Self-expanding stent delivery system

• US 20030163193A1
• Filed: 02/22/2002
• Published: 08/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardinal Health Switzerland 515 GmbH (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cordis Corporation (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Inventors: Widenhouse, Christopher William
• Granted Patent: US 7,169,170 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.12
• 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

Abstract

A self-expanding stent delivery apparatus having a sheath comprising a hard and lubricious coating for the safe, effective and accurate deployment of self-expanding stents. The sheath comprises an inner layer of pyrolytic carbon or other similar substance which prevents the stent from becoming embedded. The inner layer is also lubricious. This combination of properties allows for easier deployment and reduced profile.

Claims

1. A self-expanding stent delivery system comprising:

a substantially tubular shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, a guidewire lumen extending between the proximal and distal ends, arid a stent bed proximate the distal end upon which the self-expanding stent is positioned; and

a substantially tubular sheath defining an interior volume and coaxially positioned over the tubular shaft and stent, the tubular sheath including an outer polymeric layer and a substantially impenetrable and lubricious inner layer.

2. The self-expanding stent delivery system according to claim 1, wherein the outer polymeric layer comprises Nylon®

.

3. The self-expanding stent delivery system according to claim 1, wherein the substantially impenetrable and lubricious inner layer comprises pyrolytic carbon.

4. The self-expanding stent delivery system according to claim 3, wherein the pyrolytic coating is affixed directly to the polymeric layer.

5. The self-expanding stent delivery system according to claim 3, wherein the pyrolytic coating is affixed to a substrate, the substrate being affixed to the polymeric layer.

6. The self-expanding stent delivery system according to claim 1, wherein the substantially impenetrable and lubricious inner layer is affixed to the outer polymeric layer along the entire length of the tubular sheath.

7. The self-expanding stent delivery system according to claim 1, wherein the substantially impenetrable and lubricious inner layer is affixed to the outer polymeric layer along the length of the tubular sheath proximate the stent bed.

8. The self-expanding stent delivery system according to claim 1, wherein the substantially impenetrable and lubricious inner layer comprises ceramic coatings.