirable since the suture structure is normally intended to remain within the loop structures through which the suture structure initially extends. Accordingly, displacement of the suture structure through the crossover structure is normally not desirable. Also, tangling of the suture structure with the stent structure is normally undesirable since substantially unimpeded displacement of the suture structure relative to the stent structure is typically preferred.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds