DEVICES AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING EXPANDABLE PROSTHESES DURING DEPLOYMENT
First Claim
1. A catheter for delivering a prosthesis to a treatment site in a body lumen, the catheter comprising:
- an elongate flexible member having a proximal end and a distal end;
a sheath slidably disposed over the elongate flexible member;
a plurality of self-expanding tubular prostheses carried in axially spaced-apart locations along the elongate flexible member and within the sheath, the plurality of self-expanding tubular prostheses adapted to be selectively interlocked with one another and constrained by the sheath in a radially contracted configuration, the prostheses being separately releasable from the sheath as the sheath is retracted relative to the elongate flexible member; and
a pusher member slidably disposed along the elongate flexible member within the sheath, the pusher member adapted to move past the prostheses in a first direction, while in a second direction the pusher member engages a selected prosthesis so as to move the prosthesis with the pusher member to interlock the selected prosthesis with a second prosthesis.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A catheter for delivering a prosthesis to a treatment site in a body lumen comprises an elongate flexible member and a sheath slidably disposed thereover. A plurality of self-expanding tubular prostheses are carried in axially spaced apart locations along the elongate member, within the sheath. The prostheses may be selectively interlocked with one another and are constrained by the sheath in a radially contracted configuration. The prostheses are separately releasable from the sheath when the sheath is retracted relative to the elongate member. The catheter also has a pusher member slidably disposed along the elongate member within the sheath. The pusher is adapted to move past the prostheses in a first direction without displacing the prostheses, while in a second direction the pusher engages a selected prosthesis so as to move the prosthesis with the pusher to interlock the selected prosthesis with a second prosthesis.
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Citations
77 Claims
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1. A catheter for delivering a prosthesis to a treatment site in a body lumen, the catheter comprising:
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an elongate flexible member having a proximal end and a distal end; a sheath slidably disposed over the elongate flexible member; a plurality of self-expanding tubular prostheses carried in axially spaced-apart locations along the elongate flexible member and within the sheath, the plurality of self-expanding tubular prostheses adapted to be selectively interlocked with one another and constrained by the sheath in a radially contracted configuration, the prostheses being separately releasable from the sheath as the sheath is retracted relative to the elongate flexible member; and a pusher member slidably disposed along the elongate flexible member within the sheath, the pusher member adapted to move past the prostheses in a first direction, while in a second direction the pusher member engages a selected prosthesis so as to move the prosthesis with the pusher member to interlock the selected prosthesis with a second prosthesis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A method for delivering a prosthesis to a body lumen, the method comprising:
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introducing into the body lumen one or more self-expanding tubular prostheses carried at axially spaced apart locations along an elongate flexible member and constrained in a contracted configuration within a sheath, the body lumen having a lesion with a lesion length; selecting a first group of the self-expanding tubular prostheses for delivery, the first group having a combined length that substantially traverses the lesion length; bringing the first group into engagement with each other within the sheath so that prostheses in the first group interlock with one another; and uncovering the first group from the sheath so that they are unconstrained from expansion, wherein the first group expands at the first treatment site. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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58. A self-expanding tubular prosthesis comprising:
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a plurality of self-expanding tubular rings having a plurality of axial struts and a plurality of connectors coupling adjacent struts together, the axial struts and connectors forming a substantially zig-zag pattern; a bridge member coupling adjacent tubular rings together; and an interlocking tab on one end of the prosthesis coupled to a tubular ring, the interlocking tab adapted to interlock with an adjacent prosthesis when the prostheses are pressed together and wherein adjacent prostheses remain interlocked after they have self-expanded. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77)
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Specification