Method of stenting a vessel with stent lumenal diameter increasing distally

• US 20030139803A1
• Filed: 11/22/2002
• Published: 07/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Biosensors International Group, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Biosensors International Group, Ltd.
• Inventors: Elicker, Robert John, Laborde, Jean-Claude, Sequin, Jacques
• Application Number:
  US10/304,085
• Publication Number:
  US 20030139803A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.16
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/856 Single tubular stent with a side portal passage
• 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 2/954 for placing stents or stent-grafts in a bifurcation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/958 Inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/065 Y-shaped blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/067 modular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91541 Adjacent bands are arranged out of phase
• 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 2220/005 using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0013 Horseshoe-shaped, e.g. crescent-shaped, C-shaped, U-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped

Abstract

A device and method for treating fluid-carrying conduits of the human body (such as blood vessels) in an area of a bifurcation are disclosed. In particular, a stent delivery system is configured to carry a stent which tapers from a smaller diameter end to a larger diameter end. The stent is deployed in a vessel such that blood flows into the smaller diameter end of the stent and exits the larger diameter end. The stent is particularly suited for treating a widened portion of a blood vessel immediately proximal to a bifurcation.

Claims

1. A method of treating a vessel having blood flow from an upstream direction to a downstream direction, comprising the steps of:

providing a delivery catheter having a stent thereon;

positioning the catheter such that the stent is at a treatment site within the vessel; and

deploying the stent in the vessel such that a downstream end of the stent has a greater diameter than an upstream end of the stent.

2. A method of treating a vessel as in claim 1, further comprising the step of dilating the treatment site prior to the positioning step.

3. A method of treating a vessel as in claim 1, wherein the deploying step comprises removing a restraint from the stent and permitting the stent to self expand.

4. A method of treating a vessel as in claim 1, wherein the deploying step comprises deploying the stent in a main vessel adjacent a bifurcation into a first and second branch vessels.

5. A method of treating a vessel as in claim 4, further comprising the step of deploying a second stent in one of the first and second branch vessels.

6. A method of treating a vessel as in claim 5, wherein the step of deploying a second stent in one of the first and second branch vessels is accomplished after the deploying the stent in the vessel step.

7. A method of treating a vessel as in claim 1, wherein the downstream end of the stent expands to a diameter that is at least about 105% of the diameter of the upstream end of the stent.

8. A method of treating a vessel as in claim 1, wherein the downstream end of the stent expands to a diameter that is at least about 10% of the diameter of the upstream end of the stent.

9. A method of treating a vascular bifurcation of a main vessel into first and second branch vessels, comprising the steps of:

providing a tapered stent, expandable into a configuration having a large diameter end and a small diameter end; and

deploying the stent in the main vessel such that blood flowing in the vessel enters the small diameter end and exits the large diameter end.

10. A method of treating a vascular bifurcation as in claim 9, wherein the deploying step comprises proximally retracting an outer sheath on the delivery catheter.

11. A method of treating a vascular bifurcation as in claim 9, wherein the deploying step comprises expanding the stent on a balloon.

12. A method of treating a vascular bifurcation as in claim 9, wherein the deploying step comprises expanding the small diameter end to a diameter within the range of from about 3 mm to about 6 mm.

13. A method of treating a vascular bifurcation as in claim 12, wherein the deploying step comprises expanding the small diameter end to a diameter within the range of from about 3.5 mm to about 5.5 mm.

14. A method of treating a vascular bifurcation as in claim 12, wherein the deploying step comprises expanding the larger diameter end to a diameter within the range of from about 5 mm to about 8 mm.

15. A method of treating a vascular bifurcation as in claim 13, wherein the deploying step comprises expanding the larger diameter end to a diameter within the range of from about 5.5 mm to about 7.5 mm.

36. A method of treating a vascular bifurcation of a main vessel into first and second branch vessels as in claim 9, wherein the bifurcation is in a coronary artery.

37. A method of treating a vascular bifurcation of a main vessel into first and second branch vessels as in claim 9, wherein the bifurcation is in a circumflex artery.

38. A method of treating a vascular bifurcation of a main vessel into first and second branch vessels as in claim 9, wherein the bifurcation is in a carotid artery.

39. A method of treating a vascular bifurcation of a main vessel into first and second branch vessels as in claim 9, wherein the bifurcation is in a femoral artery.

40. A method of treating a vascular bifurcation of a main vessel into first and second branch vessels as in claim 9, wherein the bifurcation is in a popliteal artery.

41. A method of treating a vascular bifurcation of a main vessel into first and second branch vessels as in claim 9, wherein the bifurcation is in a renal artery.

42. A method of treating a vascular bifurcation of a main vessel into first and second branch vessels as in claim 9, wherein the bifurcation is in an iliac artery.

16. A method of treating a vascular bifurcation of a coronary artery into first and second branch vessels, comprising the steps of:

providing a tapered stent, expandable into a configuration having an upstream end having a diameter within the range of from about 3 mm to about 6 mm, and a downstream end having a diameter within the range of from about 5 mm to about 8 mm; and

deploying the stent in the coronary artery such that the upstream end has a smaller diameter than the downstream end, and blood flowing in the vessel enters the upstream end and exits the downstream end.

17. A method of treating a vascular bifurcation of a coronary artery into first and second branch vessels as in claim 16, further comprising the step of dilating the coronary artery prior to the positioning step.

18. A method of treating a vascular bifurcation of a coronary artery into first and second branch vessels as in claim 16, wherein the deploying step comprises removing a restraint from the stent and permitting the stent to self expand.

19. A method of treating a vascular bifurcation of a coronary artery into first and second branch vessels as in claim 16, further comprising the step of deploying a second stent in one of the first and second branch vessels.

20. A method of treating a vascular bifurcation of a coronary artery into first and second branch vessels as in claim 16, wherein the downstream end of the stent expands to a diameter that is at least about 105% of the diameter of the upstream end of the stent.

21. A method of treating a vascular bifurcation of a coronary artery into first and second branch vessels as in claim 20, wherein the downstream end of the stent expands to a diameter that is at least about 110% of the diameter of the upstream end of the stent.

22. A method of treating a vascular bifurcation of a coronary artery into first and second branch vessels as in claim 16, wherein the stent is covered by a membrane.

23. A method of treating a vascular bifurcation of a coronary artery into first and second branch vessels as in claim 22, wherein the membrane comprises ePTFE.

24. A method of treating a vascular bifurcation of a coronary artery into first and second branch vessels as in claim 22, wherein the membrane comprises Dacron.

25. A method of treating a vascular bifurcation of a coronary artery into first and second branch vessels as in claim 16, further comprising the step of expressing a drug from the stent.

26. A method of treating a vascular bifurcation of a carotid artery into first and second branch vessels, comprising the steps of:

providing a tapered stent, expandable into a configuration having an upstream end having a diameter within the range of from about 8 mm to about 12 mm, and a downstream end having a diameter within the range of from about 111 mm to about 15 mm; and

deploying the stent in the carotid artery such that blood flowing in the vessel enters the upstream end and exits the downstream end.

27. A method of treating a vascular bifurcation of a carotid artery into first and second branch vessels as in claim 26, further comprising the step of dilating the carotid artery prior to the positioning step.

28. A method of treating a vascular bifurcation of a carotid artery into first and second branch vessels as in claim 26, wherein the deploying step comprises removing a restraint from the stent and permitting the stent to self expand.

29. A method of treating a vascular bifurcation of a carotid artery into first and second branch vessels as in claim 26, further comprising the step of deploying a second stent in one of the first and second branch vessels.

30. A method of treating a vascular bifurcation of a carotid artery into first and second branch vessels as in claim 26, wherein the downstream end of the stent expands to a diameter that is at least about 105% of the diameter of the upstream end of the stent.

31. A method of treating a vascular bifurcation of a carotid artery into first and second branch vessels as in claim 30, wherein the downstream end of the stent expands to a diameter that is at least about 110% of the diameter of the upstream end of the stent.

32. A method of treating a vascular bifurcation of a carotid artery into first and second branch vessels as in claim 26, wherein the stent is covered by a membrane.

33. A method of treating a vascular bifurcation of a carotid artery into first and second branch vessels as in claim 32, wherein the membrane comprises ePTFE.

34. A method of treating a vascular bifurcation of a carotid artery into first and second branch vessels as in claim 32, wherein the membrane comprises Dacron.

35. A method of treating a vascular bifurcation of a carotid artery into first and second branch vessels as in claim 26, further comprising the step of expressing a drug from the stent.