Embolisation systems

Abstract

A bristle device for delivery into a body lumen comprises a longitudinally extending stem 1 and a plurality of bristles extending generally outwardly from the stem for anchoring the device in a body lumen. There may be at least two bristle segments and in some cases there are flexible sections between the segments. The flexible sections articulate to enable the device to pass through a catheter placed in a tortuous anatomy or to be deployed in a curved vessel, or across a bifurcation. In some cases at least some of the bristle segments are spaced-apart to accommodate bending of the bristles.

1 . An embolization device, comprising:
 a detachment mechanism on a proximal end;   a proximal segment;   a distal segment, each of the proximal and distal segments including a stem, and a plurality of anchoring bristles extending outwardly and circumferentially from the stem; and   a flow restricting membrane extending from the stem and having a radial extent less than the radial extent of the plurality of anchoring bristles of the proximal segment, wherein the flow restricting membrane does not overlap with the detachment mechanism when the flow restricting membrane is collapsed proximally.   
     
     
         2 . The embolization device of  claim 1 , wherein the detachment mechanism is a connector for releasably connecting to a delivery element for delivery of the embolization device into the expanded deployed configuration; wherein
 the connector is configured to facilitate movement between the delivery element and the embolization device and the connector is hingedly mounted to the embolization device.   
     
     
         3 . The embolization device of  claim 1 , wherein, in the deployed configuration bristles of the proximal segment extend partially in a first longitudinal direction and the bristles of the distal segment extend partially in a second longitudinal direction which is opposite to the first longitudinal direction, and the distal segment includes more bristles than the proximal segment. 
     
     
         4 . The embolization device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the segments has a segment bristle density from 100 to 1000 per centimeter of segment length. 
     
     
         5 . The embolization device of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more of:
 a proximal marker proximal to the most proximal segment;   an intermediate marker between the most proximal segment and a segment which is adjacent to the most proximal segment; and   a distal marker distal to the most distal segment.   
     
     
         6 . The embolization device of  claim 1 , wherein the detachment mechanism comprises a stem portion, wherein the stem portion has a mounting feature comprising a screw thread for engagement with a mounting feature of a delivery element. 
     
     
         7 . An embolization device comprising:
 a plurality of bristle segments having a contracted delivery configuration and an expanded deployed configuration;   a connector at a proximal end of the embolization device for releasably connecting to a delivery element for delivery of the embolization device into the expanded deployed configuration;   wherein the connector is configured to facilitate movement between the delivery element and the embolization device and the connector is hingedly mounted to the embolization device.   
     
     
         8 . The embolization device of  claim 7 , further comprising a flow restricting membrane extending from the stem and having a radial extent less than the radial extent of the plurality of anchoring bristles of the proximal segment, wherein the flow restricting membrane does not overlap with the connector when the flow restricting membrane is collapsed proximally. 
     
     
         9 . The embolization device of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of bristle segments include a proximal bristle segment and a distal bristle segment, and wherein, in the deployed configuration bristles of the proximal segment extend partially in a first longitudinal direction and the bristles of the distal segment extend partially in a second longitudinal direction which is opposite to the first longitudinal direction, and wherein the distal segment includes more bristles than the proximal segment. 
     
     
         10 . The embolization device of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the segments has a segment bristle density from 100 to 1000 per centimeter of segment length. 
     
     
         11 . The embolization device of  claim 7 , further comprising one or more of:
 a proximal marker proximal to the most proximal segment;   an intermediate marker between the most proximal segment and a segment which is adjacent to the most proximal segment; and   a distal marker distal to the most distal segment.   
     
     
         12 . An embolization device for promoting clot formation in a lumen comprising a proximal segment and a distal segment, each segment comprising a stem and a plurality of flexible bristles extending outwardly from the stem, the bristles having a contracted delivery configuration and a deployed configuration in which the bristles extend generally radially outwardly from the stem to anchor the device in a lumen wherein, in the deployed configuration bristles of the proximal segment extend partially in a first longitudinal direction and the bristles of the distal segment extend partially in a second longitudinal direction which is opposite to the first longitudinal direction, wherein the distal segment includes more bristles than the proximal segment. 
     
     
         13 . The embolization device of  claim 12 , further comprising a detachment mechanism on a proximal end. 
     
     
         14 . The embolization device of  claim 13 , further comprising a flow restricting membrane extending from the stem and having a radial extent less than the radial extent of the plurality of anchoring bristles of the proximal segment, wherein the flow restricting membrane does not overlap with the detachment mechanism when the flow restricting membrane is collapsed proximally. 
     
     
         15 . The embolization device of  claim 13 , wherein the detachment mechanism is a connector for releasably connecting to a delivery element for delivery of the embolization device into the expanded deployed configuration; wherein
 the connector is configured to facilitate movement between the delivery element and the embolization device and the connector is hingedly mounted to the embolization device.   
     
     
         16 . The embolization device of  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the segments has a segment bristle density from 100 to 1000 per centimeter of segment length. 
     
     
         17 . The embolization device of  claim 12 , further comprising one or more of:
 a proximal marker proximal to the most proximal segment;   an intermediate marker between the most proximal segment and a segment which is adjacent to the most proximal segment; and   a distal marker distal to the most distal segment.   
     
     
         18 . An embolization device for promoting clot formation in a body lumen comprising a stem and a plurality of flexible bristles extending generally radially outwardly from the stem, the bristles having a contracted delivery configuration and a deployed configuration in which the bristles extend generally radially outwardly of the stem to anchor the device in a lumen, the device comprising at least one segment, each segment comprising a plurality of bristles, wherein at least one of the segments has a segment bristle density from 100 to 1000 per centimeter of segment length. 
     
     
         19 . The embolization device of  claim 18 , wherein the embolization device comprises a plurality of bristle segments including a proximal bristle segment and a distal bristle segment. 
     
     
         20 . The embolization device of  claim 19 , further comprising a detachment mechanism on a proximal end. 
     
     
         21 . The embolization device of  claim 20 , further comprising a flow restricting membrane extending from the stem and having a radial extent less than the radial extent of the plurality of anchoring bristles of the proximal segment, wherein the flow restricting membrane does not overlap with the detachment mechanism when the flow restricting membrane is collapsed proximally. 
     
     
         22 . The embolization device of  claim 20 , wherein the detachment mechanism is a connector for releasably connecting to a delivery element for delivery of the embolization device into the expanded deployed configuration; wherein
 the connector is configured to facilitate movement between the delivery element and the embolization device and the connector is hingedly mounted to the embolization device.   
     
     
         23 . The embolization device of  claim 19 , wherein, in the deployed configuration bristles of the proximal segment extend partially in a first longitudinal direction and the bristles of the distal segment extend partially in a second longitudinal direction which is opposite to the first longitudinal direction, wherein the distal segment includes more bristles than the proximal segment. 
     
     
         24 . The embolization device of  claim 18 , further comprising one or more of:
 a proximal marker proximal to the most proximal segment;   an intermediate marker between the most proximal segment and a segment which is adjacent to the most proximal segment; and   a distal marker distal to the most distal segment.   
     
     
         25 . An embolization device for promoting clot formation in a lumen, the embolization device comprising at least two segments, each segment comprising a stem and a plurality of flexible bristles extending outwardly from the stem, the bristles having a contracted delivery configuration and a deployed configuration in which the bristles extend radially outwardly from the stem to anchor the device in a lumen, the embolization device comprising a proximal bristle segment comprising bristles configured to point proximally, at least one distal bristle segment comprising bristles configured to point distally and one or more of:
 a proximal marker proximal to the most proximal segment;   an intermediate marker between the most proximal segment and a segment which is adjacent to the most proximal segment; and   a distal marker distal to the most distal segment.   
     
     
         26 . The embolization device of  claim 25 , further comprising a detachment mechanism on a proximal end. 
     
     
         27 . The embolization device of  claim 26 , further comprising a flow restricting membrane extending from the stem and having a radial extent less than the radial extent of the plurality of anchoring bristles of the proximal segment, wherein the flow restricting membrane does not overlap with the detachment mechanism when the flow restricting membrane is collapsed proximally. 
     
     
         28 . The embolization device of  claim 26 , wherein the detachment mechanism is a connector for releasably connecting to a delivery element for delivery of the embolization device into the expanded deployed configuration; wherein
 the connector is configured to facilitate movement between the delivery element and the embolization device and the connector is hingedly mounted to the embolization device.   
     
     
         29 . The embolization device of  claim 25 , wherein, in the deployed configuration bristles of the proximal segment extend partially in a first longitudinal direction and the bristles of the distal segment extend partially in a second longitudinal direction which is opposite to the first longitudinal direction, wherein the distal segment includes more bristles than the proximal segment. 
     
     
         30 . The embolization device of  claim 25 . wherein at least one of the segments has a segment bristle density from 100 to 1000 per centimeter of segment length.