Medical device delivery system

• US 20050080476A1
• Filed: 06/23/2004
• Published: 04/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Malewicz, Andrzej M., Gunderson, Richard C., Pederson, Gary Jr., Moberg, John R., Johnson, Brett
• Granted Patent: US 7,967,829 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 2/9517 handle assemblies therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/966 with relative longitudinal movement between outer sleeve and prosthesis, e.g. using a push rod

Abstract

Medical device delivery systems, as well as related methods and components, are disclosed.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an inner tube;

an outer tube at least partially surrounding the inner tube so that a medical device can be positioned between the inner and outer tubes, the inner and outer tubes being configured to be capable of being disposed within a body lumen; and

an actuator configured so that, as a force is applied to the actuator, the actuator can cause relative motion between the inner and outer tubes,

wherein a mechanical advantage of the actuator can change as the actuator moves.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the mechanical advantage of the actuator changes as the actuator rotates about an axis that is collinear with the outer tube.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the mechanical advantage of the actuator changes as the actuator rotates about an axis that is perpendicular to the outer tube.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the mechanical advantage of the actuator changes continuously as the actuator moves.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the mechanical advantage of the actuator decreases as the actuator moves.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a rotatable member having a radius that increases as the actuator rotates.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the actuator comprises a cam.

8. The system of claim 6, further comprising a windable member that couples the rotatable member to the outer tube.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the windable member is selected from the group consisting of wires, cords, ribbons, flat gears and combinations thereof.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the windable member comprises a wire.

11. The system of claim 6, further comprising a rotatable element coupled to the rotatable member so that, as the rotatable element rotates, the rotatable member rotates.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the rotatable member is integral with the rotatable element.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the rotatable element is configured to be rotated by an operator of the system during use of the system.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the rotatable element is a thumb wheel.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the rotatable element is positioned proximal to a proximal end of the outer tube.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a rotatable member and a shaft, the shaft being coupled to the rotatable member and configured so that, as the rotatable member rotates, the outer tube moves.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the rotatable member has a groove and the shaft has a projecting member that mates with the groove.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein a pitch of the groove varies.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the pitch of the groove varies continuously.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the shaft has a groove and the rotatable member has a projecting member that mates with the groove.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein a pitch of the groove varies.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the pitch of the groove varies continuously.

23. The system of claim 1, further comprising a housing coupled to the actuator.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the actuator is at least partially disposed within the housing.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein at least a portion of the housing is proximal to a proximal end of the outer tube.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the housing is in configured to be held by an operator of the system during use of the system.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein, as the force is applied to the actuator, the actuator can cause the outer tube to move.

28. A system, comprising:

an inner tube;

an outer tube at least partially surrounding the inner tube so that a medical device can be positioned between the inner and outer tubes, the inner and outer tubes being configured to be capable of being disposed within a body lumen; and

an actuator configured so that, as a force is applied to the actuator, the actuator can cause relative motion between the inner and outer tubes,

wherein, as the actuator moves, an amount of force applied to the actuator increases for the inner and outer tubes to move a given distance relative to each other.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the amount of force applied to the actuator for the outer tube to move the given distance decreases continuously.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein, as the force is applied to the actuator, the actuator can cause the outer tube to move.

31. A system, comprising:

an inner tube;

an outer tube at least partially surrounding the inner tube so that a medical device can be positioned between the inner and outer tubes, the inner and outer tubes being configured to be capable of being disposed within a body lumen;

a first actuator configured so that, as a force is applied to the first actuator, the inner and outer tubes can move relative to each other; and

a second actuator configured so that, as a force is applied to the second actuator, the inner and outer tubes can move relative to each other,

wherein the first and second actuators are configured so that they cannot be simultaneously used to move the inner and outer tubes relative to each other.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the system is configured so that, during use, the first actuator is used to move the outer tube a maximum distance that the first actuator can move the outer tube before the second actuator is used to move the outer tube.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein a mechanical advantage of the first actuator is different from a mechanical advantage of the second actuator.

34. The system of claim 31, wherein the first actuator is configured so that, as the first actuator rotates, the outer tube moves.

35. The system of claim 31, wherein the outer tube moves as the first actuator rotates about an axis that is collinear with the outer tube.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the outer tube moves as the second actuator rotates about an axis that is collinear with the outer tube.

37. The system of claim 35, wherein the outer tube moves as the second actuator rotates about an axis that is perpendicular to the outer tube.

38. The system of claim 31, wherein the outer tube moves as the first actuator rotates about an axis that is perpendicular to the outer tube.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the outer tube moves as the second actuator rotates about an axis that is collinear with the outer tube.

40. The system of claim 38, wherein the outer tube moves as the second actuator rotates about an axis that is perpendicular to the outer tube.

41. The system of claim 31, wherein the first actuator comprises a rotatable member and a shaft, the shaft being coupled to the rotatable member and configured so that, as the rotatable member rotates, the outer tube moves.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the rotatable member has a groove and the shaft has a projecting member that mates with the groove.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein a pitch of the groove varies.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the pitch of the groove varies continuously.

45. The system of claim 41, wherein the shaft has a groove and the rotatable member has a projecting member that mates with the groove.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein a pitch of the groove varies.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein the pitch of the groove varies continuously.

48. The system of claim 41, wherein the second actuator comprises a member configured so that, as the member moves linearly, the outer tube moves linearly.

49. The system of claim 31, wherein the first and second actuator are configured so that the second actuator is inaccessible to an operator of the system until the operator has completed use of the first actuator.

50. The system of claim 49, further comprising a housing in which the second actuator is stored during use of the first actuator.

51. The system of claim 31, wherein, during use of the first actuator, the second actuator is hidden by the first actuator.

52. The system of claim 31, wherein, as the force is applied to the first actuator, the first actuator can cause the outer tube to move.

53. The system of claim 52, wherein, as the force is applied to the second actuator, the second actuator can cause the outer tube to move.

54. A system, comprising:

an inner tube;

an outer tube at least partially surrounding the inner tube so that a medical device can be positioned between the inner and outer tubes, the inner and outer tubes being configured to be capable of being disposed within a body lumen;

a first actuator configured so that, as a force is applied to the first actuator, the inner and outer tubes can move relative to each other, the first actuator having a maximum distance that it can move the inner and outer tubes relative to each other; and

a second actuator configured so that, as a force is applied to the second actuator, the inner and outer tubes can move relative to each other,

wherein the system is configured so that the second actuator cannot be used to move the inner and outer tubes relative to each other until the first actuator has been used to move the inner and outer tubes relative to each other the maximum distance that the first actuator can move the inner and outer tubes relative to each other.

55. The system of claim 54, wherein, as the force is applied to the first actuator, the first actuator can cause the outer tube to move.

56. The system of claim 55, wherein the first actuator has a maximum distance that it can move the outer tube.

57. The system of claim 55, wherein, as the force is applied to the second actuator, the second actuator can cause the outer tube to move.

68. The system of claim 57, wherein the actuator comprises a rack and a rotatable member with a pinion, the rack being coupled to the rotatable member and configured so that, as the rotatable member rotates in the first operational stage of the actuator, the outer tube moves.

69. The system of claim 57, wherein the mechanical advantage of the actuator changes as the actuator rotates about an axis that is collinear with the outer tube.

70. The system of claim 57, wherein the mechanical advantage of the actuator changes as the actuator rotates about an axis that is perpendicular to the outer tube.

71. The system of claim 57, wherein, as the force is applied to the actuator, the actuator can cause the outer tube to move.

58. A system, comprising:

an inner tube;

an outer tube at least partially surrounding the inner tube so that a medical device can be positioned between the inner and outer tubes, the inner and outer tubes being configured to be capable of being disposed within a body lumen; and

an actuator configured so that, as a force is applied to the first actuator, the inner and outer tubes can move relative to each other,

wherein the actuator has first and second stages of operation, in the first stage of operation the actuator being capable of moving the outer tube as the actuator is rotated, and in the second stage of operation the actuator being capable of moving the outer tube as the actuator is moved linearly.

59. The system of claim 58, wherein the first and second actuators are configured so that they cannot be simultaneously used to move the outer tube.

60. The system of claim 58, wherein the system is configured so that, during use, the first actuator is used to move the outer tube a maximum distance that the first actuator can move the outer tube before the second actuator is used to move the outer tube.

61. The system of claim 58, wherein the actuator comprises a rotatable member and a shaft, the rotatable member being coupled to the shaft and configured so that, as the rotatable member rotates in the first operational stage of the actuator, the outer tube moves.

62. The system of claim 61, wherein the rotatable member has a groove and the shaft has a projecting member that mates with the groove.

63. The system of claim 62, wherein a pitch of the groove varies.

64. The system of claim 63, wherein the pitch of the groove varies continuously.

65. The system of claim 61, wherein the shaft has a groove and the rotatable member has a projecting member that mates with the groove.

66. The system of claim 65, wherein a pitch of the groove varies.

67. The system of claim 66, wherein the pitch of the groove varies continuously.