Surgical stent delivery devices and methods

• US 20030225445A1
• Filed: 05/14/2003
• Published: 12/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ams Research Corporation (Endo International PLC)
• Original Assignee: Ams Research Corporation (Endo International PLC)
• Inventors: Christian, Steven C., Derus, Patricia M.
• Application Number:
  US10/438,761
• Publication Number:
  US 20030225445A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.11
• 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 2/9522 Means for mounting a stent or stent-graft onto or into a placement instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/958 Inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9511 the retaining means being filaments or wires

Abstract

A device for loading a self-expanding stent into a receiving area of a delivery tool is provided, the device comprising a stent storage region having an internal chamber sized to retain the stent in a first state, a stent transfer region spaced from the storage region and having an internal chamber sized to receive, retain, and transfer the self-expanding stent in a second state in which the stent is at least partially compressed relative to the first state of the stent, a stent compressing region extending between the storage region and the transfer region and having an internal chamber for radially collapsing the stent from the first state to a second state, and a loading mechanism slideably positioned relative to the transfer region for slideably moving the stent in the second state from the transfer region toward the compressing region.

Claims

1. A device for loading a self-expanding stent into a receiving area of a delivery tool, the device comprising:

a stent storage region having an internal chamber sized to retain the stent in a first state;

a stent transfer region spaced from the storage region and having an internal chamber sized to receive, retain, and transfer the self-expanding stent in a second state in which the stent is at least partially compressed relative to the first state of the stent;

a stent compressing region extending between the storage region and the transfer region and having an internal chamber for radially collapsing the stent from the first state to a second state; and

a loading mechanism slideably positioned relative to the transfer region for slideably moving the stent in the second state from the transfer region toward the compressing region.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a stent transfer mechanism for moving the stent from the storage region to the transfer region through the compression region while compressing the stent from the first state to the second state.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the stent transfer mechanism comprises an extending member that is moveable from the storage region to the transfer region.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the stent transfer mechanism is removably attached to a portion of the stent.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein the extending member of the stent transfer mechanism comprises a generally flexible material.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the extending member comprises a thread-like material.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the loading mechanism comprises an extending portion having a distal end that is engageable with a portion of the stent to slideably force the stent in the second state from the transfer region toward the compressing region.

8. The device of claim 1, further comprising a spool insert positioned at least partially within the internal chamber of the storage region, wherein the spool insert is sized to support an interior portion of the stent provided in the first state.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the spool insert comprises a generally cylindrical body portion and an aperture extending through the body portion, wherein the aperture is sized to accept a portion of the delivery tool.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein the spool insert is removable and replaceable relative to the internal chamber of the storage region.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein the spool insert further comprises an support cylinder extending from a cap portion, wherein the cap portion is sized to generally cover the end of the device adjacent the stent storage region, and wherein the support cylinder is sized to support the stent in the first state.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the stent compressing region comprises an internal chamber that tapers generally uniformly from the internal chamber of the storage region to the internal chamber of the transfer region.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the stent compressing region comprises a generally funnel-shaped internal chamber having a first end adjacent the storage region and sized for accepting the stent in the first state and further having a second end adjacent the transfer region and sized for accepting the stent in the second state.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the loading mechanism further comprises an elongated body portion having a contact end sized and configured to contact a portion of the stent in the second state to move the stent toward the compressing region.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the loading mechanism is attachable to the stent in the first state for moving the stent from the internal chamber of the storage region toward the transfer region through the compressing region.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the loading mechanism has an elongated portion and an aperture through the loading portion sized for accepting an extending member of the stent and wherein the loading mechanism is moveable with the extending member for moving the stent into the transfer region.

17. The device of claim 1, further in combination with a self-expanding stent provided in the first state within the internal chamber of the storage region, wherein the stent comprises a substantially tubular, radially expandable body portion.

18. The combination of claim 17, wherein the loading mechanism is further positioned for slideably moving the stent in the second state from the transfer region into the receiving area of the delivery tool.

19. The device of claim 1, further in combination with a delivery tool comprising an outer tube and an inner tube, wherein the outer tube is slideable relative to the inner tube, and further comprising a receiving area inside the outer tube and adjacent a first end of the outer tube.

20. The combination of claim 19, wherein the outer tube of the delivery tool is sized to be inserted into the internal chamber of the storage region and the internal chamber of the compressing region of the device.

21. The combination of claim 20, wherein the internal chamber of the transfer region is sized so that the outer tube of the delivery tool is not insertable into the transfer region.

22. The combination of claim 19, wherein the delivery tool further comprises a handle assembly.

23. The combination of claim 17, further in combination with a delivery tool comprising an outer tube and an inner tube, wherein the outer tube is slideable relative to the inner tube.

24. The combination of claim 23, wherein the delivery tool further comprises a receiving area adjacent a first end of the tool, wherein the receiving area is sized to accept and retain the stent in the second state.

25. The combination of claim 23, wherein the delivery tool further comprises a deployment assembly for causing relative movement between the inner and outer tubes to move the stent in the second state out of the outer tube of the -delivery tool.

26. The combination of claim 22, wherein the handle assembly comprises a first handle portion having first and second ends, a linking arm having first and second ends, and a gripping arm having first and second ends, wherein the first end of the first handle portion is attached to the inner tube, the second end of the first handle portion is rotatably attached to the first end of a linking arm, the second end of the linking arm is rotatably attached to the first end of the gripping arm, and the second end of the gripping arm is rotatably and slideably attached to the inner tube.

27. The combination of claim 22, wherein the handle assembly comprises a first handle portion having first and second ends and a gripping arm having first and second ends, wherein the first end of the first handle portion is rotatably attached to the inner tube, the second end of the first handle portion is rotatably attached to the first end of the gripping arm, and the second end of the gripping arm is rotatably and slideably attached to the inner tube.

28. A device for loading a self-expanding stent into a receiving area of a delivery tool, the device comprising:

a stent storage region having an internal chamber sized to retain the stent in a first state;

a stent transfer region spaced from the storage region and having an internal chamber sized to receive, retain, and transfer the self-expanding state in a second state in which the stent is at least partially compressed relative to the first state of the stent;

a stent compressing region extending between the storage region and the transfer region for radially collapsing the stent from the first state to a second state; and

a loading element slideably positioned within the internal chamber of the stent transfer region and comprising an extending portion for engaging at least a portion of the stent in its second state for slideably moving the stent in the second state from the transfer region toward the compressing region.

29. A delivery system for loading a self-expanding stent into a delivery tool used for positioning and deploying the stent into a predetermined location in a body cavity, the system comprising:

a delivery tool comprising an outer tube having a first end and an inner tube positioned within the outer tube, wherein the outer tube has a first end and a receiving area adjacent to the first end, and wherein the outer tube is slideable relative to the inner tube for receiving and deploying the stent; and

a stent cartridge for providing a stent into the receiving area of the delivery tool, the cartridge comprising;

a stent storage region having an internal chamber sized to retain the stent in a first state;

a stent transfer region spaced from the storage region and having an internal chamber sized to receive, retain, and transfer the self-expanding stent in a second state in which the stent is at least partially compressed relative to the first state of the stent;

a stent compressing region extending between the storage region and the transfer region and having an internal chamber for radially collapsing the stent from the first state to a second state; and

a loading mechanism slideably positioned relative to the transfer region for slideably moving the stent in the second state from the transfer region toward the compressing region.

30. A method of loading a self-expanding stent into the receiving area of a loading tool, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a stent cartridge comprising a stent storage region having an internal chamber including a stent in a first state, a stent transfer region spaced from the storage region and having an internal chamber sized to receive, retain, and transfer the self-expanding stent in a second state in which the stent is at least partially compressed relative to the first state of the stent, a stent compressing region having an internal chamber extending between the storage region and the transfer region, and a loading mechanism slideably positioned relative to the transfer region;

moving the stent from the internal chamber of the storage region through the internal chamber of the compressing region to the internal chamber of the transfer region, wherein the stent is compressed to the second state;

inserting a first end of a delivery tool through an end of the stent storage region and into the stent compressing region, the delivery tool comprising an outer tube having a first end and an inner tube positioned within the outer tube, wherein the outer tube has a receiving area adjacent to the first end, and wherein the inner tube is slideable relative to the outer tube;

transferring the stent in the second state from the transfer region of the cartridge into the receiving area of the delivery tool by moving the loading mechanism toward the compressing region.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the stent further comprises an elongated transfer member positioned to extend from the storage region to the transfer region.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of moving the stent from the internal chamber of the storage region through the internal chamber of the compressing region to the internal chamber of the transfer region comprises pulling the elongated transfer member to move the stent from the storage region toward the transfer region.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising the step of removing at least a portion the elongated transfer member from the stent after the stent is moved into the receiving area of the delivery tool.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the step of removing the elongated transfer member comprises severing at least a portion of the elongated transfer member that extends beyond the first end of the delivery tool.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the loading mechanism and elongated transfer member simultaneously move in the same direction during the step of moving the stent from the storage region toward the transfer region.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein at least a portion of the loading mechanism extends into the inner chamber of the transfer region prior to the step of moving the stent from the storage region toward the transfer region, and wherein a smaller portion of the loading mechanism extends into the inner chamber of the transfer region after the stent is transferred to the transfer region.

37. The method of claim 30, further comprising the step of removing the delivery tool from the cartridge after the step of transferring the stent from the transfer region of the cartridge into the receiving area of the delivery tool.

38. The method of claim 30, further including step of transferring the stent from the delivery tool to a desired location by moving the outer tube of the delivery tool relative to the inner tube of the delivery tool, wherein the movement of the outer tube relative to the inner tube of the delivery tool reduces the size of the receiving area of the delivery tool.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the stent expands from the second state toward the first state of the stent during the step of transferring the stent from the delivery tool.