(i9) United States
(12) Patent Application Publication (i0) Pub. No.: US 2008/0065209 Al
Pflueger (43) Pub. Date: Mar. 13,2008
(54) STENT FOR MAINTAINING PATENCY OF A BODY REGION
(76) Inventor: D. Russell Pflueger, Monarch
Beach, CA (US)
Correspondence Address:
Vista IP Law Group LLP
2040 MAIN STREET, 9TH FLOOR
IRVINE, CA 92614
(21) Appl. No.: 10/748,761
(22) Filed: Dec. 30, 2003
Related U.S. Application Data
(63) Continuation-in-part of application No. 10/624,915, filed on Jul. 22, 2003.
(60) Provisional application No. 60/436,945, filed on Dec. 30, 2002, provisional application No. 60/437,058, filed on Dec. 30, 2002.
Publication Classification
(51) Int. CI.
A61F 2/20 (2006.01)
(52) U.S. CI 623/9
(57) ABSTRACT
An apparatus and method for maintaining patency of a vessel or other body region is provided. The apparatus includes an appliance having a non-circumferential form and being effective in maintaining patency or openness, or causing to become patent or open, a body region in which the appliance is located. The appliance may be formed of a flexible metallic struts structured to be submucossally implanted into a wall of the vessel or other body region.
