IMPLANT AND DELIVERY SYSTEM WITH MULTIPLE MARKER INTERLOCKS

• US 20070293930A1
• Filed: 05/14/2007
• Published: 12/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: ev3, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Wang, Lixiao, Ma, Jianlu, Tatalovich, Joe, Kusleika, Rich, Waltz, Peggy, Smythe, Keith
• Granted Patent: US 9,044,351 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/91 made from perforated sheet material or tubes, e.g. perforated by laser cuts or etched holes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/915 with bands having a meander structure, adjacent bands being connected to each other
• 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 2/966 with relative longitudinal movement between outer sleeve and prosthesis, e.g. using a push rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91541 Adjacent bands are arranged out of phase
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91558 connected peak to peak
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91591 Locking connectors, e.g. using male-female connections
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9665 with additional retaining means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/005 using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0058 soldered or brazed or welded
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0098 radio-opaque, e.g. radio-opaque markers

Abstract

An implant delivery system has one or more interlock assemblies which connect the implant delivery catheter to the implant, an improved inner tubular member and an outer tubular member. The interlock assemblies, improved inner tubular member and outer tubular member cooperate to place the implant in tension during deployment, thereby reducing implant deployment force.

Claims

1. A medical device comprising:

an implant having a proximal and distal end and a self-expanding portion with a constrained diameter d and constrained length l; and

an implant delivery system comprising a tubular catheter having outer shaft sheath slidably disposed about an inner member;

a mechanism for enabling increases in the constrained length l of the implant disposed intermediate the inner member and outer sheath when the outer sheath moves relative to the inner member.

2. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the mechanism for enabling increases in the constrained length l of the implant comprises:

a distal interlock structure carried by the inner member for preventing axial movement of the distal end of the implant relative to the inner member when the outer sheath moves relative to the inner member.

3. The medical device of claim 2 wherein the implant comprises:

a plurality of struts having terminal ends, at least some of the terminal ends defining a first profile; and

wherein the distal interlock structure comprises at least one receptacle defining a second profile, substantially similar to the first profile of a terminal end, for restricting axial movement of the distal end of the implant relative to the inner member while allowing changes in the constrained diameter d of the implant when the outer sheath moves relative to the inner member.

4. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the mechanism for enabling increases in the constrained length l of the implant comprises:

at least a portion of the inner member formed of a material able to resist compression forces exerted thereon by said implant.

5. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the mechanism for enabling increases in the constrained length l of the implant comprises:

an inner surface of the outer sheath which frictionally engages at least a part of the implant when the outer sheath moves relative to the inner member.

6. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the mechanism for enabling increases in the constrained length l of the implant comprises:

a proximal interlock structure carried by the inner member and defining a receptacle for accommodating increases in the length l of the implant when the outer sheath moves relative to the inner member.

7. The medical device of claim 6 wherein the implant comprises:

a plurality of struts having terminal ends, at least some of the terminal ends defining a first profile; and

wherein the proximal interlock structure comprises at least one receptacle defining a second profile different form the first profile, for accommodating increases in the constrained length l of the implant when the outer sheath moves relative to the inner member.

8. The medical device of claim 7 wherein the proximal interlock structure comprises at least one receptacle for accommodating multiple terminal ends of the implant.

9. The medical device of claim 6 wherein the receptacle of the proximal interlock structure defines a channel having a depth D measurable along a common axis of the inner member and the implant;

and

wherein the depth D is at least equal to any increases in the constrained length l of the implant when the outer sheath moves relative to the inner member.

10. A medical device comprising:

an implant having a proximal and a distal end and a self-expanding portion with a constrained diameter d and constrained length l; and

an implant delivery system comprising a tubular catheter having outer shaft sheath slidably disposed about an inner member,

a mechanism for decreasing the constrained diameter d of the implant disposed intermediate the inner member when the outer sheath moves relative to the inner member.

11. The medical device of claim 10 wherein the mechanism for decreasing the constrained diameter d of the implant comprises:

a distal interlock structure carried by the inner member for preventing axial movement of the distal end of the implant relative to the inner member when the outer sheath moves relative to the inner member.

12. The medical device of claim 10 wherein the mechanism for decreasing the constrained diameter d of the implant comprises:

at least a portion of the inner member formed of a material able to resist compression forces exerted thereon by said implant.

13. The medical device of claim 10 wherein the mechanism for decreasing the constrained diameter d of the implant comprises:

a proximal interlock structure carried by the inner member and defining a receptacle for accommodating increases in the length l of the implant when the outer sheath moves relative to the inner member.

14. A system for delivering a medical device within a body lumen comprising:

a tubular catheter having proximal and distal ends and comprising an outer shaft member slidably disposed about an inner shaft member;

a medical device comprising a tubular, self-expanding section carried by the inner shaft member and disposed intermediate the inner shaft member and the outer shaft member, the implant having a length l and a constrained diameter d which frictionally engages an inner surface of the outer shaft member; and

a tensioning mechanism for causing tensioning of the medical device when the outer shaft member moves relative to the inner shaft member.

15. The medical device of claim 14 wherein the tensioning mechanism comprises:

a distal interlock structure carried by the inner member for preventing axial movement of a distal end of the implant when the outer sheath moves relative to the inner member.

16. The medical device of claim 14 wherein the tensioning mechanism comprises:

at least a portion of the inner member formed of a material able to resist compression forces exerted thereon by said implant.

17. The medical device of claim 14 wherein the tensioning mechanism comprises:

a proximal interlock structure carried by the inner member and defining a receptacle for accommodating increases in the length L of the implant when the outer sheath moves relative to the inner member.

18. The medical device of claim 14 wherein the tensioning mechanism comprises:

an inner surface of the outer sheath which frictionally engages at least a part of the implant when the outer sheath moves relative to the inner member.

19. The medical device of claim 14 wherein the implant comprises:

a plurality of struts defining at least one aperture intermediate proximal and distal ends of the implant, such aperture defining a first profile; and

wherein the interlock mechanism comprises an intermediate surface extending from the inner member and defining a second profile substantially similar to the first profile to enable mating therewith for further preventing axial movement of the implant relative to the inner member when the outer sheath moves relative to the inner member.

20. A method for deploying an implant comprising:

a) providing an implant delivery system comprising an at least partially self expanding implant carried by an inner member and outer sheath slidably mounted over the inner member, the implant having a constrained length l and a constrained diameter d when disposed intermediate the inner member and the outer sheath; and

b) placing the implant in tension while enabling axial movement of the outer sheath relative to the implant.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the implant delivery system further comprises a distal interlock structure carried by the inner member for engaging a portion of the implant and wherein b) further comprises:

b1) resisting axial movement of a distal end of the implant relative to the inner member as the outer sheath moves relative to the inner member.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the implant delivery system further comprises at least a portion of the inner member formed of a material able to resist compression forces exerted thereon by said implant and wherein b) further comprises:

b1) resisting radial compression of the implant on the inner member as the diameter of the implant is less than the constrained diameter d.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein the implant delivery system further comprises an inner surface of the outer sheath and wherein b) further comprises:

b1) frictionally engaging at least a part of the implant with the inner surface of the outer sheath as the outer sheath moves relative to the inner member.

24. The method of claim 20 further comprising:

c) accommodating increases in the length l of the implant while resisting axial movement of the implant relative to the inner member as the outer sheath moves relative to the inner member.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the implant delivery system further comprises a proximal interlock structure carried by the inner member and defining a receptacle for receiving an end of the implant and wherein c) further comprises:

c1) receiving any increases in the length l of the constrained implant into the receptacle of the proximal interlock structure as the outer sheath moves relative to the inner member.