DEVICES AND METHODS FOR STENT ADVANCEMENT
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A device comprising:
- an outer sheath;
a stent disposed within the outer sheath, the stent having a distal end and a proximal end;
a stent-engaging element positioned at least partially within the lumen of the stent; and
a stent-retention element coupled to the proximal end of the stent;
where the device is configured such that;
the stent-engaging element can be operated in a reciprocating manner to engage and advance the stent distally at least partially out of the outer sheath; and
the stent-retention element will stay in contact with the stent during proximal movement of the stent-engaging element provided that the proximal end of the stent is disposed within the outer sheath.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Devices and methods for stent advancement, including methods for instructing another or others how to advance a stent into an anatomical structure or into a testing/demonstration synthetic structure, such as a polymer tube. The advancement may be achieved by at least two periods of stent engagement that drive a stent distally from a sheath separated by a period of non-engagement.
91 Citations
93 Claims
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1. A device comprising:
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an outer sheath;
a stent disposed within the outer sheath, the stent having a distal end and a proximal end;
a stent-engaging element positioned at least partially within the lumen of the stent; and
a stent-retention element coupled to the proximal end of the stent;
where the device is configured such that;
the stent-engaging element can be operated in a reciprocating manner to engage and advance the stent distally at least partially out of the outer sheath; and
the stent-retention element will stay in contact with the stent during proximal movement of the stent-engaging element provided that the proximal end of the stent is disposed within the outer sheath. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A device comprising:
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an outer sheath;
a handle coupled to the outer sheath such that the outer sheath cannot move relative to the handle, the handle having a proximal end;
a stent disposed within the outer sheath, the stent having a distal end and a proximal end; and
a stent-engaging element configured to engage the stent between the distal and proximal ends of the stent;
where the device is configured such that;
a user can advance the stent distally out of the outer sheath through multiple engagements of the stent by the stent-engaging element, where each engagement;
occurs between the proximal and distal ends of the stent, drives the stent distally without a mechanized concomitant withdrawal of the outer sheath, and is separated from any subsequent engagement by a period of not driving the stent distally; and
the user'"'"'s proximal-most point of contact with the device that causes each engagement is located at or distal of the proximal end of the handle. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A device comprising:
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an outer sheath;
a handle coupled to the outer sheath such that the outer sheath cannot move relative to the handle, the handle having a proximal end;
a stent disposed within the outer sheath, the stent having a lumen, a distal end and a proximal end; and
a stent-engaging element positioned at least partially within the lumen of the stent;
where the device is configured such that;
a user can advance the stent distally out of the outer sheath through at least two periods of engagement of the stent by the stent-engaging element that drive the stent distally and that are separated by a period of non-engagement that does not drive the stent distally; and
the user'"'"'s proximal-most point of contact with the device that causes each period of engagement is located at or distal of the proximal end of the handle. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A device comprising:
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an outer sheath;
a stent disposed within the outer sheath, the stent having a lumen, a distal end and a proximal end;
an inner element positioned at least partially within the lumen of the stent, the inner element being configured to accept a guidewire; and
a stent-engaging element positioned at least partially within the lumen of the stent and being capable of moving distally and proximally while the inner element is stationary;
where the device is configured to distally drive the stent at least partially out of the outer sheath through at least two periods of engagement of the stent by the stent-engaging element that are separated by a period of non-engagement that does not drive the stent distally. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A device comprising:
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an outer sheath;
a handle coupled to the outer sheath such that the outer sheath cannot move relative to the handle;
a stent disposed within the outer sheath, the stent having a distal end and a proximal end; and
a stent-engaging element configured to engage the stent between the distal and proximal ends of the stent;
where the device is configured such that the stent can be distally driven at least partially out of the outer sheath through at least two periods of engagement of the stent by the stent-engaging element that are separated by a period of non-engagement that does not drive the stent distally, and the device and stent are configured such that a user can vary the axial density of the stent as the stent is delivered into a tubular structure by varying the axial position of the outer sheath relative to the tubular structure. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. A stent advancement method comprising:
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distally driving a stent out of a sheath and into a tubular structure by repeatedly engaging the stent between its distal and proximal ends with a stent-engaging element, where at least two of the engagements are separated by a period of non-engagement; and
as the stent is distally driven out of the sheath, varying the axial density of the stent within the tubular structure by varying the axial position of the sheath relative to the tubular structure. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
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65. A stent advancement method comprising:
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distally driving a stent out of a sheath and into a tubular structure by repeatedly engaging the stent between its distal and proximal ends with a stent-engaging element, where at least two of the engagements are separated by a period of non-engagement; and
engaging the stent at its proximal end with a stent-retention element that is positioned within the sheath. - View Dependent Claims (66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73)
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74. A stent advancement instruction method comprising:
instructing a person on how to use a stent delivery device that includes a sheath and a stent disposed in the sheath, the instructing including demonstrating the following steps to the person;
distally driving the stent out of the sheath and into a tubular structure by repeatedly engaging the stent between its distal and proximal ends with a stent-engaging element, where at least two of the engagements are separated by a period of non-engagement; and
as the stent is distally driven out of the sheath, varying the axial density of the stent within the tubular structure by varying the axial position of the sheath relative to the tubular structure. - View Dependent Claims (75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84)
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85. A stent advancement instruction method comprising:
instructing a person on how to use a stent delivery device that includes a sheath and a stent disposed in the sheath, the instructing including demonstrating the following steps to the person;
distally driving a stent out of a sheath and into a tubular structure by repeatedly engaging the stent between its distal and proximal ends with a stent-engaging element, where at least two of the engagements are separated by a period of non-engagement; and
engaging the stent at its proximal end with a stent-retention element that is positioned within the sheath. - View Dependent Claims (86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93)
Specification