Stent range transducers and methods of use

• US 20040148006A1
• Filed: 01/16/2004
• Published: 07/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Beyhan, Niyazi U., Williams, Eric, Vardi, Gil M., Davidson, Charles J., Kao, Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 7,585,317 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/445 Details of catheter construction
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/82 Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents stent-grafts for tubular structures of the body other than blood vessels A61F2/04; stent-grafts for blood vessels A61F2/07; instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts A61F2/95; for closing wounds, or holding wounds closed A61B17/04 - A61B17/115; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/856 Single tubular stent with a side portal passage
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/954 for placing stents or stent-grafts in a bifurcation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/821 Ostial stents
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0002 for data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0018 differing in elasticity, stiffness or compressibility
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0039 differing in diameter

Abstract

The present invention provides exemplary apparatus, systems and methods for accurately delivering and positioning a stent within a body lumen, particularly within a bifurcated body lumen. In one embodiment, a stent delivery system (100) includes a catheter (15) comprising a catheter body having a distal end, a proximal end, a longitudinal axis (200) and a lumen. An expansion device, which in one embodiment is a balloon (20), is disposed near the catheter body distal end, and a stent (10) having a side hole (12) is disposed over the expansion device. An ultrasound transducer (22) is disposed near the catheter body distal end and positioned for transmitting and receiving ultrasound signals through the side hole to help properly align the stent side hole with a branch vessel (16).

Claims

1. A stent delivery system, comprising:

a catheter comprising a catheter body having a distal end, a proximal end, a longitudinal axis and a lumen;

an expansion device disposed near the catheter body distal end;

a stent having a side hole, said stent being disposed over the expansion device; and

an ultrasound transducer disposed near the catheter body distal end and positioned for transmitting and receiving ultrasound signals through said side hole.

2. The stent delivery system as in claim 1 wherein said expansion device comprises a balloon.

3. The stent delivery system as in claim 1 wherein said ultrasound transducer is disposed inside said expansion device.

4. The stent delivery system as in claim 1 wherein said ultrasound transducer is disposed between said expansion device and said stent.

5. The stent delivery system as in claim 1 wherein said ultrasound transducer is adapted to be axially translated along said longitudinal axis.

6. The stent delivery system as in claim 1 wherein said ultrasound transducer is adapted to be rotated relative to said longitudinal axis.

7. The stent delivery system as in claim 1 further comprising a transducer housing to which said transducer is coupled, said housing having a distal end, a proximal end that is coupled to a drive cable, and a passageway passing through said housing between said proximal and distal ends.

8. The stent delivery system as in claim 7 wherein said drive cable is adapted to rotate said housing relative to said catheter distal end.

9. The stent delivery system as in claim 1 further comprising a guidewire at least partially disposed in said lumen.

10. The stent delivery system as in claim 7 further comprising a guidewire at least partially disposed in said lumen and passing through said passageway.

11. The stent delivery system as in claim 1 further comprising a controller coupled to said transducer.

21. A kit comprising:

a stent delivery system as in claim 1;

and

instructions for use setting forth a method for positioning said stent in a bifurcated body lumen so that said side hole is substantially aligned with an ostium of a branch vessel.

12. A stent delivery system, said system comprising:

a catheter comprising a catheter body having a distal end, a proximal end and a lumen;

a balloon disposed near said catheter body distal end;

a stent having a side hole, said stent disposed over said balloon;

an ultrasound transducer housing having a distal end, a proximal end, and a passage through said housing between said distal and proximal ends, said housing having a transducer coupled thereto; and

a positioning guidewire at least partially disposed in said catheter lumen, said guidewire passing through said transducer housing passageway.

13. A method of positioning a stent having a side opening, said method comprising:

providing a stent delivery system, comprising;

a catheter comprising a catheter body having a distal end, a proximal end, a longitudinal axis and a lumen;

an expansion device disposed near the catheter body distal end;

a stent having a side hole, said stent being disposed over the expansion device; and

an ultrasound transducer disposed near the catheter body distal end for transmitting and receiving ultrasound signals through said side hole;

positioning said stent delivery system in a body lumen;

imaging said body lumen with said transducer to locate an ostium of a branch vessel; and

aligning said stent side hole with said ostium.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said transducer is disposed in said expansion device.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein said ultrasound transducer is adapted to rotate relative to said longitudinal axis, and said imaging further comprises rotating said transducer to image a cross section of said body lumen.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein said aligning comprises axially translating said stent.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein said aligning comprises rotating said stent about said longitudinal axis.

18. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

introducing a body lumen guidewire into said body lumen; and

advancing said catheter over the guidewire and through said body lumen to be near said branch vessel.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein said transducer is coupled to a housing having a passageway through which said guidewire passes, said advancing also advancing said transducer housing to be near said branch vessel.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein said stent delivery system further comprises a controller coupled to said transducer for controlling said imaging.