Methods and devices for relieving stenoses in, or otherwise improving blood flow through, body lumens. Although applicable in a variety of different body lumens, the methods and devices of this invention are specifically useable for relieving stenoses in, or otherwise improving blood flow through, veins which drain blood from the brain for treatment of multiple sclerosis or other neurodegenerative disorders that are caused, triggered or exacerbated by venous occlusion or venous insufficiency.

A clot mobilizer device for extraction of an occlusion from a blood vessel is provided, which comprises a working portion including a plurality of crowns of cells. Each cell comprises an open area bordered by struts. A distal end of each cell in a first crown is contiguous with a proximal end of a corresponding cell in a third crown, and a distal end of each cell in a second crown is contiguous with a proximal end of a corresponding cell in a fourth crown. The second crown is disposed distal to the first crown and proximal to the third crown, and the fourth crown is disposed distal to the third crown. The plurality of crowns of cells define a tubular-shaped section forming a cylindrically closed structure. The clot mobilizer also comprises a tapered portion extending proximally from the proximal end of the working portion and comprising a plurality of struts.

An illustrative stent includes an elongated tubular member comprising at least one strut or filament forming a tubular wall having a plurality of cells extending through a thickness of the tubular wall. The elongated tubular member may be configured to move between a radially collapsed configuration and a radially expanded configuration. A coating is disposed on the elongated tubular member and spanning the plurality of cells. The coating forms a pocket within at least some of the cells of the plurality of cells and extends radially inward of the tubular wall to define a void. In some instances, a partition or wall is positioned within at least some of the pockets and transects the void.

A stent delivery system includes a shaft extending from a proximal end of the system into a delivery tip at a distal end. The shaft includes a coil and a stent bed. A stent is loaded onto the stent bed and has a first portion at its distal end having a greater flexibility than a second portion at its proximal end. Sheathing is movable over the stent bed between pre-deployed and deployed positions. The sheathing includes a flexible section at the sheathing distal end, a semi-flexible section adjacent the flexible section, and a stiff section adjacent the semi-flexible section. The delivery tip is more flexible than the combination of the stent bed, the first portion of the stent, and the flexible section of the sheathing, which is more flexible than the combination of the stent bed, the second portion the stent, and the flexible section of the sheathing.

A coated stent (100,200,300,400), comprises a coated unit (110,210,310,410), and an exposed unit (120,220,320,420) which is a ring-shaped structure and which is provided on the periphery (113,213,313) of an end portion (112,212,312) of the coated unit (110,210,310,410); the exposed unit (120,220,320,420) comprises an inward-tilting wave body (122,222,322,422), the inward-tilting wave body (122,222,322,422) comprising at least a first wave crest (122a,222a,322a) and a first wave rod (122c) connected to the first wave crest (122a,222a,322a); the position of the first wave crest (122a.222a,322a) is farther away from the coated unit (110,210,310,410) than other positions on the inward-tilting wave body (122,222,322,422); the first wave rod (122c) is planar, and from the first wave crest (122a,222a,322a) to an end of the exposed unit (120,220,320,420) near the coated unit (110,210,310,410), the radial distance from the inward-tilting wave body (122,222,322,422) to the central axis (102,202,302,402) of the coated unit (110,210,310,410) gradually increases. When the coated stent (100,200,300,400) is implanted into an arterial vessel (10), the inward-tilting wave body (122,222,322,422) forms a certain avoidance space due to the tilt to adapt to the curvature of a large curved side (11) of the arterial vessel (10), and prevents the inward-tilting wave body (122,222,322,422) from directly piercing a branch vessel (20).

A tack device for holding plaque against blood vessel walls in treating atherosclerotic occlusive disease can be formed as a thin, annular band of durable, flexible material. The tack device may also have a plurality of barbs or anchoring points on its outer annular periphery. The annular band can have a length in the axial direction of the blood vessel walls that is about equal to or less than its diameter as installed in the blood vessel. A preferred method is to perform angioplasty with a drug eluting balloon as a first step, and if there is any dissection to the blood vessel caused by the balloon angioplasty, one or more tack devices may be installed to tack down the dissected area of the blood vessel surface.

According to various aspects and embodiments, a growth adaptive expandable stent is provided. The expandable stent includes a stent structure having a cylindrical shape that is self-expanding in a radial direction and includes a plurality of cylindrical rings disposed along a longitudinal axis of the stent structure. The stent structure is configured to exert a continuous outward radial force over time when implanted such that a diameter of the stent structure expands from a first value to a second value that is at least about 1.5 times the first value.

Described herein are artificial valves that have a frame and leaflets that grow or expand with a patient. Upon placing the valve inside the patient, the valve expands as the annulus of the patient expands. The frame of the valve is configured to expand which in turn causes the leaflets to expand (e.g., to grow). The valve includes a thin undulating wire embedded inside the leaflets. As the annulus of the patient grows, the frame expands, and as the frame expands, the leaflets grow. The growth or expansion of the leaflets is configured so that the valve continues to operate properly (e.g., the leaflets continue to coapt) with expansion of the annulus. The change in size of the valve can be configured to accommodate changes in size of the annulus from an infant or child to an adult.

A stent graft delivery device includes a handle body, a distal handle, a proximal handle, a guidewire lumen, a nose cone, a rigid outer catheter, a graft push lumen, a sheath lumen, an inner sheath and a locking ring. The locking ring is switchable between an advancement position and a delivery position. The stent graft delivery device is employed in methods for endovascular delivery of stent grafts.

An implantable device is disclosed. The device includes a two or three-piece frame assembly that is configured to be delivered in a series configuration and subsequently nested or telescoped in-situ.