Implantable medical endoprosthesis delivery systems and related components

• US 20060095110A1
• Filed: 10/29/2004
• Published: 05/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Scimed Life Systems Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Gunderson, Richard C., Moberg, John R., Pederson, Gary
• Granted Patent: US 7,666,217 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/95 Instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of 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

Abstract

Implantable medical endoprosthesis delivery systems and related components, as well as related methods are disclosed.

Claims

1. A member, comprising:

a tube; and

a coil at least partially surrounding the tube,

wherein a first portion of the coil is spaced outwardly from the tube and a second portion of the coil is supported by the tube, and the member is configured for use in an implantable medical endoprosthesis delivery system.

2. The member of claim 1, wherein the coil has a first end and a second end opposite the first end, and the first portion of the coil is positioned inwardly from the first and second ends of the coil.

3. The member of claim 1, wherein the coil has an end, and the second portion of the coil is positioned at the end of the coil.

4. The member of claim 1, wherein the member includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart coils, at least some of the coils having first and second portions.

5. The member of claim 4, wherein a longitudinal spacing between each coil and its nearest neighboring coil is from about 0.1 inch to about one inch.

6. The member of claim 1, wherein the windings of the coil have a longitudinal pitch of from 0.005 inch to about 0.1 inch.

7. The member of claim 1, wherein a spacing between an outer surface of the tube and an inner surface of the coil is from 0.005 inch to about 0.1 inch.

8. The member of claim 1, wherein the coil includes an inner portion and an outer portion that surrounds the inner portion.

9. The member of claim 8, wherein the inner portion of the coil comprises a metal or an alloy.

10. The member of claim 8, wherein the outer portion of the coil comprises a polymer.

11. The member of claim 10, wherein the polymer comprises a thermoplastic or a thermoset.

12. The member of claim 10, wherein the polymer comprises a fluoropolymer.

13. A system, comprising:

an inner member, comprising;

a tube;

a coil at least partially surrounding the tube; and

an outer member at least partially surrounding the tube and the coil,

wherein the coil is configured to allow fluid flow between the coil and an outer surface of the tube, and the inner member and outer member are configured so that an implantable medical endoprosthesis can be positioned therebetween.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the inner member includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart coils, at least some of the coils being configured to allow fluid flow between the coil and an outer surface of the tube.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein a longitudinal spacing between each coil is from about 0.1 inch to about one inch.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising the implantable medical endoprosthesis, the implantable medical endoprosthesis being positioned between the tube and the outer member.

37. A method of treating a lumen within a patient, the method comprising:

inserting the system of claim 16 into the lumen of the subject; and

at least partially extracting a portion of the outer member to expand the implantable medical endoprosthesis.

17. A member, comprising:

a tube; and

at least one spacer having first and second orifices extending longitudinally therethrough,

wherein the member is configured for use in an implantable medical endoprosthesis delivery system, and the tube is positioned within the first orifice of the at least one spacer, and the spacer is configured so that, when the tube is at least partially surrounded by an outer member, the spacer is disposed between a portion of the tube and a portion of the outer member.

18. The member of claim 17, wherein:

the member includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart spacers;

the plurality of spacers having first and second orifices extending longitudinally therethrough;

the tube being disposed within each of the first orifices; and

the plurality of spacers being configured so that, when the tube is at least partially surrounded by an outer member, the plurality of spacers are disposed between respective portions of the tube and a portion of the outer member.

19. The member of claim 18, wherein a spacing between each spacer and its nearest neighboring spacer is from about 0.1 inch to about one inch.

20. The member of claim 17, wherein a transverse cross-sectional area of the second orifice is between 3.0×

10<sup>−

6</sup> in² to about 1.5×

10<sup>−

3</sup> in².

21. The member of claim 17, wherein the spacer comprises a polymer.

22. The member of claim 21, wherein the polymer includes a coefficient of friction-reducing additive.

23. The member of claim 22, wherein the coefficient of friction-reducing additive is selected from the group consisting of fluoropolymers, silicones and mixtures thereof.

24. The member of claim 17, wherein the spacer comprises a fluoropolymer.

25. A system, comprising:

a tube;

at least one spacer; and

an outer member at least partially surrounding the tube and the at least one spacer,

wherein the at least one spacer is between a portion of the tube and a portion of the outer member, the at least one spacer is configured to allow fluid flow between an outer surface of the tube and the spacer, and the tube and outer member are configured so that an implantable medical endoprosthesis can be positioned therebetween.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the system includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart spacers, and the plurality of spacers are configured to allow fluid flow between the tube and the outer member.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein a spacing between each spacer and its nearest neighboring spacer is from about 0.1 inch to about one inch.

28. The system of claim 25, further comprising the implantable medical endoprosthesis, the implantable medical endoprosthesis being positioned between the tube and the outer member.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein the at least one spacer has first and second orifices extending longitudinally therethrough, and the tube is disposed within the first orifice.

30. The system of claim 25, wherein the at least one spacer has at least one peripheral cutout.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the at least one spacer has an orifice in which the tube is disposed.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein, prior to being incorporated into the system, the at least one spacer has a maximum transverse dimension larger than a minimum transverse dimension of the outer member.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the maximum transverse of the at least one spacer is at least about two percent larger than the minimum transverse dimension of the outer member.

34. The system of claim 25, wherein the at least one spacer longitudinally tapers from a point of contact between the at least one spacer and an inner surface of the outer member so that only a portion of a longitudinal length of the at least one spacer is in contact with the inner surface of the outer member.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the portion of the spacer in contact with the inner surface of the outer member is less than about 10% of a longitudinal length of the at least one spacer.

36. The system of claim 25, wherein the at least one spacer is formed of a material that comprises an elastomer having a durometer less than about 80 Shore A.

38. A method of treating a lumen within a patient, the method comprising:

inserting the system of claim 29 into the lumen of the subject; and

at least partially extracting a portion of the outer member to expand the implantable medical endoprosthesis.