Methods and devices for deploying an implant in curved anatomy

• US 20080114440A1
• Filed: 11/27/2006
• Published: 05/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sage Medical Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sage Medical Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Peterson, Alex Alden, Hlavka, Edwin J.
• Application Number:
  US11/605,594
• Publication Number:
  US 20080114440A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.12
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/90 characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/95 Instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9511 the retaining means being filaments or wires

Abstract

Methods and devices for deploying an endoluminal implant in a curved vessel. The devices include steerable catheters having a control member that extends to the distal end and operates to bend the catheter. In other cases, the stent includes a longitudinal adjustment member attached near the leading edge of the stent and operates to shorten or lengthen the stent and thereby induce a curvature. The stent is carried in a distal region of the catheter that is advanced into a curved region of a vessel. The catheter is bent and/or the stent is curved using the longitudinal adjustment member, and the stent is deployed to achieve uniform wall contact with the endoluminal surface of the vessel at the lesser curvature.

Claims

1. A method for deploying an implant in a curved vessel, comprising the steps of:

providing a steerable catheter having a proximal end, a distal end, and an endoluminal implant carried in a distal region of the catheter, the catheter having a longitudinal axis at the distal end of the catheter, the endoluminal implant having a leading edge and a trailing edge;

advancing the catheter into a curved region of a vessel having a centerline;

steering the catheter to substantially align the longitudinal axis with the centerline of the vessel at the region where the implant lies within the vessel; and

deploying the implant to achieve substantially uniform wall contact with the endoluminal surface of the vessel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the vessel is the aorta.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of advancing the catheter into a curved region of a vessel comprises advancing the catheter into the aorta arch.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the catheter is advanced into the ascending aorta upstream of the innominate artery.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the catheter is advanced into the aortic arch downstream of the innominate artery.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the catheter is advanced into the aortic arch downstream of the left subclavian artery.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the aortic arch has an aortic dissection and wherein the dissection has an entry point, wherein the leading edge of the implant substantially overlaps the entry point of the aortic dissection.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the aortic arch has atheroma, and wherein the implant is deployed to retain the atheroma between the implant and the endoluminal surface of the aorta.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the catheter further comprises a control member attached to a point on the catheter near the distal end and extending proximally from the point of attachment, and wherein the step of steering the catheter further comprises the step of withdrawing the control member to cause the distal end to curve.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the control member is attached to a point on the circumference of the catheter.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the endoluminal implant further comprises a longitudinal adjustment member attached on the implant near the leading edge.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the longitudinal adjustment member attached on the implant near the leading edge extends to a point of attachment near the trailing edge.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the adjustment member is releasably attached on the implant.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the adjustment member is fixedly attached on the implant.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the catheter further comprises an elongate sheath slideably covering the endoluminal implant, and wherein the step of deploying the implant further comprises the step of sliding the sheath proximally to release the endoluminal implant.

16. A medical device for deploying an implant in a curved vessel, comprising:

an elongate member having a proximal end and a distal end;

an endoluminal implant releasably carried near the distal end of the elongate member; and

a control member having a distal end attached at a point near the distal end of the elongate member and extending proximal from the point of attachment,

wherein the control member causes a distal region of the catheter to bend when an axial displacement is applied to the control member.

17-26. -26. (canceled)

27. A method for deploying an implant in a curved vessel, comprising the steps of:

providing a catheter having a proximal end, a distal end, and an endoluminal implant carried in a distal region of the catheter, the catheter having a longitudinal axis at the distal end of the catheter, the endoluminal implant having a leading edge and a trailing edge and further comprising a longitudinal adjustment member attached on the implant near the leading edge and extending proximally;

advancing the catheter into a curved region of a vessel having a centerline;

deploying the implant; and

moving the adjustment member to adjust the orientation of a plane defined by the leading edge of the endoluminal implant so that the endoluminal implant achieves uniform wall contact with the endoluminal surface of the vessel where the endoluminal implant engages the lesser curvature of the vessel.

28-44. -44. (canceled)

45. A method for deploying an implant in a curved vessel, comprising the steps of:

providing a catheter having a proximal end, a distal end, and an endoluminal implant carried in a distal region of the catheter, the catheter having a longitudinal axis at the distal end of the catheter, the endoluminal implant having a leading edge and a trailing edge;

advancing the catheter into a curved region of a vessel having a centerline;

adjusting the orientation of a plane defined by the leading edge of the endoluminal implant; and

deploying the implant so that the endoluminal implant achieves uniform wall contact with the endoluminal surface of the vessel where the endoluminal implant engages the lesser curvature of the vessel.

46-63. -63. (canceled)

64. A medical device for deploying an implant in a curved vessel comprising:

an elongate member having a proximal end and a distal end;

an endoluminal implant releasably carried near the distal end of the elongate member, the endoluminal implant having a leading edge and a trailing edge; and

a longitudinal adjustment member comprising a distal segment attached on the implant near the leading edge and extending proximally,

wherein the adjustment member causes the leading edge of the endoluminal implant to bend into uniform wall contact with the endoluminal surface of the curved vessel.

65-74. -74. (canceled)

75. A method for deploying an implant in a curved vessel, comprising the steps of:

providing a steerable catheter having a proximal end, a distal end, and an endoluminal implant carried in a distal region of the catheter, the catheter having a longitudinal axis at the distal end of the catheter, the endoluminal implant having a leading edge and a trailing edge;

advancing the catheter into a curved region of a vessel having a centerline;

steering the catheter to substantially align the longitudinal axis parallel with a tangent to the centerline of the vessel at the region where the implant lies within the vessel; and

deploying the implant to achieve substantially uniform wall contact with the endoluminal surface of the vessel.

76-85. -85. (canceled)

86. A method for deploying an implant in a curved vessel, comprising the steps of:

providing a steerable catheter having a proximal end, a distal end, and an endoluminal implant carried in a distal region of the catheter, the catheter having a longitudinal axis at the distal end of the catheter, the endoluminal implant having a leading edge and a trailing edge;

advancing the catheter into a curved region of a vessel having a centerline;

steering the catheter to substantially align the longitudinal axis parallel with a tangent to the wall of the vessel at the region where the implant lies within the vessel; and

deploying the implant to achieve substantially uniform wall contact with the endoluminal surface of the vessel.

87-96. -96. (canceled)