Guidewire loaded stent for delivery through a catheter

• US 20070299502A1
• Filed: 08/31/2007
• Published: 12/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Back Bay Medical Incorporated (Quarterhill Inc. (f/k/a Wi-LAN Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Counter Clockwise Inc.
• Inventors: Hebert, Stephen, Levine, Marc-Alan
• Granted Patent: US 9,114,038 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 2/958 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: A61F 2002/9583 Means for holding the stent on the balloon, e.g. using protrusions, adhesives or an outer sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09008 having a balloon
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09183 having tools at the distal tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/09 Guide wires

Abstract

A guidewire loaded stent for delivery through a catheter is described herein. The stent delivery assembly can deliver and place a stent within tortuous regions of the body which are accessible to guidewires but inaccessible to stenting catheters. The assembly comprises a guidewire covered in part by a retractable sheath and a radially expandable stent near or at the distal end of the guidewire. The whole assembly is advanced through conventional catheters or it may be used alone. In either case, when the stent is adjacent to a treatment site within the body, the sheath is retracted proximally to expose the stent for radial expansion into contact with the vessel wall. Radio-opaque marker bands are optionally located on either side or both sides of the stent on the guidewire body to aid in visual placement. The assembly can optionally include an expandable balloon on the guidewire for different treatment modalities.

Claims

1-22. -22. (canceled)

23. A method for treating an aneurysm located within an intracranial vessel of a patient comprising:

delivering a self-expanding occluding prosthesis having an unexpanded and expanded configuration to the aneurysm, the occluding prosthesis mounted in its unexpanded configuration on a distal segment of an elongate wire and carried by the wire to be positioned across the neck of the aneurysm; and

expanding the occluding prosthesis to permanently place the occluding prosthesis across the neck of aneurysm.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the self-expanding occluding prosthesis is delivered to the intracranial vessel through a lumen of a delivery catheter, the delivery catheter being sufficiently flexible to navigate the intracranial vasculature.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising the step of withdrawing the wire into the lumen of the delivery catheter after placing the occluding prosthesis.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising the step of concurrently withdrawing the delivery catheter and wire from the patient.

27. The method of claim 25 further comprising the step of withdrawing the wire from the patient through the lumen of the delivery catheter.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising the step of advancing one or more additional tools to the vessel through the lumen of the delivery catheter.

29. The method of claim 27 further comprising the application of one or more drugs into the vessel through the lumen of the delivery catheter.

30. The method of claim 23 wherein the wire is a hypotube.

31. A method for treating an aneurysm located within an intracranial vessel of a patient comprising:

positioning a delivery catheter in the intracranial vessel, the delivery catheter having an inner lumen and being sufficiently flexible to navigate the intracranial vasculature, delivering a self-expanding occluding prosthesis that is mounted on a distal segment of an elongate wire through the lumen of the delivery catheter so that the occluding prosthesis is positioned across the neck of the aneurysm; and

expanding the occluding prosthesis to permanently place the occluding prosthesis across the neck of the aneurysm.

32. The method of claim 31 further comprising the step of withdrawing the wire into the lumen of the delivery catheter after placing the occluding prosthesis.

33. The method of claim 32 further comprising the step of concurrently withdrawing the delivery catheter and wire from the patient.

34. The method of claim 32 further comprising the step of withdrawing the wire from the patient.

35. The method of claim 34 further comprising the step of advancing one or more additional tools to the intracranial vessel through the lumen of the delivery catheter.

36. The method of claim 34 further comprising the application of one or more drugs into the intracranial vessel through the lumen of the delivery catheter.

37. The method of claim 31 wherein the wire comprises a hypotube.

38. A system for treating an aneurysm of an intracranial vessel comprising:

a self-expanding device for occluding a neck of the aneurysm moveable from a first delivery position to a second placement position, in the first delivery position the self-expanding device being in an unexpanded position and having a first diameter and in the second placement position the self-expanding device being in a radially expanded position and having a second diameter greater than the first diameter for permanent placement across the neck of the aneurysm; and

an elongate wire for carrying the self-expanding device to the neck of the intracranial aneurysm, the self-expanding device mounted in its unexpanded position on a distal segment of the elongate wire.

39. The system of claim 38 further comprising a delivery catheter having a lumen, the self-expanding device carried by the elongate wire deliverable through the lumen of the catheter to the intracranial vessel, the delivery catheter being sufficiently flexible to navigate the intracranial vasculature.

40. The system of claim 38 wherein the elongate wire comprises a hypotube.

41. The system of claim 38 wherein the elongate wire has a length between about 43 to 91 inches.

42. The system of claim 38 wherein the elongate wire has a length between about 67 to 75 inches.

43. The system of claim 38 wherein the elongate wire comprises a superelastic material.

44. The system of claim 38 wherein the distal segment of elongate wire comprises one or more radiopaque markers.