Friction reducing lubricant for stent loading and stent delivery systems

• US 20040148007A1
• Filed: 01/23/2003
• Published: 07/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardinal Health Switzerland 515 GmbH (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cordis Corporation (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Inventors: Widenhouse, Christopher William, Jackson, Karen Paulette
• Granted Patent: US 7,309,349 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 2/9522 Means for mounting a stent or stent-graft onto or into a placement instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/9526 using a mandrel

Abstract

A system for loading self-expanding stents into a stent delivery system that comprises a lubricious coating on one or more components to substantially reduce the frictional forces associated with loading stents. The stents may be bare or coated stents. The lubricious coating comprises glycerol.

Claims

1. A method for loading self-expanding stents into a stent delivery system comprising:

reducing the diameter of the self-expanding stent to a diameter less than or equal to the inside diameter of an outer sheath of a catheter of the stent delivery system utilizing a compressive force member;

transferring the reduced diameter self-expanding stent from the compressive force member into the stent delivery system utilizing a transfer tube; and

applying a biocompatible lubricating material to at least one of the self-expanding stent, the compressive force member, the transfer tube member and the catheter to substantially reduce frictional forces.

2. The method for loading self-expanding stents with a stent delivery system according to claim 1, wherein the step of applying a biocompatible lubricating material comprises coating at least one of the self-expanding stent, the compressive force member, the transfer tube member and the catheter with glycerol.

3. A system for loading a self-expanding stent into a self-expanding stent delivery system comprising:

a compressive force member for reducing the diameter of the self-expanding stent to a diameter less than or equal to the inside diameter of an outer sheath of a catheter of the stent delivery system;

a transfer tube adapted to receive the reduced diameter stent from the compressive force member and load it into the catheter of the self-expanding stent delivery system; and

a lubricating material affixed to at least one of the self-expanding stent, the compressive force member, the transfer tube and the catheter.

4. The system for loading a self-expanding stent into a self-expanding stent delivery system according to claim 3, wherein the stent comprises a polymeric coating.

5. The system for loading a self-expanding stent into a self-expanding stent delivery system according to claim 3, wherein the stent comprises a therapeutic agent coating.

6. The system for loading a self-expanding stent into a self-expanding stent delivery system according to claim 3, wherein the lubricating material comprises glycerol.

7. The system for loading a self-expanding stent into a self-expanding stent delivery system according to claim 3, wherein the compressive force member comprises a polytetrafluoroethylene film.

8. The system for loading a self-expanding stent into a self-expanding stent delivery system according to claim 3, wherein the transfer tube comprises a polytetrafluoroethylene cylinder.

9. The system for loading a self-expanding stent into a self-expanding stent delivery system according to claim 5, wherein the therapeutic agent coating comprises rapamycin.