Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7901449?dq=U.S.+Patent+No.+4,528,643)
Timestamp: 2014-07-14 15:06:51
Document Index: 303453347

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 42', 'art 18', 'art 14', 'art 42', 'art 18', 'Application No. 97', 'Application No. 2007', 'Application No. 2004', 'Application No. 2006', 'Application No. 2006', 'Application No. 2', 'Application No. 2']

Patent US7901449 - Bifurcated endoluminal prosthesis - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign in<nobr>Advanced Patent Search</nobr>PatentsAn introducer for delivering into the vasculature a straight or bifurcated stent or prosthesis; a method for delivering into the vasculature a straight or bifurcated stent or prosthesis; a method of treating and angeological disease using a bifurcated stent; an endoluminal stent having perpendicular...http://www.google.com/patents/US7901449?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7901449 - Bifurcated endoluminal prosthesisAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS7901449 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 11/879,685Publication dateMar 8, 2011Filing dateJul 18, 2007Priority dateFeb 9, 1994Also published asDE29521548U1, DE29521776U1, DE29522113U1, DE29522160U1, DE29522161U1, DE29522162U1, US5683450, US5693086, US5716365, US5718724, US5776180, US5800508, US5916263, US5938696, US6051020, US6117167, US6165213, US6302906, US7510570, US7780720, US7942919, US8192482, US8709067, US20020019659, US20040073287, US20040098086, US20040098115, US20040106979, US20040167599, US20070265697, US20130066416, US20130123904Publication number11879685, 879685, US 7901449 B2, US 7901449B2, US-B2-7901449, US7901449 B2, US7901449B2InventorsGeorge Goicoechea, Claude Mialhe, John Hudson, Andrew H. Cragg, Michael D. DakeOriginal AssigneeScimed Life Systems, Inc.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (99), Non-Patent Citations (31), Classifications (34), Legal Events (2) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetBifurcated endoluminal prosthesisUS 7901449 B2Abstract An introducer for delivering into the vasculature a straight or bifurcated stent or prosthesis; a method for delivering into the vasculature a straight or bifurcated stent or prosthesis; a method of treating and angeological disease using a bifurcated stent; an endoluminal stent having perpendicular hoop members, each hoop member formed of wire in a sinuous configuration, at least some of juxtaposed apices in neighboring hoops being secured to one another, such stents also forming axially aligned segments in straight stents, and segments of bifurcated stents in particular embodiments. Certain embodiments of such stents also include barbs, fabric covering and radiopaque markers.
12. The prosthesis of claim 7 wherein each of the bifurcated base graft structure and the second graft structure comprises an inlet end and at least one outlet end;
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention related to a bifurcated endoluminal prosthesis for use in a bifurcated blood vessel such, for example, as the infrarenal portion of a mammalian aortic artery where it bifurcates to the common iliac arteries. The present invention also embraces a stent connecting means for connecting a stent (e.g. a stent which forms part of an endoluminal prosthesis) to another stent, as well as apparatus and method for introducing prostheses to the vasculature and methods of treating angeological diseases.
A stent is used to provide a prosthetic intraluminal wall e.g. in the case of a stenosis to provide an unobstructed conduit for blood in the area of the stenosis. An endoluminal prosthesis comprises a stent which carries a prosthetic graft layer of fabric and is used e.g. to treat an aneurysm by removing the pressure on a weakened part of an artery so as to reduce the risk of embolism, or of the natural artery wall bursting. Typically, a stent or endoluminal prosthesis is implanted in a blood vessel at the site of a stenosis or aneurysm by so-called �minimally invasive techniques� in which the stent is compressed radially inwards and is delivered by a catheter to the site where it is required through the patient's skin or by a �cut down� technique in which the blood vessel concerned is exposed by minor surgical means. When the stent is positioned at the correct location, the catheter is withdrawn and the stent is caused or allowed to re-expand to a predetermined diameter in the vessel.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,062 discloses a vascular stent which comprises a length of sinuous or �zig-zag� wire formed into a helix; the helix defines a generally cylindrical wall which, in use, constitutes a prosthetic intraluminal wall. The sinuous configuration of the wire permits radial expansion and compression of the stent; U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,062 discloses that the stent can be delivered percutaneously and expanded in situ using a balloon catheter.
However, the prior art stents and prostheses are not wholly satisfactory for use where the site of desired application of the stent or prosthesis is juxtaposed or extends across a bifurcation in an artery or vein such, for example, as the bifurcation in the mammalian aortic artery into the common iliac arteries. For example, in the case of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (�AAA�) in the infrarenal portion of the aorta which extends into one of the common iliac arteries, the use of one of the prior art prosthesis referred to above across the bifurcation into the one iliac artery will result in obstruction of the proximal end of the other common iliac artery; by-pass surgery is therefore required to connect the one iliac artery in juxtaposition with the distal end of the prosthesis to the other blocked iliac artery. It will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that it is desirable to avoid surgery wherever possible; the requirement for by-pass surgery associated with the use of the prior art prosthesis in juxtaposition with a bifurcation in an artery therefore constitutes a significant disadvantage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Throughout this specification, the term �proximal� shall mean �nearest to the heart,� and the term �distal� shall mean �furthest from the heart.�
The first stent may then be delivered percutaneously or by a �cut down� technique to a site distal of the second stent such that the male engaging portion of the first stent in the radially compressed state is entered into the expanded female cooperating portion of the second stent; the catheter may then be withdrawn allowing the first stent to re-expand such that the male engaging portion engages in the female cooperating portion of the second stent.
Each of the first and second stents may comprise a sinuous wire formed into a tubular configuration. The sinuous and tubular configurations may be imparted to the wire by winding it on a mandrel. Typically, each stent may be made from a shape memory nitinol (nickel-titanium) wire which may be wound on to the mandrel to form the stent in a tubular configuration of slightly greater diameter than the diameter of the blood vessel in which the stent is intended to be used. The stent may be annealed at an elevated temperature and then allowed to cool in air so that the nitinol wire �remembers� the configuration in which it was wound on the mandrel.
Said nitinol wire may be type �M� nitinol wire which is martensitic at temperatures below about 13� C. and is austenitic at temperatures above about 25� C.; it will be appreciated therefore that the type �M� wire will be austenitic at body temperature of 37� C. Typically, the annealing may be conducted at about 500� C. or more for at least about 60 minutes; after cooling the wire may be immersed in cold water to facilitate removal of the wire from the mandrel with the wire in its maleable martensitic form. Typically, the cold water may have temperature of less than about 10� C.; the wire may be immersed for about 5 minutes or more. An advantage of using nitinol wire to form the stent in accordance with the present invention is that the nitinol wire is �super elastic� in its austenitic state; the radial outward force exerted by the stent on the wall of the blood vessel in use is therefore substantially constant irrespective of the diameter of the vessel and the expanded stent.
It will appreciated that an advantage of this novel arrangement is that the planes of the hoops are not skewed with respect to the longitudinal axis of the stent; the longitudinal ends of the stent are �square� to said longitudinal axis, so that when the stent is caused or allowed to expand in situ there is substantially no twisting of the stent as it shortens in length. It will be appreciated that this represents a significant advantage, as in areas of stenosis or aneurysm it is desirable to minimize the movement of the stent within the blood vessel so as to reduce the potential trauma to the patient. A stent of this configuration may be used, apart from the bifurcated embodiment otherwise taught herein, in any application which in stents generally have heretofor been used.
It will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that the prostheses may be introduced to the site of use percutaneously or by �cut down� techniques.
In particular, the invention provides a bifurcated endoluminal prosthesis which can be positioned in an artery in juxtaposition with a bifurcation to extend into one of the branched arteries; the bifurcated prosthesis can be connected to another prosthesis which extends into the other branched artery. The prosthesis can be delivered percutaneously or by �cut down� methods and connected together in situ thereby to provide effective treatment of an angeological disease such, for example, as an aneurysm or a stenosis which extends across a bifurcation in a blood vessel without the need for by-pass surgery.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION The entire disclosure of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/463,987, filed Jun. 5, 1995 is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
In this embodiment of the invention the wire is annealed at a temperature of about 500� C. for 60 minutes and is then allowed to cool in air. The purpose of the annealing is so that the nitinol wire in its austenitic form �remembers� its configuration as wound on mandrel 46; it will be appreciated therefore that other temperatures and durations for the annealing are included within the present invention provided the nitinol wire �remembers� its wound configuration.
The sinuous configuration of each turn 20 of the wire skeleton of the stent 10 allows the prosthesis to be compressed resiliently radially inwards so that it can be received in a catheter e.g. a 16 or 18 French catheter for percutaneous or cut down delivery, e.g. to an intraluminal site in the infrarenal section of the aortic artery. Larger diameter catheters up to, e.g., 20 French, may be used to deliver the prosthesis using �cut down� procedures.
In use, the second prosthesis is compressed radially inwards and is received in a catheter for percutaneous or �cut down� delivery to the other common iliac artery. The frustoconical proximal part 42 is guided, in the radially compressed state, into the second frustoconical part 18 of the bifurcated stent 10. The catheter is then withdrawn allowing the second stent 40 to re-expand towards its remembered configuration, until the distal part 14 engages the endoluminal surface of the other common iliac artery, and the outer surface of the frustoconical proximal part 42 engages the interior surface of the second frustoconical part 18 of the bifurcated stent 10.
In use the prosthesis is delivered percutaneously or by �cut down� methods to an artery in juxtaposition with an arterial bifurcation; blood can flow through the frustoconical proximal portion 52 into each of the branched arteries through the first and second distal frustoconical portions 58, 60. If a prosthesis is required in one or both of the branched arteries, a separate prosthesis comprising a stent of the type shown in FIG. 1 b referred to above covered with fabric can be connected to the bifurcated prosthesis 50 by inserting and re-expanding the proximal end of such a separate prosthesis in one or both of the distal frustoconical portions 58, 60 of the prosthesis 50 for engagement therein.
Referring to FIGS. 8( a)-8(f), an exemplary embodiment of a delivery system according to the present invention will be described. This system is used to deploy the bifurcated stent 10 when it is covered with a fabric graft layer to create an endoluminal prosthesis. Introducer 100 includes outer sheath 101. Outer sheath 101 is a cylindrical tube adapted to be inserted either percutaneously or by �cut-down� procedures into the vasculature from an entry point to the bifurcation site where the prosthesis is to be deployed.
Referring to FIG. 11, introducer 100 is passed through an entry point (not shown) either in the patient's skin (percutaneous operation) or into the vasculature itself which has been surgically exposed (�cut-down� operation). Introducer 100 is inserted over a guide wire 170 into the vasculature from the entry point to the desired delivery location at an angeological bifurcation.
While maintaining proximal portion pusher 102 in a fixed position, outer sheath 101 is withdrawn until the proximal end of the prosthesis emerges from outer sheath 101 as shown in FIG. 13. Using a radiopaque marker 120 disposed on proximal end of the prosthesis, the introducer is rotated until proper alignment of the prosthesis is obtained. In the illustrated embodiment, radiopaque marker 120 is a platinum wire twisted around an apex of the prosthesis in a �V� shape. To ensure proper alignment, the stent should be rotated until only the profile of the V is seen and shows up as a straight line rather than a �V�.
Patent CitationsCited PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS1417396Nov 24, 1920May 23, 1922Julius KindervaterReturn bend and method and apparatus for making sameUS3304557Sep 28, 1965Feb 21, 1967Ethicon IncSurgical prosthesisUS3357432Feb 9, 1965Dec 12, 1967Edwards Lab IncAnastomotic couplingUS3500820Jul 1, 1966Mar 17, 1970Torsten Hakan Oskar AlmenMedical probe for injecting x-ray contrast medium into the bodyUS3657744May 8, 1970Apr 25, 1972Univ MinnesotaMethod for fixing prosthetic implants in a living bodyUS3805301Jul 28, 1972Apr 23, 1974Meadox Medicals IncTubular grafts having indicia thereonUS3818511Nov 17, 1972Jun 25, 1974Medical Prod CorpMedical prosthesis for ducts or conduitsUS3868956Jun 5, 1972Mar 4, 1975Ralph J AlfidiVessel implantable appliance and method of implanting itUS3878565Jul 25, 1973Apr 22, 1975Providence HospitalVascular prosthesis with external pile surfaceUS3890977Mar 1, 1974Jun 24, 1975Bruce C WilsonKinetic memory electrodes, catheters and cannulaeUS3996938Jul 10, 1975Dec 14, 1976Clark Iii William TExpanding mesh catheterUS4130904Jun 6, 1977Dec 26, 1978Thermo Electron CorporationProsthetic blood conduitUS4140126Feb 18, 1977Feb 20, 1979Choudhury M HasanMethod for performing aneurysm repairUS4149911Jan 17, 1978Apr 17, 1979Raychem LimitedStorage of a heat-recoverable alloy by applying stress with temperatureUS4202349Apr 24, 1978May 13, 1980Jones James WRadiopaque vessel markersUS4214587Feb 12, 1979Jul 29, 1980Sakura Chester Y JrAnastomosis device and methodUS4306318Oct 12, 1979Dec 22, 1981Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.Tubular organic prosthesisUS4425908Oct 22, 1981Jan 17, 1984Beth Israel HospitalBlood clot filterUS4464449Jan 29, 1982Aug 7, 1984Canon Kabushiki KaishaRecording method having uniform exposure, charging, and infrared image exposureUS4494531Dec 6, 1982Jan 22, 1985Cook, IncorporatedExpandable blood clot filterUS4503569Mar 3, 1983Mar 12, 1985Dotter Charles TFor placement within a body passagewayUS4512338Jan 25, 1983Apr 23, 1985Balko Alexander BProcess for restoring patency to body vesselsUS4530113May 20, 1983Jul 23, 1985Intervascular, Inc.Vascular grafts with cross-weave patternsUS4545082Mar 24, 1983Oct 8, 1985Vascutek LimitedVascular prosthesisUS4553545Sep 15, 1982Nov 19, 1985Medinvent S.A.Device for application in blood vessels or other difficultly accessible locations and its useUS4560374Oct 17, 1983Dec 24, 1985Hammerslag Julius GMethod for repairing stenotic vesselsUS4562596Apr 25, 1984Jan 7, 1986Elliot KornbergAortic graft, device and method for performing an intraluminal abdominal aortic aneurysm repairUS4577631Nov 16, 1984Mar 25, 1986Kreamer Jeffry WFor repairing inside the body a damaged section of a blood vesselUS4580568Oct 1, 1984Apr 8, 1986Cook, IncorporatedPercutaneous endovascular stent and method for insertion thereofUS4617932Sep 3, 1985Oct 21, 1986Elliot KornbergDevice and method for performing an intraluminal abdominal aortic aneurysm repairUS4649922Jan 23, 1986Mar 17, 1987Wiktor Donimik MCatheter arrangement having a variable diameter tip and spring prosthesisUS4655771Apr 11, 1983Apr 7, 1987Shepherd Patents S.A.Prosthesis comprising an expansible or contractile tubular bodyUS4665906May 21, 1986May 19, 1987Raychem CorporationMedical devices incorporating sim alloy elementsUS4665918Jan 6, 1986May 19, 1987Garza Gilbert AProsthesis system and methodUS4681110Dec 2, 1985Jul 21, 1987Wiktor Dominik MCatheter arrangement having a blood vessel liner, and method of using itUS4728328Jun 3, 1985Mar 1, 1988Research CorporationCuffed tubular organic prosthesesUS4729766Apr 22, 1985Mar 8, 1988Astra Meditec AktiebolagVascular prosthesis and method in producing itUS4732152Dec 5, 1985Mar 22, 1988Medinvent S.A.Device for implantation and a method of implantation in a vessel using such deviceUS4733665Nov 7, 1985Mar 29, 1988Expandable Grafts PartnershipExpandable intraluminal graft, and method and apparatus for implanting an expandable intraluminal graftUS4739762Nov 3, 1986Apr 26, 1988Expandable Grafts PartnershipExpandable intraluminal graft, and method and apparatus for implanting an expandable intraluminal graftUS4762128Dec 9, 1986Aug 9, 1988Advanced Surgical Intervention, Inc.Method and apparatus for treating hypertrophy of the prostate glandUS4768507Aug 31, 1987Sep 6, 1988Medinnovations, Inc.Intravascular stent and percutaneous insertion catheter system for the dilation of an arterial stenosis and the prevention of arterial restenosisUS4772264Jun 23, 1986Sep 20, 1988Regents Of The University Of MinnesotaCatheter introduction setUS4776337Jun 26, 1986Oct 11, 1988Expandable Grafts PartnershipExpandable intraluminal graft, and method and apparatus for implanting an expandable intraluminal graftUS4781703Oct 17, 1985Nov 1, 1988Menlo Care, Inc.Catheter assemblyUS4787899Dec 10, 1986Nov 29, 1988Lazarus Harrison MIntraluminal graft device, system and methodUS4795463Apr 23, 1987Jan 3, 1989Baylor College Of MedicineLabeled breast prosthesis and methods for detecting and predicting rupture of the prosthesisUS4800882Mar 13, 1987Jan 31, 1989Cook IncorporatedEndovascular stent and delivery systemUS4820298Nov 20, 1987Apr 11, 1989Leveen Eric GInternal vascular prosthesisUS4830003Jun 17, 1988May 16, 1989Wolff Rodney GCompressive stent and delivery systemUS4856516Jan 9, 1989Aug 15, 1989Cordis CorporationEndovascular stent apparatus and methodUS4878906Jun 6, 1988Nov 7, 1989Servetus PartnershipEndoprosthesis for repairing a damaged vesselUS4886062Oct 19, 1987Dec 12, 1989Medtronic, Inc.Intravascular radially expandable stent and method of implantUS4886065Aug 8, 1988Dec 12, 1989California Institute Of TechnologyIn vivo electrode implanting systemUS4913141Oct 25, 1988Apr 3, 1990Cordis CorporationApparatus and method for placement of a stent within a subject vesselUS4922905May 28, 1987May 8, 1990Strecker Ernst PDilatation catheterUS4969458Jul 6, 1987Nov 13, 1990Medtronic, Inc.Intracoronary stent and method of simultaneous angioplasty and stent implantUS4969890Jul 7, 1988Nov 13, 1990Nippon Zeon Co., Ltd.CatheterUS4994032Nov 29, 1988Feb 19, 1991Terumo Kabushiki KaishaBalloon catheterUS4994071May 22, 1989Feb 19, 1991Cordis CorporationBifurcating stent apparatus and methodUS5019085Feb 23, 1990May 28, 1991Cordis CorporationApparatus and method for placement of a stent within a subject vesselUS5019090Sep 1, 1988May 28, 1991Corvita CorporationRadially expandable endoprosthesis and the likeUS5035706Oct 17, 1989Jul 30, 1991Cook IncorporatedPercutaneous stent and method for retrieval thereofUS5037427Oct 30, 1990Aug 6, 1991Terumo Kabushiki KaishaMethod of implanting a stent within a tubular organ of a living body and of removing sameUS5041126Sep 14, 1988Aug 20, 1991Cook IncorporatedEndovascular stent and delivery systemUS5047050Feb 17, 1988Sep 10, 1991Alberto ArpesaniInternal prosthesis with radiopaque annular portionsUS5057092Apr 4, 1990Oct 15, 1991Webster Wilton W JrBraided catheter with low modulus warpUS5064435Jun 28, 1990Nov 12, 1991Schneider (Usa) Inc.Self-expanding prosthesis having stable axial lengthUS5067957Sep 27, 1988Nov 26, 1991Raychem CorporationMethod of inserting medical devices incorporating SIM alloy elementsUS5078726Apr 9, 1990Jan 7, 1992Kreamer Jeffry WGraft stent and method of repairing blood vesselsUS5078736May 4, 1990Jan 7, 1992Interventional Thermodynamics, Inc.Method and apparatus for maintaining patency in the body passagesUS5084065Jul 10, 1989Jan 28, 1992Corvita CorporationReinforced graft assemblyUS5085635May 18, 1990Feb 4, 1992Cragg Andrew HValved-tip angiographic catheterUS5104399Mar 9, 1988Apr 14, 1992Endovascular Technologies, Inc.Artificial graft and implantation methodUS5104404Jun 20, 1991Apr 14, 1992Medtronic, Inc.Articulated stentUS5123917Apr 27, 1990Jun 23, 1992Lee Peter YExpandable intraluminal vascular graftUS5133732Mar 22, 1989Jul 28, 1992Medtronic, Inc.Intravascular stentUS5135536Feb 5, 1991Aug 4, 1992Cordis CorporationEndovascular stent and methodUS5151105Oct 7, 1991Sep 29, 1992Kwan Gett CliffordCollapsible vessel sleeve implantUS5161547Nov 28, 1990Nov 10, 1992Numed, Inc.Method of forming an intravascular radially expandable stentUS5163958Aug 13, 1991Nov 17, 1992Cordis CorporationCarbon coated tubular endoprosthesisUS5183085Sep 27, 1991Feb 2, 1993Hans TimmermansMethod and apparatus for compressing a stent prior to insertionUS5192297Dec 31, 1991Mar 9, 1993Medtronic, Inc.Apparatus and method for placement and implantation of a stentUS5192310Sep 16, 1991Mar 9, 1993Atrium Medical CorporationSelf-sealing implantable vascular graftUS5197978Apr 26, 1991Mar 30, 1993Advanced Coronary Technology, Inc.Supports for blood vesselsUS5201757Apr 3, 1992Apr 13, 1993Schneider (Usa) Inc.Medial region deployment of radially self-expanding stentsUS5201901Oct 7, 1988Apr 13, 1993Terumo Kabushiki KaishaExpansion unit and apparatus for expanding tubular organ lumenUS5207695Nov 4, 1991May 4, 1993Trout Iii Hugh HAortic graft, implantation device, and method for repairing aortic aneurysmUS5236446Mar 2, 1989Aug 17, 1993Dumon Jean FrancoisTubular endoprosthesis for anatomical conduitsUS5236447Jun 28, 1991Aug 17, 1993Nissho CorporationArtificial tubular organUS5275622Jul 13, 1990Jan 4, 1994Harrison Medical Technologies, Inc.Endovascular grafting apparatus, system and method and devices for use therewithUS5282824Jun 15, 1992Feb 1, 1994Cook, IncorporatedPercutaneous stent assemblyUS5290305Jul 28, 1992Mar 1, 1994Kanji InoueAppliance collapsible for insertion into human organs and capable of resilient restorationUS5292331Aug 24, 1989Mar 8, 1994Applied Vascular Engineering, Inc.Stent for implantation within a vesselUS5304200Jan 13, 1993Apr 19, 1994Cordis CorporationWelded radially expandable endoprosthesis and the likeUS5306294Aug 5, 1992Apr 26, 1994Ultrasonic Sensing And Monitoring Systems, Inc.Stent construction of rolled configurationUS5314472Oct 1, 1991May 24, 1994Cook IncorporatedVascular stentUS5330500Oct 17, 1991Jul 19, 1994Song Ho YSelf-expanding endovascular stent with silicone coatingUS5342387Jun 18, 1992Aug 30, 1994American Biomed, Inc.Artificial support for a blood vesselNon-Patent CitationsReference1Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences (BPAI) Final Decision and Judgement dated Jul. 27, 2001 in Interference No. 104,192.2Communication of a Notice of Opposition dated Jan. 26, 2001 for EP 783 873 (including Notice of Opposition).3Communication of a Notice of Opposition dated Jan. 26, 2001 for EP 783 874 (including Notice of Opposition).4Cragg et al., "Nonsurgical Placement of Arterial Endoprostheses: A New Technique Using Nitinol Wire", Radiology, vol. 147, No. 1, pp. 261-263 (Apr. 1983).5Cragg et al., "Percutaneous Arterial Grafting", Radiology, vol. 150, No. 1, pp. 45-49 (1984).6Cragg et al., "Stents/Vascular Stents", Interventional Radiology, pp. 686-692 (1990).7Declaration of Geoffrey H. White executed Feb. 18, 2000.8Declaration of Ian L. Gordon executed Jun. 17, 2000.9Declaration of Mark Dehdashtian dated Jun. 16, 2000.10Declaration of W. Davis dated Feb. 28, 2000.11Dotter et al., "Transluminal Expandable Nitinol Coil Stent Grafting: Preliminary Report", Technical Developments and Instrumentation, Radiology, vol. 147, pp. 259-260 (Apr. 1983).12European Search Report regarding European Application No. 97 20 0643. Dec. 15, 1998. 3 pgs.13Japanese Office Action in related Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-297206. Jan. 5, 2010. 7 pgs.14K. Otsuka et al., "Shape-Memory Alloys-Pseudoelasticity", Metals Forum, vol. 4, No. 3, pp. 142-152 (1981).15Memorandum Opinion and Final Judgment of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia dated Mar. 31, 2006, Civil Action No. 01 CV 2015.16Notice of Opposition by Scimed Life Sciences, Inc. to European Patent No. 0 676 937 B.17Notice of Reasons for Rejection of Japan Patent Application No. 2004-335171 dated Apr. 24, 2007.18Notice of Reasons for Rejection of Japan Patent Application No. 2006-104574 dated May 15, 2007.19Notice of Reasons for Rejection of Japan Patent Application No. 2006-104577 dated May 15, 2007.20Notice of Reasons of Rejection of Japan Patent Office Application No. H07-521275 dated May 18, 2004.21Office Action in U.S. Appl. No. 10/692,886 dated Mar. 17, 2009.22Office Action of Canadian Intellectual Property Office for Application No. 2,182,982 dated Jun. 14, 2004.23Official Action in Canadian Application No. 2,182,982, issued by the Canadian Intellectual Property Office on Mar. 30, 2006.24Opinion of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in No. 2006-1434 dated Aug. 8, 2007.25Opposition by William Cook Aps to European Patent No. 0 676 937 B.26Schetky, "Shape-Memory Alloys," Scientific American, Nov. 1979, pp. 74-82.27T.W. Duerig et al., "An Engineer's Perspective of Pseudoelasticity", pp. 369-393.28U.S. Appl. No. 08/051,728.29Verlag, "Interventional Radiology," pp. 692-699 (1990).30Video cassette allegedly showing operation conducted by Geoffrey H. White on Nov. 26, 1993.31Yoshioka et al., "Self-Expanding Endovascular Graft: An Experimental Study in Dogs," AJR 15: pp. 673-676 (1988).Classifications U.S. Classification623/1.35, 623/1.13International ClassificationA61F2/00, A61M25/12, A61F2/82, A61F2/90, A61F2/954, A61F2/958, A61F2/06, A61F2/07, A61F2/848Cooperative ClassificationY10S623/903, A61F2002/075, A61F2250/0098, A61F2002/828, A61F2002/061, A61F2/954, A61F2/958, A61F2/82, A61F2240/001, A61F2002/8486, A61F2/07, A61F2/90, A61F2/852, A61F2210/0019, A61F2002/065, A61F2220/0075, A61F2220/0033, A61F2220/0066European ClassificationA61F2/90, A61F2/82, A61F2/954, A61F2/07, A61F2/958Legal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionMar 14, 2013ASAssignmentFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:ACACIA RESEARCH GROUP LLC;REEL/FRAME:030003/0055Effective date: 20121227Owner name: LIFEPORT SCIENCES LLC, TEXASMar 8, 2013ASAssignmentOwner name: ACACIA RESEARCH GROUP LLC, TEXASFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:BOSTON SCIENTIFIC SCIMED, INC.;REEL/FRAME:029940/0514Effective date: 20121220RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services©2012 Google