Stent introducer apparatus

• US 20040010265A1
• Filed: 05/30/2003
• Published: 01/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cook Medical Technologies, LLC (Cook Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Wilson-Cook Medical Incorporated (Cook Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Karpiel, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,314,481 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/108
• 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 2/97 the outer sleeve being splittable

Abstract

A stent introducer apparatus includes a handle with a proximal end and a distal end and having a portion that is coaxially slidable from the distal end to the proximal end and vice versa. A catheter having a proximal end and a distal end is provided with a pair of open end slits each of which defines a tab that is connected to the slidable portion of the handle. A guide wire is disposed within the catheter and has a proximal end and a distal end such that when the slidable portion of the handle is moved from the distal end to the proximal end, the distal end of the guide wire is exposed. The guide wire has a stent carrying portion at its distal end to carry a stent that is deployed when the distal end of the guide wire is exposed.

Claims

1. A stent introducer apparatus comprising:

a catheter having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion;

a guide wire movably disposed within the catheter, the guide wire having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion;

a deployable stent, the stent being disposed within the distal end portion of the catheter and being engaged by the distal end portion of the guide wire; and

a handle fixedly connected to the proximal end portion of the guide wire,

wherein the stent is deployed by moving the catheter in a proximal direction relative to the guide wire, the proximal end portion of the catheter being split by the handle as the catheter is moved in the proximal direction.

2. The stent introducer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the handle comprises a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being axially moveable relative to the second portion, further wherein the proximal end portion of the catheter is connected to the first portion and the proximal end portion of the guide wire is connected to the second portion, whereby movement of the first portion relative to the second portion causes the proximal end portion of the catheter to be split by the second portion of the handle.

3. The stent introducer apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the proximal end portion of the catheter comprises one or more tabs connected to the first portion of the handle.

4. The stent introducer apparatus according to claim 3, wherein each of the tabs pass through an opening in the second portion of the handle.

5. The stent introducer apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second portion comprises an adapter configured to engage and split the proximal end portion of the catheter.

6. The stent introducer apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the adapter comprises a nose configured to separate the proximal end portion of the catheter from the guide wire.

7. The stent introducer apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the nose includes a sloped surface adapted to split the proximal end portion of the catheter into a plurality of tab portions as the catheter is moved in the proximal direction.

8. The stent introducer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the proximal end portion of the catheter comprises a longitudinally disposed weakened area to facilitate splitting of the catheter by the handle as the catheter is moved in the proximal direction.

9. The stent introducer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the proximal end portion of the catheter comprises a pair of tab portions, each of the tab portions being adapted to be pulled by a user so as to cause the catheter to be moved in the proximal direction and be split by the handle.

10. The stent introducer apparatus according to claim 9, wherein each of the tab members comprises a knob on an end thereof.

11. The stent introducer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the distal end portion of the guide wire comprises a pusher assembly adapted to engage the stent, the pusher assembly comprising a pusher head adapted to engage a proximal end of the stent.

12. The stent introducer apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the distal end portion of the guide wire further comprises an end cap, said end cap being disposed adjacent to a distal end of the stent.

13. The stent introducer apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the end cap is connected to the pusher assembly by a stent carrying section, the stent carrying section adapted for receiving the stent thereon.

14. The stent introducer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the stent comprises a self-expanding stent having a compressed configuration and an expanded deployed configuration, the stent assuming the compressed configuration when disposed within the distal end portion of the catheter.

15. The stent introducer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the guide wire comprises an inner catheter with a lumen extending longitudinally there through.

16. The stent introducer apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising an inner guide wire movably extending through the lumen of the inner catheter.

17. A stent introducer apparatus comprising:

a catheter having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion,

a pair of tab portions each having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal ends of the tab portions being connected to the proximal end portion of the catheter;

a guide wire movably disposed within the catheter, the guide wire having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion;

a deployable stent, the stent being disposed within the distal end portion of the catheter and being engaged by the distal end portion of the guide wire; and

a handle having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being axially moveable relative to the second portion, the proximal ends of the tab portions being fixedly connected to the first portion of the handle and the proximal end portion of the guide wire being fixedly connected to the second portion of the handle,

wherein the second portion of the handle is adapted to engage and split the proximal end portion of the catheter at a location where the distal ends of the tab portions are connected to the proximal end portion of the catheter, and

wherein the stent is deployed by moving the first portion of the handle in a proximal direction relative to the second portion of the handle so as to cause the proximal end portion of the catheter to be engaged and split by the second portion of the handle, whereby the catheter is moved in a proximal direction relative to the guide wire.

18. The stent introducer apparatus according to claim 17, wherein each of the tabs extend through an opening in the second portion of the handle.

19. The stent introducer apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the proximal end portion of the catheter comprises a longitudinally disposed weakened area to facilitate splitting of the catheter by the second portion of the handle as the catheter is moved in the proximal direction.

20. The stent introducer apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the distal end portion of the guide wire comprises a pusher assembly adapted to engage the stent, the pusher assembly comprising a pusher head adapted to engage a proximal end of the stent and prevent the stent from being axially moved in response to proximal movement of the catheter relative to the guide wire.

21. The stent introducer apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the stent comprises a self-expanding stent having a compressed configuration and an expanded deployed configuration, the stent assuming the compressed configuration when disposed within the distal end portion of the catheter.

22. A method of deploying a stent within a body lumen of a patient, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a stent introducer apparatus comprising a catheter having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, a guide wire movably disposed within the catheter, the guide wire having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, the stent being disposed within the distal end portion of the catheter and being engaged by the distal end portion of the guide wire, and a handle fixedly connected to the proximal end portion of the guide wire;

b) positioning the distal end portion of the catheter at a deployment location within the body lumen of the patient;

c) grasping the handle so as to hold the guide wire in a relatively stationary position; and

d) moving the catheter in a proximal direction relative to the guide wire so as to deploy the stent from the distal end portion of the catheter, wherein the proximal end portion of the catheter is engaged and split by the handle so as to permit the proximal end portion of the catheter to be removed from the distal end portion of the guide wire.

23. A method of deploying a stent within a body lumen of a patient, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a stent introducer apparatus comprising a catheter having a pair of proximal tab portions and a distal end portion, a guide wire movably disposed within the catheter, the guide wire having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, the stent being disposed within the distal end portion of the catheter and being engaged by the distal end portion of the guide wire, and a handle having a first portion movably attached to a second portion, the first portion being connected to the proximal tab portions and the second portion being connected to the proximal end portion of the guide wire;

b) positioning the distal end portion of the catheter at a deployment location within the body lumen of the patient;

c) grasping the second portion of the handle so as to hold the guide wire in a relatively stationary position; and

d) moving the first portion of the handle in an axial proximal direction so as to pull the catheter in a proximal direction relative to the guide wire and deploy the stent from the distal end portion of the catheter, wherein a portion of the catheter adjacent to the tab portions is engaged and split by the second portion of the handle and removed from the distal end portion of the guide wire.