| abstract |
This is a device for bridging the neck of either a wide-necked or narrow-necked aneurysm as may be found in the vasculature. It may be used to stabilize the placement of vaso-occlusive devices such as helically wound coils in the aneurysm or may be used to, at least partially, close the aneurysm neck. The vaso-occlusive devices, commonly helically wound coils, are delivered by a core wire which is linked to the coils by an electrolytically severable joint. The core wire will often be insulated. The retainer assembly itself is also attached to another delivery device, such as a core wire, and desirably is severed from the core or delivery wire by the use of another electrolytically severable joint. The inventive neck bridge typically has a number of array elements which are intended to be resident within the aneurysm after the device is deployed from the distal end of a catheter. Central to this invention is the use of array elements having differing flexibility or constituent members of the array elements, e.g., wires making up the array elements, which are of differing flexibilities. After deployment of this retainer, the aneurysm may be at least partially filled with vaso-occlusive devices such as helically wound coils. |