Importance

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Abstract

A tack device for holding plaque against blood vessel walls in treating atherosclerotic occlusive disease is formed as a thin, annular band of durable, flexible material having a plurality of barbs or anchoring points on its outer annular periphery. The annular band has 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. In a preferred embodiment, the tack device is formed as a compressible metallic mesh band having outer barbs on outer sides of the mesh structure. Another embodiment may have a plurality of compressible mesh bands may be formed spaced apart coaxially from each other and connected by longitudinally extending bridge members. 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, in order to avoid the need to install a stent and thereby maintain a ‘stent-free’ environment.

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First Claim