Expandable medical device delivery system and method
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A delivery system and method are provided for accurately locating, orienting, and implanting expandable tissue supporting devices at a lumen junction or bifurcation in a body lumen. For example, the system may be used to deliver a tissue supporting device to a bifurcated artery such that, on expansion, the tissue supporting device provides side ports of a specific size and geometry to accommodate bifurcations in the artery. The delivery system is capable of accurately orienting these side ports both radially and longitudinally with respect to branch lumen openings of the artery. The delivery system achieves orientation by utilizing a guide member which is positioned to extend from the side port feature of the tissue supporting device. The guide member is tracked along a guidewire which extends into the branch lumen, ultimately orienting the side port of the tissue supporting device properly at the branch lumen opening. After expansion of the tissue supporting device, the guide member-drops out of the enlarged side port and is withdrawn.
152 Citations
34 Claims
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1-22. -22. (cancelled)
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23. A method for delivering an expandable medical device to a vessel lumen, the method comprising:
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providing an expandable medical device on a balloon catheter with the expandable medical device having a distal end and a proximal end;
delivering the expandable medical device to the vessel lumen;
expanding the distal end of the expandable medical device by inflating the balloon catheter with a first pressure; and
expanding the proximal end of the expandable medical device by inflating the balloon catheter with a second pressure higher than the first pressure. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A system for placing an expandable medical device in a bifurcated body lumen, the system comprising:
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a balloon catheter having a balloon and a catheter shaft; and
an expandable medical device mounted on the balloon, the expandable medical device having an expandable structure, a distal end, and a proximal end, wherein the distal end is configured to expand at a first pressure and the second end is configured to expand at a second pressure higher than the first pressure. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34)
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Specification