US Patent 7449027 Modifying fluid flow in a body vessel lumen to promote intraluminal flow-sensitive processes

The present invention, in one embodiment, provides an implantable intraluminal fluid flow control system comprising an interface and a flow-modifying device positioned at a flow-modifying effective distance from the interface within the lumen of a body vessel. In one embodiment, the invention relates to maintaining, regulating or varying the fluid flow within a body vessel to preserve, promote, alter or enhance remodeling of tissue at the interface. Remodeling can include the resorption and replacement of implanted remodelable material with autologous tissue. The interface can comprise remodelable material such as small intestine submucosa. In one embodiment, one or more interfaces are positioned at flow-modifying effective distances from one or more flow-modifying devices. Related medical devices, kits and methods of treatment are also provided in some embodiments.