Clutch driven stent delivery system

• US 20050038494A1
• Filed: 08/15/2003
• Published: 02/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Scimed Life Systems Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Eidenschink, Tracee
• Granted Patent: US 8,784,472 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.110
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/95 Instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/97 the outer sleeve being splittable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9665 with additional retaining means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1015 having two or more independently movable balloons where the distance between the balloons can be adjusted, e.g. two balloon catheters concentric to each other forming an adjustable multiple balloon catheter system

Abstract

A catheter assembly has an engaged state and an unengaged state comprising a proximal member having a longitudinal axis and a distal member having a longitudinal axis. A distal end of the proximal member is removably engageable to the distal member. The distal member has a first distal portion and a second distal portion, and the first distal portion is retractable from the second distal portion. In the engaged state the distal member is substantially freely rotatable about its longitudinal axis and in relation to the proximal member. In the engaged state the proximal member is constructed and arranged to be moved in a direction along the longitudinal axis such that proximal movement of the proximal member retracts at least the first distal portion of the distal member from at least the second distal portion.

Claims

1. A catheter assembly having a longitudinal axis and having an engaged state and an unengaged state, the catheter assembly comprising:

a proximal member and

a distal member,

the distal member having a first distal portion and a second distal portion, the first distal portion constructed and arranged to be retractable from the second distal portion,

in the unengaged state the distal member and the proximal member being substantially moveable independent of one another;

in the engaged state a distal end of the proximal member being engaged to at least a portion of the distal member, the distal member being substantially freely rotatable about the longitudinal axis and in relation to the proximal member,

the proximal member constructed and arranged to be moved in a direction along the longitudinal axis such that proximal movement of the proximal member in the engaged state retracts at least the first distal portion of the distal member from at least the second distal portion.

2. The catheter assembly of claim 1, wherein the distal member comprises a retractable sheath.

3. The catheter assembly of claim 2, wherein the first distal portion comprises the sheath.

4. The catheter assembly of claim 3, wherein the sheath defines a slit, the sheath having edges along the length of the slit.

5. The catheter assembly of claim 3, wherein the slit extends distally from a position on the sheath distal to the proximal most portion of the sheath.

6. The catheter assembly of claim 5, wherein the slit is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis.

7. The catheter assembly of claim 5, wherein the slit is in the form of a wave.

8. The catheter assembly of claim 5, wherein the slit is in the form of a spiral.

9. The catheter assembly of claim 5, wherein the slit has an open configuration and a closed configuration, the sheath comprising edges, the edges defining the slit, in the closed configuration the edges are retained together with a holding member, in the open configuration the holding member is removed from the edges to open the slit.

10. The catheter assembly of claim 9 at a bifurcation site, wherein the slit in the open configuration allows for retraction of the sheath along a first guidewire in a primary body lumen without removing a second guidewire in a secondary body lumen at the bifurcation site.

11. The catheter assembly of claim 3, wherein the sheath comprises a distal sheath and a proximal sheath, in the engaged state the distal sheath being retracted proximally and the proximal sheath being retracted distally when the proximal member is moved in the proximal direction.

12. The catheter assembly of claim 3 further comprising a stent, the stent having an unexpanded configuration and an expanded configuration, in the unexpanded configuration the stent being disposed about at least a portion of the second distal portion of the distal member.

13. The catheter assembly of claim 11, wherein in the stent is expanded from the unexpanded configuration to the expanded configuration when the first distal portion of the distal member is retracted from the second distal portion of the distal member.

14. The catheter assembly of claim 11, wherein the stent is selected from at least one member of the group consisting of self-expanding stents, inflation expandable stent, hybrid expandable stents and any combination thereof.

15. The catheter assembly of claim 14 wherein the stent is a bifurcated stent.

16. The catheter assembly of claim 15 wherein the bifurcated stent has a pant configuration.

17. The catheter assembly of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the first distal portion of the distal member defines a clutch housing and at least a portion of the proximal member defines a clutch extension, in the engaged state the clutch extension being engaged to the clutch housing.

18. The catheter assembly of claim 17, wherein the clutch extension comprises a balloon portion, the balloon portion having an unexpanded state and an expanded state, in the unengaged state the balloon being in the unexpanded state, in the unexpanded state the balloon portion is constructed and arranged to pass through the clutch housing, in the engaged state the balloon being expandable to the expanded state, in the expanded state the balloon portion being retainingly engaged by the clutch housing.

19. The catheter assembly of claim 17, wherein the clutch extension comprises an expansion portion with fingers, the fingers having an unexpanded state and an expanded state, in the unengaged state the fingers being in the unexpanded state, in the unexpanded state the expansion portion is constructed and arranged to allow the fingers to pass through the clutch housing, in the engaged state the fingers being expandable to the expanded state, in the expanded state the expansion portion being retainingly engaged by the clutch housing.

20. The catheter assembly of claim 19, wherein the fingers are constructed of a self-expanding material.

21. The catheter assembly of claim 19, wherein the fingers are constructed of nitinol.

22. The catheter assembly of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the first distal portion of the distal member comprises a first magnetic portion on its proximal portion and the proximal member comprises a second magnetic portion on its distal portion, in the engaged state the first magnetic portion being magnetically engaged to the second magnetic portion.

23. The catheter assembly of claim 22, wherein the catheter assembly comprises a barrier member having a first position and a second position, the barrier member is constructed and arranged to substantially interfere with magnetic attraction between the first magnetic portion and the second magnetic portion, in the first position the barrier member is between the first magnetic portion and the second magnetic portion, in the second position the barrier member is removed, in the unengaged state the barrier member is in the first position, in the engaged state the barrier member is in the second position.

24. The catheter assembly of claim 22, wherein the first magnetic portion and the second magnetic portion are magnetically engaged by an electromagnetic current.

25. The catheter assembly of claim 17, wherein the clutch extension comprises a grappling base having distally extending extensions, the grappling base having a forward position and a back position, in the forward position the grappling base is constructed and arranged such that the extensions engage the clutch housing of the distal member, in the back position the grappling base is constructed and arranged such that the extensions extend to a position proximal to the clutch housing of the distal member, in the engaged state the grappling base is in the forward position, in the unengaged state the grappling base is in the back position.

26. The catheter assembly of claim 25, wherein the grappling base is rotatable within the proximal member.

27. The catheter assembly of claim 25, wherein the clutch housing comprises a connecting portion selected from the group consisting of a looped wire ring, a looped polymer ring, a locking wire ring, a locking polymer ring, and any combination thereof.

28. The catheter assembly of claim 25, wherein the clutch housing comprises a rotating portion, the rotating portion constructed and arranged to rotate independently of the sheath.

29. The catheter assembly of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the distal end of the proximal member defines a clutch housing and at least a portion of the first distal portion of the distal member defines a clutch extension, wherein the clutch extension comprises proximally extending extensions, the extensions having a proximally extending position and a relaxed position, in the proximally extending position the extensions are constructed and arranged such that the extensions engage the clutch housing of the proximal member, in the relaxed position the extensions do not engage the clutch housing, in the engaged state the extensions are in the proximally extending position, in the unengaged state the extensions are in the relaxed position.

30. The catheter assembly of claim 29, wherein the extensions are constructed and arranged with materials selected from the group consisting of magnetically attracted materials, shape memory materials, and any combination thereof.

31. The catheter assembly of claim 29, wherein the extensions are constructed and arranged such that a pull back member can pull the extensions proximally back to engage the proximal member.

32. The catheter assembly of claim 29, wherein the proximal member comprises on its distal portion a clutch housing, the clutch housing constructed and arranged to rotate substantially about the longitudinal axis.

33. The catheter assembly of claim 29, wherein the clutch extension rotates substantially about the longitudinal axis and substantially independent of other portions of the distal member.

34. The catheter assembly of claim 1, wherein the distal member comprises a balloon.

35. The catheter assembly of claim 34, wherein the balloon comprises the first distal portion and is substantially freely rotatable about the longitudinal axis.

36. The catheter assembly of claim 35, wherein the proximal member comprises inflatable protuberances positioned substantially at the distal end of the balloon and positioned substantially at the proximal end of the balloon, the protuberances having an inflated state and an uninflated state, in the inflated state the protuberance forms a seal with the balloon, in the unengaged state all the protuberances are in the uninflated state, in the engaged state one or more inflatable protuberances are in the inflated state.

37. The catheter assembly of claim 36, wherein during and after rotation the inflated protuberances form a seal with the balloon.

38. The catheter assembly of claim 1, wherein the proximal member is a wire.

39. The catheter assembly of claim 1, wherein the assembly in the engaged state prior to entry into a lumen.

40. The method of preassembling the catheter assembly of claim 39, wherein the proximal member is engaged to the distal member such that the assembly is in the engaged state before entry into the lumen.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein the distal member and the proximal member are engaged such that the assembly is in permanently in the engaged state.