Importance

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Abstract

A stent (10) adapted for placement in a body lumen (50) such as the urethra, ureters, common bile duct, vagina, cervix, fallopian tubes, sinus tract, rectum, bowel, esophagus or vascular system is configured as a coil (14) whose adjacent loops (12) can be pulled apart for removing the stent (10) from the body lumen (50). More particularly, the loops (12) abut one another but are not compressed, and adjacent coil loops are detachably secured to one another to yield a resilient configuration (17) of generally fixed dimension. The stent (10) is substantially imperforate between adjacent coil loops (12), so as to prevent tissue ingrowth or intrusion between them and obviate any interference with removal of the stent (10). Removal of the stent (10) from the body lumen (50) is achieved by detachment of adjacent coil loops (12) from one another. The adjacent coil loops (12) can be secured to one another directly during their curing, or by a separate layer of silicone adhesive (20). Indeed, a separate layer of silicone adhesive (20) can be applied to selectively adjust the parting strength of adjacent coil loops (12) which were self-adhered during curing. The loops (12) can be formed from a strand (30) of a physiologically acceptable metal wire, or from a continuous solid or tubular strand (18) of a medical grade silicone, fluorocarbon, rubber, latex, or vinyl or urethane polymer. The stent (10) is particularly advantageous over prior devices in reducing patient discomfort and the chance of tissue trauma or damage arising from removal of the stent (10) from the body lumen (50).

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First Claim