Apparatus and method of using markers to position stents in bifurcations
First Claim
1. A method for deploying a stent structure at a bifurcation between a main vessel and a side branch vessel, said method comprising:
- deploying a first stent in the main vessel so that a side opening of the stent is positioned at least partially over an ostium of the side branch, wherein the side opening of the stent has at least one fluoroscopic marker adjacent to a periphery thereof;
positioning a second stent through the side opening of the first stent, wherein at least one second fluoroscopic marker is located near a proximal end thereof, such that the at least one fluoroscopic marker of the second stent is aligned with the at least one marker of the first vessel stent; and
deploying the second stent in the side branch vessel while maintaining the marker alignment.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides methods and systems for placing stent systems at vascular bifurcations. The systems include a main branch stent having a side opening, optionally including a side structure, with radiopaque fluoroscopic markers about the periphery of the opening. The stent system further includes a side branch stent having radiopaque markers near at least end thereof. The main branch stent is positioned in the main blood vessel lumen using the markers for proper positioning. After deploying the main branch stent, the side branch stent is positioned through an opening within the side branch. Using the markers on both the main branch stent and the side branch stent, proper alignment and positioning of the two stents relative to each other may be achieved.
57 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method for deploying a stent structure at a bifurcation between a main vessel and a side branch vessel, said method comprising:
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deploying a first stent in the main vessel so that a side opening of the stent is positioned at least partially over an ostium of the side branch, wherein the side opening of the stent has at least one fluoroscopic marker adjacent to a periphery thereof; positioning a second stent through the side opening of the first stent, wherein at least one second fluoroscopic marker is located near a proximal end thereof, such that the at least one fluoroscopic marker of the second stent is aligned with the at least one marker of the first vessel stent; and deploying the second stent in the side branch vessel while maintaining the marker alignment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A stenting system comprising:
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a main branch stent having a side opening for alignment with an ostium of a side branch, wherein one or more first fluoroscopic markers are positioned near a periphery of the side opening; and a side branch stent having an end adapted to be positioned at the side opening of the main branch stent, wherein one or more second fluoroscopic markers are positioned near the end to align with the marker(s) on the main branch stent when the side branch stent is properly positioned relative to the main branch stent at a vascular bifurcation. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification