The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 10, 1998
Filed:
Dec. 22, 1995
Lixiao Wang, Maple Grove, MN (US);
Roger Hastings, Maple Grove, MN (US);
Paul Buscemi, Long Lake, MN (US);
Sew-Wah Tay, Plymouth, MN (US);
Scimed Life Systems, Inc., Maple Grove, MN (US);
Abstract
A temporary stent comprises a coil of tubular thermoplastic material and a heating element inside the tubular material, or a film with a metal film resistive heating element coated thereon. A method of temporarily supporting the wall of a vessel comprises the steps of inserting a thermoplastic body having a first outer dimension less than the inside dimension of the vessel into the vessel to the desired support position; heating the thermoplastic above its softening transition temperature and expanding it to a second outer dimension larger than its first outer dimension; cooling the thermoplastic body to below its softening transition temperature while at its second outer dimension; allowing the cooled thermoplastic body to temporarily support the vessel; heating the thermoplastic above its softening transition temperature to soften the thermoplastic; and removing the softened thermoplastic body from the vessel.