Patent ID: 7497873
Filing Date: 2009-03-03
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
1. A combination of an untethered intravascular device and an associated deployment system for minimally invasive deployment of the untethered intravascular device within a vessel, the combination comprising: a delivery system having a lumen defining a feed direction; and an intravascular device having a retention configuration including at least one closed loop of flexible material deployed within said lumen in a first state in which said closed loop is folded on itself and substantially straightened so as to extend substantially parallel to said feed direction to allow delivery through said delivery system, said closed loop being further configured so as to be elastically biased to a predefined curved form such that, when said closed loop is advanced beyond said delivery system, said biasing to a curved form results in deployment of said loop in a direction generally perpendicular to said feed direction and opening of said loop to provide a formation for retention against an inner wall of the vessel, wherein said intravascular device is, after deployment, an untethered intravascular device configured such that said intravascular device is retained in a given position within the vessel primarily by contact of said at least one loop against the inner wall of the vessel, and wherein said formation for retention is substantially circular as viewed along said feed direction and at least partially curved as viewed along a direction perpendicular to said feed direction.