Method to simultaneously load and cover self expanding stents

• US 20060036310A1
• Filed: 08/13/2004
• Published: 02/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Scimed Life Systems Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Spencer, Steve M., Jagger, Karl A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,765,670 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.120
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/92 Stents in the form of a rolled-up sheet expanding after insertion into the vessel , e.g. with a spiral shape in cross-section
• 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 2/9524 Iris-type crimpers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/958 Inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/966 with relative longitudinal movement between outer sleeve and prosthesis, e.g. using a push rod
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49872 Confining elastic part in socket
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49927 Hollow body is axially joined cup or tube

Abstract

A medical device may be secured to a medical device delivery apparatus by providing a wrapped medical device, the wrapped medical device comprising a medical device with a polymeric sheet disposed thereabout, compressing the wrapped medical device and affixing at least one opposing edge of the polymeric sheet to a portion of the polymeric sheet adjacent thereto so as to form a sheathed medical device and securing the sheathed medical device to a medical device delivery apparatus.

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps of:

providing a wrapped stent, the wrapped stent comprising a stent with a polymeric sheet disposed thereabout, the sheet having two opposing edges extending along at least a portion of the length of the stent;

compressing the wrapped stent;

affixing at least one of the opposing edges to a portion of the polymeric sheet adjacent thereto so as to form a sheathed stent, the polymeric sheet forming a sheath disposed about but not affixed to the stent.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

providing a stent delivery device;

securing the sheathed stent to the stent delivery device.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the stent is self-expanding.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of providing a wrapped stent further comprises the steps of:

providing a stent;

providing a polymeric sheet;

disposing the polymeric sheet about the stent so that two opposing edges of the sheet extend along the length of the stent.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the compressing step includes the steps of:

disposing the wrapped stent in a compression device;

pulling on at least one of the opposing edges of the sheet while applying or after applying a compressive force to the stent so as to tighten the polymeric sheet about the stent.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein a seam is visible on the wrapped stent following the affixing step.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein during the affixing step one of the edges is adhesively affixed to the polymeric sheet.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein during the affixing step one of the edges is adhesively affixed to the polymeric sheet using a pressure sensitive adhesive.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein during the affixing step one of the edges is affixed to the polymeric sheet using a pressure sensitive tape.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein during the affixing step one of the edges is affixed to the polymeric sheet via contact welding.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the compression device comprises at least one heated blade which is used to contact weld the edge in place.

12. The method of claim 5 wherein the compression device comprises at least one sacrificial blade which is fused to the polymeric sheet.

13. The method of claim 5 wherein during the affixing step one of the edges is affixed to the polymeric sheet via solvent welding.

14. The method of claim 5 wherein during the affixing step one of the edges is affixed to the polymeric sheet via ultrasonic welding.

15. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step delivering the sheath stent to a desired bodily location, withdrawing the sheath from the stent and implanting the stent in the body.

16. A method of securing a medical device to a medical device delivery apparatus comprising the steps of:

providing a wrapped medical device, the wrapped medical device comprising a medical device with a polymeric sheet disposed thereabout, the sheet having two opposing edges extending along at least a portion of the length of the medical device;

compressing the wrapped medical device;

affixing at least one of the opposing edges to a portion of the polymeric sheet adjacent thereto so as to form a sheathed medical device, the polymeric sheet forming a sheath disposed about but not affixed to the medical device;

providing a medical device delivery apparatus;

securing the sheathed medical device to the medical device delivery apparatus.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the medical device is a self-expanding stent.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the medical device is a self-expanding filter.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the compressing step includes the steps of:

disposing the wrapped medical device in a compression device;

pulling on at least one of the opposing edges of the sheet while applying or after applying a compressive force to the medical device so as to tighten the polymeric sheet about the medical device.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein a seam is visible on the wrapped medical device following the affixing step.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the securing step comprises attaching the sheathed medical device to a sheath removal mechanism operatively associated with the medical device delivery apparatus such that the medical device, after the securing step, may be removed from the medical device upon activation of the sheath removal mechanism.