Implant delivery system with interlock

• US 20020120322A1
• Filed: 02/26/2001
• Published: 08/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ev3 Peripheral Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Ev3 Peripheral Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Thompson, Paul J., Lee, Nathan T.
• Granted Patent: US 6,623,518 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/91 made from perforated sheet material or tubes, e.g. perforated by laser cuts or etched holes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/915 with bands having a meander structure, adjacent bands being connected to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/95 Instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/9517 handle assemblies therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91541 Adjacent bands are arranged out of phase
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91558 connected peak to peak
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91591 Locking connectors, e.g. using male-female connections
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9583 Means for holding the stent on the balloon, e.g. using protrusions, adhesives or an outer sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9665 with additional retaining means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/005 using adhesives

Abstract

An implant delivery system includes outer and inner elongated, flexible tubular members each having a distal and proximal end. The outer tubular member is sized to be passed through the body lumen with the distal end advanced to the deployment site and with the proximal end remaining external of the patient'"'"'s body for manipulation by an operator. The inner tubular member is sized to be received within the outer tubular member. The outer tubular and inner tubular members are axially slidable relative to one another between a transport position and the deploy position. The inner tubular member has an implant attachment location at its distal end. The implant attachment location is covered by the outer tubular member when the inner and outer tubular members are in the transport position. The implant attachment location is exposed when the inner and outer tubular members are in the deploy position. Sliding relative motion between the inner and outer members exposes first a distal end of the implant attachment location and last a proximal end of the stent attachment location. An implant is carried at the implant attachment location. A proximal end of the implant is interlocked with the inner member to be restricted from axial movement relative thereto until the distal end of said outer tubular member moves proximally to the proximal end of the implant attachment location.

Claims

1. A stent delivery system for delivering a stent to a deployment site in a body lumen of a patient'"'"'s body, said stent delivery system comprising:

an elongated, flexible, hollow outer tubular member having a distal end and a proximal end;

an elongated, flexible, inner member having a distal end and a proximal end;

said outer tubular member sized to be passed through said body lumen with said distal end advanced to said deployment site and with said proximal end external to said body for manipulation by an operator;

said inner member sized to be received within said outer tubular member with said inner member and said outer tubular member axially slideable relative to one another between a transport position and a deploy position;

said inner tubular member having a stent attachment location at said distal end of said inner tubular member, said stent attachment location having a proximal end and a distal end, said stent attachment location covered by said outer tubular member when said inner and outer tubular members are in said transport position, said stent attachment location exposed when said inner and outer tubular members are in said deploy position, sliding relative motion between said inner member and said outer tubular member from said transport position to said deploy position exposing first said distal end of said stent attachment location, an intermediate portion of said stent attachment location and then said proximal end of said stent attachment location;

a stent carried at said stent attachment location with a distal and proximal ends of said stent at said distal and proximal ends, respectively, of said stent attachment location;

said proximal end of said stent being interlocked with said inner member to be restricted from axial movement relative thereto until said distal end of said outer tubular member moves proximally to said proximal end of said stent attachment location as said inner and outer members move toward said deploy position.

2. A stent delivery system according to claim 1 wherein said proximal end of said stent releasably secured to said inner member to be restricted from rotary movement relative thereto until said distal end of said outer tubular member moves proximally to said proximal end of said stent attachment location as said inner and outer members move toward said deploy position.

3. A stent delivery system according to claim 1 wherein said proximal end of said stent has a stent geometry and said inner member at said proximal end of said stent attachment location has a complimentary mating geometry to restrict relative axial movement between said proximal end of said stent and said inner member at said proximal end of said stent attachment location while permitting unrestricted radial expansion of said proximal end of said stent at said proximal end of said stent attachment location after said distal member of said outer tubular member has moved to expose said proximal end of said stent attachment location.

4. A stent delivery system according to claim 2 wherein said proximal end of said stent has a stent geometry and said inner member at said proximal end of said stent attachment location has a complimentary mating geometry to restrict relative rotary movement between said proximal end of said stent and said inner member at said proximal end of said stent attachment location while permitting unrestricted radial expansion of said proximal end of said stent at said proximal end of said stent attachment location after said distal member of said outer tubular member has moved to expose said proximal end of said stent attachment location.

5. A stent delivery system according to claim 1 wherein said stent geometry is asymmetrical for said proximal end of said stent to be mated to said proximal end of said stent attachment location in a predetermined rotary alignment.

6. A stent delivery system according to claim 1 wherein said stent geometry is symmetrical for said proximal end of said stent to be mated to said proximal end of said stent attachment location in any one of a plurality of rotary alignments.

7. A stent delivery system according to claim 2 wherein said stent geometry is asymmetrical for said proximal end of said stent to be mated to said proximal end of said stent attachment location in a predetermined rotary alignment.

8. A stent delivery system according to claim 2 wherein said stent geometry is symmetrical for said proximal end of said stent to be mated to said proximal end of said stent attachment location in any one of a plurality of rotary alignments.

9. A stent delivery system according to claim 5 further comprising a radiopaque indicator indicating a rotary position of said stent.

10. A stent delivery system according to claim 5 wherein said proximal end of said stent attachment location includes a radiopaque indicator indicating a rotary position of said attachment location.

11. A stent delivery system according to claim 1 wherein said complimentary mating geometry is formed in a radiopaque material at said proximal end of said stent attachment location.

12. A stent delivery system according to claim 1 wherein said complimentary mating geometry is formed in a collar positioned said proximal end of said stent attachment location.

13. A stent delivery system according to claim 1 wherein said distal end of said outer tubular member has a radiopaque marking.

14. A stent delivery system according to claim 1 wherein said inner tubular member is hollow to track over a guide wire.

16. The implant delivery system of claim 15, wherein the implant comprises a stent.

17. The implant delivery system of claim 15, wherein at least a portion of the first interlock structure is positioned within 2 millimeters of the first end of the implant.

18. The implant delivery system of claim 15, wherein the elongated body includes a radio-opaque marker positioned adjacent to the implant mounting location, and wherein the marker defines the second interlock structure.

19. The implant delivery system of claim 15, wherein the first end of the implant is a proximal end of the implant.

20. The implant delivery system of claim 15, wherein the implant includes a plurality of separate first interlock structures having at least portions positioned within 5 millimeters of the first end, and wherein the elongated body includes a plurality of second interlock structures for interlocking with the first interlock structures.

21. The implant delivery system of claim 15, wherein the first interlock structure is the male interlock structure and the second interlock structure is the female interlock structure.

22. The implant delivery system of claim 21, wherein the male interlock structure includes an enlargement positioned at the first end of the implant.

23. The implant delivery system of claim 22, wherein the implant includes a plurality of enlargements at the first end of the implant.

24. The implant delivery system of claim 22, wherein the male interlock structure includes a circumferential projection positioned at the first end of the implant.

25. The implant delivery system of claim 24, wherein the implant includes a plurality of the circumferential projections at the first end of the implant.

26. The implant delivery system of claim 15, wherein the first interlock structure is the female interlock structure and the second interlock structure is the male interlock structure.

27. The implant delivery system of claim 26, wherein the implant includes struts, and the female interlock structure includes a post opening defined through at least one of the struts.

28. The implant delivery system of claim 26, wherein the implant includes a plurality of the post openings.

29. The implant of claim 26, wherein the implant includes struts, and the female interlock structure includes an opening between the struts.

15. An implant delivery system comprising:

a catheter including an elongated member having an implant mounting location;

an expandable implant mounted on the elongated body at the implant mounting location, the implant being expandable from a compressed orientation to an expanded orientation, the implant including first and second ends;

a sheath mounted on the elongated member, the sheath being positionable in a transport position in which the sheath covers the implant mounted at the implant mounting location, the sheath also being positionable in a deploy position in which the implant is exposed;

the implant including a first interlock structure and the elongated body including a second interlock structure, the first and second interlock structures interlocking to constrain axial movement of the implant relative to the elongated member when the implant is at least partially within the sheath;

one of the first and second interlock structures including a male interlock structure and the other of the first and second interlock structures including a female interlock structure adapted to receive the male interlock structure when the implant is in the compressed orientation; and

at least a portion of the first interlock structure being positioned within 5 millimeters of the first end of the implant.

30. A method for deploying a self-expandable implant with a deployment system, the deployment system including a sheath for holding the implant in a compressed orientation, the implant including first and second ends, the implant also including an interlock surface positioned between inner and outer diameters of the implant, the interlock surface being located within 5 millimeters of the first end of the implant, the method comprising:

generating relative movement between the implant and the sheath to expose the implant;

engaging the interlock surface with a retainer as the implant is exposed to prevent the implant from prematurely exiting the sheath; and

after the implant has been exposed beyond the interlock surface, disengaging the interlock surface from the retainer by self-expanding the implant.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the implant is a stent.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the interlock surface is within 2 millimeters of the first end of the implant.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein the first end of the implant is a proximal end of the implant and the second end of the implant is a distal end of the implant.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the implant is a stent.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the interlock surface is within 2 millimeters of the first end of the implant.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein the first end of the implant is a proximal end of the implant and the second end of the implant is a distal end of the implant.

39. The stent delivery system of claim 38, wherein the elongated body includes a radio-opaque marker positioned adjacent to the stent mounting location, and wherein the marker defines the female interlock structures.

40. The stent delivery system of claim 38, wherein the first end of the stent is a proximal end of the stent.

41. The stent delivery system of claim 38, wherein the male interlock structures are rounded enlargements.

42. The stent delivery system of claim 38, wherein the male interlock structures are positioned exclusively between inner and outer diameters of the stent.

43. The stent delivery system of claim 38, wherein the male interlock structures are uniformly spaced about a circumference of the stent.

44. The stent delivery system of claim 38, wherein the stent includes at least four of the male interlock structures.

46. The stent delivery system of claim 45, wherein the elongated body includes a radio-opaque marker positioned adjacent to the stent mounting location, and wherein the marker defines the male interlock structures.

47. The stent delivery system of claim 45, wherein the first end of the stent is a proximal end of the stent.

48. The stent delivery system of claim 45, wherein the female interlock structures are uniformly spaced about a circumference of the stent.

49. The stent delivery system of claim 45, wherein the stent includes at least four of the female interlock structures.

34. A method for deploying a self-expandable implant with a deployment system, the deployment system including a sheath for holding the implant in a compressed orientation, the implant including an implant body that extends along an axis between first and second ends, the implant also including an interlock surface that faces in an axial direction, the interlock surface being located within 5 millimeters of the first end of the implant, the method comprising:

generating relative movement between the implant and the sheath to expose the implant;

engaging the interlock surface with a retainer as the implant is exposed to prevent the implant from prematurely exiting the sheath; and

after the implant has been exposed beyond the interlock surface, disengaging the interlock surface from the retainer by self-expanding the implant.

38. A stent delivery system comprising:

a catheter including an elongated member having a stent mounting location;

an expandable stent mounted on the elongated body at the stent mounting location, the stent being expandable from a compressed orientation to an expanded orientation, the stent including first and second ends;

a sheath mounted on the elongated member, the sheath being positionable in a transport position in which the sheath covers the stent mounted at the stent mounting location, the sheath also being positionable in a deploy position in which the stent is exposed;

the stent including a plurality of struts at least some of which have free ends defining the first end of the stent, the stent also including at least two male interlock structures positioned at the free ends of the struts adjacent the first end of the stent; and

the elongated body including female interlock structures that receive the male interlock structures to constrain axial movement of the stent relative to the elongated member when the stent is at least partially within the sheath.

45. A stent delivery system comprising:

a catheter including an elongated member having a stent mounting location;

an expandable stent mounted on the elongated body at the stent mounting location, the stent being expandable from a compressed orientation to an expanded orientation, the stent including first and second ends;

a sheath mounted on the elongated member, the sheath being positionable in a transport position in which the sheath covers the stent mounted at the stent mounting location, the sheath also being positionable in a deploy position in which the stent is exposed;

the stent defining including at least two female male interlock structures positioned within 5 millimeters of the first end of the stent; and

the elongated body including male interlock structures that are received within the female interlock structures to constrain axial movement of the stent relative to the elongated member when the stent is at least partially within the sheath.