Methods for delivering and using a stent

• US 10,722,392 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2017
• Issued: 07/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microvention Incorporated (Terumo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microvention Incorporated (Terumo Corporation)
• Inventors: Pung, Ponaka, Nguyen, Helen
• Primary Examiner(s): Shi, Katherine M
• Application Number:
  US15/725,142
• Publication Number:
  US 20180092767A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,028 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/013 Distal protection devices, i.e. devices placed distally in combination with another endovascular procedure, e.g. angioplasty or stenting
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/88 the wire-like elements formed as helical or spiral coils forming a net-like or mesh-like structure A61F2/90
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/90 characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/966 with relative longitudinal movement between outer sleeve and prosthesis, e.g. using a push rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/016 made from wire-like elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/018 made from tubes or sheets of material, e.g. by etching or laser-cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/828 Means for connecting a plurality of stents allowing flexibility of the whole structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0013 Horseshoe-shaped, e.g. crescent-shaped, C-shaped, U-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0015 differing in density or specific weight
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0023 differing in porosity
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0098 radio-opaque, e.g. radio-opaque markers

Abstract

Disclosed is a method, apparatus, and kit for assisting the expansion of a self-expanding stent, especially within highly curved or tortuous blood vessels. An elongated pusher having an expandable distal mesh portion can be positioned within a self-expanding stent, expanding during delivery to provide extra expansion force to the stent to ensure the stent properly expands.

Claims

1. A stent delivery device comprising:

an elongated element;

a mesh portion disposed around the elongated element and further having a compressed configuration and a radially-expanded configuration; and

, a stent disposed over the mesh portion;

wherein the mesh portion radially expands against an interior of the stent during deployment of the stent from a catheter to form, in its radially-expanded configuration, a plurality of bulb shapes.

2. The stent delivery device of claim 1, further comprising a pusher body.

3. The stent delivery device of claim 2, wherein the elongated element extends distally from the pusher body.

4. The stent delivery device of claim 3, wherein the elongated element spans a lumen of the pusher body.

5. The stent delivery device of claim 3, wherein the elongated element is attached to a distal end of the pusher body.

6. The stent delivery device of claim 3, wherein the stent is engaged with the pusher body.

7. The stent delivery device of claim 3, wherein a proximal end of the mesh portion is fixed to a distal end of the pusher body.

8. The stent delivery device of claim 3, wherein the mesh portion longitudinally slides on the elongated element.

9. The stent delivery device of claim 3, wherein at least a portion of the elongated element is exposed from a distal end of the pusher body.

10. The stent delivery device of claim 3, wherein a proximal end of the mesh portion is connected at a distal end of the elongated pusher body and wherein the elongated element extends from the elongated pusher body, into the mesh portion, and terminates within a proximal-most bulb of the mesh portion.

11. The stent delivery device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of bulb shapes each have a shape selected from:

a sphere, a spheroid, an elongated cylinder, a cone, or a shape with a proximally increasing and proximally decreasing conical shape.

12. The stent delivery device of claim 1, wherein a distal end of the mesh portion slides on the elongated element and wherein a proximal end of the mesh portion is longitudinally fixed relative to the elongated element.

13. The stent delivery device of claim 1, further comprising a marker band fixed on the elongated element and positioned within the mesh portion.

14. The stent delivery device of claim 1, wherein in its radially-expanded configuration, the plurality of bulb shapes of the mesh portion comprises a first bulb shape, a second bulb shape, and a reduced-diameter shape between the first bulb shape and the second bulb shape.

15. A stent delivery device comprising:

a stent;

an elongated element used to deliver the stent through a catheter;

a mesh portion disposed around the elongated element, and further having a compressed configuration and a radially-expanded configuration;

the stent disposed over the mesh portion;

wherein a distal end of the mesh portion slides on the elongated element and wherein a proximal end of the mesh portion is longitudinally fixed relative to the elongated element; and

wherein the mesh portion radially expands against an interior of the stent during deployment of the stent from the catheter.

16. The stent delivery device of claim 15, wherein the elongated element is a core wire which extends distally from a pusher body.

17. A stent delivery device comprising:

a stent;

a pusher used to deliver the stent through a catheter;

a mesh portion disposed around a distal portion of the pusher, and further having a compressed configuration and a radially-expanded configuration;

the stent disposed over the mesh portion;

wherein the mesh portion comprises in its radially-expanded configuration a first bulb shape, a second bulb shape, and a reduced-diameter shape between the first bulb shape and the second bulb shape;

wherein the mesh portion radially expands against an interior of the stent during deployment of the stent from the catheter.

18. The stent delivery device of claim 17, wherein the distal portion of the pusher includes an elongated core wire extending from a proximal pusher body.

19. The stent delivery device of claim 17 wherein the mesh portion contacts the interior of the stent when the stent is disposed within the catheter, such that pushing the pusher forward propels the stent forward, while proximally retracting the pusher in turn proximally retracts the stent.