Inventors:
Abraham Morgentaler - Chestnut Hill MA
Assignee:
The Beth Israel Hospital Association - Boston MA
International Classification:
A61M 2900
Abstract:
A method for the treatment of an obstructive portion of a urinary passageway of a mammal, comprising the steps of providing a stent thermally self-movable between a first condition in which the stent is rigid and generally tubular, and a second condition in which the stent is flexible and compressible, moving the stent in the second condition through a catheter to the obstructive portion of the urinary passageway while maintaining the stent in its second condition by flowing a cool solution through the stent, moving the stent out of the catheter and into the obstructive portion of the urinary passageway, and discontinuing the flow of cool solution, whereby the stent is caused by body temperature, or by the flow of a warm solution, to assume its first condition to hold open the obstructive portion of the urinary passageway.