System for the controlled delivery of stents and grafts
First Claim
1. Apparatus for percutaneously delivering one of a stent, stent draft or graft prosthesis to a target site within a patient'"'"'s vascular system comprising:
- (a) an outer tubular guide catheter having a proximal end, a distal end and a lumen extending therebetween;
(b) an inner tubular pusher catheter having a proximal end, a distal end and lumen extending therebetween, the inner pusher catheter having an outer diameter sized to slidingly fit within the lumen of the guide catheter;
(c) an elongate, flexible member coaxially insertable through the lumen of the inner pusher catheter, said elongate, flexible member having a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end having a first bead member affixed thereto sized to at least partially fit within the lumen of the inner pusher catheter at said distal end of the inner pusher catheter when a proximally directed tension force is applied to the elongate flexible member with respect to the inner pusher catheter; and
(d) a compression spring operatively coupled between the proximal end of the inner pusher catheter and a clamp member releasably affixed to the elongate member.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a delivery mechanism for percutaneously routing a stent or graft through the vascular system and procedures for addressing an aneurysm or an otherwise damaged vessel. The delivery system includes an outer tubular guide catheter 20, an inner tubular delivery (pusher) catheter 14 coaxially disposed and slidable relative to the outer guide catheter and an elongated flexible wire or cable 26 that is coaxially insertable through the lumen of the inner tubular catheter and that has a frusto-conical bead affixed at the distal end thereof which is sized to at least partially fit within the lumen of the inner pusher catheter when a proximally directed tension force is applied between the elongated flexible wire or cable 26 with respect to the pusher catheter 14. By inserting a compressed coil spring between a proximal end portion of the pusher catheter 14 and the proximal end portion of the cable 26, the requisite clamping force is maintained to secure the stent or graft to the distal end of the pusher catheter until the compression spring force is removed. With the stent or graft clamped to the distal end of the inner pusher catheter, it can be drawn within the lumen of the outer guide catheter for delivery therewith to the target site.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. Apparatus for percutaneously delivering one of a stent, stent draft or graft prosthesis to a target site within a patient'"'"'s vascular system comprising:
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(a) an outer tubular guide catheter having a proximal end, a distal end and a lumen extending therebetween;
(b) an inner tubular pusher catheter having a proximal end, a distal end and lumen extending therebetween, the inner pusher catheter having an outer diameter sized to slidingly fit within the lumen of the guide catheter;
(c) an elongate, flexible member coaxially insertable through the lumen of the inner pusher catheter, said elongate, flexible member having a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end having a first bead member affixed thereto sized to at least partially fit within the lumen of the inner pusher catheter at said distal end of the inner pusher catheter when a proximally directed tension force is applied to the elongate flexible member with respect to the inner pusher catheter; and
(d) a compression spring operatively coupled between the proximal end of the inner pusher catheter and a clamp member releasably affixed to the elongate member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. Apparatus for percutaneously delivering a self-expanding prosthesis to a target site within a patient'"'"'s vascular system comprising:
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(a) a tubular inner catheter having a proximal end, a distal end and lumen extending therebetween, the inner catheter having an outer diameter adapted to slidingly fit within the lumen of a guide catheter;
(b) an elongate, flexible member coaxially insertable through the lumen of the inner tubular catheter, said elongate, flexible member having a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end having a first bead member affixed thereto sized to at least partially fit within the lumen of the inner tubular catheter at said distal end of the inner tubular catheter when a proximally directed tension force is applied to the elongate flexible member with respect to the inner tubular catheter; and
(c) a compression spring operatively coupled between the proximal end of the inner tubular catheter and a clamp member releasably affixed to the elongate member. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method for controllably delivering a braided self-expanding tubular prosthesis to a selected site in the vascular system comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing the combination of;
(i) a flexible tubular inner catheter having a proximal end, a distal end and a lumen extending therebetween, the inner catheter having an outer diameter adapted to slidingly fit within the lumen of a guide catheter, (ii) an elongate, flexible member coaxially insertable through the lumen of the inner tubular catheter, said elongate flexible member having a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end having a first bead member affixed thereto sized to at least partially fit within the lumen of the inner tubular catheter at said distal end of the inner tubular catheter when a proximally directed tension force is applied to the elongate flexible member with respect to the inner tubular catheter, (iii) a compression spring operatively coupled between the proximal end of the inner tubular catheter and a clamp member releasably affixed to the elongate member; and
(b) a braided tubular prosthesis with the proximal ends of individual strands comprising the prosthesis captured between the first bead member and the distal end of the inner tubular catheter;
(c) feeding the inner tubular catheter with the braided tubular prosthesis attached through a lumen of the guide catheter and out a distal end thereof;
(d) releasing the clamp member; and
(e) advancing the elongate flexible member in a distal direction to release the tubular prosthesis from the distal end of the inner catheter.
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Specification