Apparatus and methods for delivering coiled prostheses

• US 20030130683A1
• Filed: 11/27/2002
• Published: 07/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JW Medical Systems Ltd
• Original Assignee: XTENT, Inc.
• Inventors: French, Ron, Andreas, Bernard
• Granted Patent: US 7,270,668 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/200
• 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 2/95 Instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts
• 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 2002/826 more than one stent being applied sequentially

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for delivering prostheses to body lumens, such as stents and grafts to blood vessels, utilize a delivery device which carries one or more linearized elements. The linearized elements assume non-linear configurations, particularly helical configurations, when advanced and released from the delivery device. By selectively controlling the length and/or number of elements delivered from the delivery device, extended and disseminated disease within the body lumens may be effectively treated.

Claims

1. A method for delivering a prosthesis to a body lumen, said method comprising:

introducing a delivery device to an interior of the body lumen, wherein said device carries a linearized element;

advancing the element relative to the delivery device within the interior of the body lumen, wherein the element assumes a non-linear configuration which traverses a surface region of the interior of the body lumen as the element is advanced; and

releasing the element in the non-linear configuration from the delivery device into the body lumen.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein releasing comprises severing the element after the non-linear configuration has traversed a desired length of the body lumen.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein the linearized element has a predetermined length and wherein releasing comprises advancing the entire predetermined length from the delivery device.

4. A method as in claim 1, wherein advancing comprises drawing the delivery device relative to the body lumen and pushing the linearized element from the delivery device as said delivery device is drawn.

5. A method as in claim 4, wherein the rate of drawing the delivery device is varied relative to the rate of pushing the linearized element from the delivery device in order to control the pattern in which the element is laid on the surface region.

6. A method as in claim 4, wherein the element assumes a helical configuration and the delivery device is rotated as the element is pushed.

7. A method as in claim 1, wherein the linearized element is at least partially malleable and wherein advancing comprises deforming the element into a preselected geometry as it is advanced.

8. A method as in claim 7, wherein the preselected geometry is helical.

9. A method as in claim 8, wherein advancing comprises drawing the delivery device relative to the body lumen and pushing the linearized element from the delivery device as the delivery device is drawn.

10. A method as in claim 9, wherein the rate of drawing the delivery device is varied relative to the rate of pushing the linearized element in order to control the pitch of the helical geometry.

11. A method as in claim 1, wherein the linearized element is pre-shaped with a spring memory and wherein advancing comprises releasing the element from a linearized constraint.

12. A method as in claim 11, wherein the constraint is a passage within the delivery device and wherein advancing comprises pushing the element from the passage as the device is drawn relative to the body lumen.

13. A method as in claim 12, wherein the rate of drawing the delivery device is varied relative to the rate of pushing the linearized element from the delivery device in order to control the pattern in which the element is laid on the surface region.

14. A method as in claim 1, wherein the element is composed at least partly of a bioabsorbable material.

15. A method as in claim 14, wherein the element comprises a metal scaffold covered with a polymeric layer.

16. A method as in any of one of claims 1-12, wherein the body lumen is a blood vessel.

17. A method as in claim 13, wherein the element is advanced so that it traverses a region of the blood vessel with diffuse disease over a length of at least 10 mm.

18. A method as in claim 13, wherein the element is coated or loaded with an active substance which inhibits hyperplasia after the element has been placed in the blood vessel.

19. A catheter for delivering a helical prosthesis, said catheter comprising:

a catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, and at least one lumen;

a linearized element in the lumen of the catheter body; and

means for advancing and releasing at least one length of the linearized element from the lumen, wherein the element assumes a non-linear configuration.

20. A catheter as in claim 19, wherein the advancing and releasing means comprises a means for selectively severing the element to release non-linear portions of the element from the catheter body.

21. A catheter as in claim 19, wherein the linearized element is divided into discrete lengths so that the lengths are releasing as they are fully advanced from the lumen of the catheter body.