Vascular occlusion devices and methods

Abstract

A vascular occlusion device includes a braided filament mesh structure defining a longitudinal axis. The mesh structure has a relaxed configuration in which it has an axial array of radially-extending occlusion regions, each of which has a proximal side and a distal side meeting at a peripheral edge, the sides of each occlusion region forming a first angle relative to the longitudinal axis. Each occlusion region is axially separated from the adjacent occlusion region by a reduced-diameter connecting region. The mesh structure is radially compressible to a compressed state in which it is deployed intravascularly to a target site through a catheter. Upon deployment, the device radially expands to a constrained configuration in which the peripheral edges of the occlusion regions engage the vascular wall, and the sides of the occlusion regions form a second angle relative to the longitudinal axis that is smaller than the first angle.

I/We claim: 
     
         1 . A device for embolizing a blood vessel, comprising:
 a mesh structure including a plurality of filaments braided together, wherein the mesh structure is configured to radially expand from a compressed state to an expanded state within the blood vessel;   wherein, in the compressed state, the mesh structure has a generally cylindrical shape; and   wherein, in the expanded state—
 the mesh structure includes a plurality of radially extending regions, 
 individual ones of the radially extending regions include an apex configured to contact a wall of the blood vessel, 
 each of the apices has a thickness along a longitudinal axis of the device, and 
 the combined thicknesses of the apices is less than about 50% of a total length of the mesh structure along the longitudinal axis. 
   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the filaments are each formed from a shape-memory material. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the filaments are generally flexible. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the radially extending regions are porous and configured to impede blood flow through the vascular lumen. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1  wherein, in the expanded state, the thickness of each of the apices is less than about 1 millimeter. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1  wherein, in the expanded state, a distance between adjacent pairs of the apices is between 0.7 millimeter and 4.5 millimeters. 
     
     
         7 . A device for embolizing a blood vessel, comprising:
 a mesh structure configured to radially expand from a compressed state to an expanded state within the blood vessel;   wherein, in the compressed state, the mesh structure has a generally cylindrical shape; and   wherein, in the expanded state—
 the mesh structure includes a plurality of radially extending regions and a plurality of core portions, 
 individual ones of the core portions are between an adjacent pair of the radially extending portions, 
 the radially extending regions and the core portions are flexible to permit the mesh structure to conform to a cross-section of the blood vessel, 
 individual ones of the radially extending regions include an apex configured to contact a wall of the blood vessel, 
 each of the apices has a thickness along a longitudinal axis of the device, and 
 the combined thicknesses of the apices is less than about 50% of a total length of the mesh structure along the longitudinal axis. 
   
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7  wherein the radially extending regions are porous and configured to impede blood flow through the vascular lumen. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 7  wherein, in the expanded state, the thickness of each of the apices is less than about 1 millimeter. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 7  wherein, in the expanded state, a distance between adjacent pairs of the apices is between 0.7 millimeter and 4.5 millimeters. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 7  wherein the mesh structure includes a plurality of filaments braided together, and wherein the filaments are formed of a shape-memory material. 
     
     
         12 . A device for embolizing a blood vessel, comprising:
 a mesh structure configured to radially expand from a compressed state to an expanded state within the blood vessel;   wherein, in the compressed state, the mesh structure has a generally cylindrical shape; and   wherein, in the expanded state—
 the mesh structure includes a plurality of radially extending regions, 
 individual ones of the radially extending regions include an apex configured to contact a wall of the blood vessel, and 
 a distance between adjacent pairs of the apices is between 0.7 millimeter and 4.5 millimeters. 
   
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12  wherein the mesh structure includes a plurality of filaments braided together, and wherein the filaments are formed of a shape-memory material. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13  wherein the combined thicknesses of the apices is less than about 50% of a total length of the mesh structure along the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 13  wherein the filaments are flexible. 
     
     
         16 . A device for embolizing a blood vessel, comprising:
 a mesh structure configured to radially expand from a compressed state to an expanded state within the blood vessel;   wherein, in the compressed state, the mesh structure has a generally cylindrical shape; and   wherein, in the expanded state—
 the mesh structure includes a plurality of radially extending regions, 
 individual ones of the radially extending regions include an apex configured to contact a wall of the blood vessel, 
 each of the apices has a thickness along a longitudinal axis of the device of less than about 1 millimeter. 
   
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16  wherein the mesh structure includes a plurality of filaments braided together, wherein the filaments are formed of a shape-memory material, and wherein the combined thicknesses of the apices is less than about 50% of a total length of the mesh structure along the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         18 . A device for embolizing a blood vessel, comprising:
 a mesh structure configured to radially expand from a compressed state to an expanded state within the blood vessel;   wherein, in the compressed state, the mesh structure has a generally cylindrical shape; and   wherein, in the expanded state—
 the mesh structure includes a plurality of radially extending regions, 
 individual ones of the radially extending regions include an apex configured to contact a wall of the blood vessel, and 
 each of the apices has an edge radius that is between 0.10 millimeter and 0.40 millimeter. 
   
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18  wherein the mesh structure includes a plurality of filaments braided together, and wherein the filaments are formed of a shape-memory material. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 18  wherein the combined thicknesses of the apices is less than about 50% of a total length of the mesh structure along the longitudinal axis.