Patent ID: 8888836

Claim:
A medical device for gradually restoring blood flow through a body vessel, the medical device comprising: a cylindrical tubular stent disposable in the body vessel such that blood flows therethrough from a proximal end to a distal end; and a flow restrictor device including a body portion of a flexible material having an inlet and an outlet, the body portion defining a lumen that extends between the inlet and the outlet, the inlet of the body portion being attached to the distal end of the cylindrical tubular stent, a self-expanding annular member attached to the outlet of the body portion, such that the body portion bridges a gap between the distal end of the stent and the annular member, and a plurality of temporary linkages attached to the annular member that constrict a diameter of the annular member and the outlet of the body portion, wherein the plurality of temporary linkages allows expansion of the annular member in vivo to transform the lumen of the body portion of the flow restrictor device from an initial frustoconical shape that reduces blood flow therethrough to a final cylindrical shape that allows unimpeded blood flow therethrough.