Telescoping Stability Sheath and Method of Use

• US 20080255651A1
• Filed: 04/12/2007
• Published: 10/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Vascular, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Vascular, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Dwork, Joshua
• Application Number:
  US11/734,641
• Publication Number:
  US 20080255651A1
• 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 2/9517 handle assemblies therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0004 having two or more concentrically arranged tubes for forming a concentric catheter system
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0662 Guide tubes

Abstract

A telescoping stability sheath and method of use, including a telescoping stability sheath for use with a stent delivery system having a delivery catheter and an introducer, the delivery catheter having a retractable sheath and a stability sheath stop axially slidable on the retractable sheath, the introducer having an introducer fitting slidably tightenable about the retractable sheath axially slidable within a sheath stop. The telescoping stability sheath includes a first segment slidably disposed about the retractable sheath, a second segment slidably disposed about the first segment, and a stability fitting attached to at least one of the first segment and the second segment. The stability fitting fixes a set length between the introducer fitting and the stability sheath stop when the stability fitting is engaged to lock the first segment to the second segment.

Claims

1. A telescoping stability sheath for use with a stent delivery system having a delivery catheter and an introducer, the delivery catheter having a retractable sheath and a retractable sheath axially slidable within a stability sheath stop, the introducer having an introducer fitting slidably tightenable about the retractable sheath, the telescoping stability sheath comprising:

a first segment slidably disposed about the retractable sheath;

a second segment slidably disposed about the first segment; and

a stability fitting attached to at least one of the first segment and the second segment;

wherein the stability fitting fixes a set length between the introducer fitting and the stability sheath stop when the stability fitting is engaged to lock the first segment to the second segment.

2. The telescoping stability sheath of claim 1 wherein the stability fitting is a compression fitting attached to the second segment.

3. The telescoping stability sheath of claim 2 wherein the stability fitting is a Touhy Borst fitting.

4. The telescoping stability sheath of claim 1 wherein the second segment comprises:

a first sub-segment slidably disposed about the first segment;

a second sub-segment slidably disposed about the first sub-segment; and

a second stability fitting attached to at least one of the first sub-segment and the second sub-segment, the second stability fitting fixing the first sub-segment and the second sub-segment to a second set length when engaged.

5. The telescoping stability sheath of claim 1 wherein a proximal end of one of the first segment and the second segment is attached to the stability sheath stop.

6. The telescoping stability sheath of claim 1 wherein a distal end of one of the first segment and the second segment is tapered to engage the introducer fitting.

7. The telescoping stability sheath of claim 1 further comprising a complementary fitting operable to connect a distal end of one of the first segment and the second segment to the introducer fitting when engaged.

8. The telescoping stability sheath of claim 1 further comprising a complementary fitting operable to connect a proximal end of one of the first segment and the second segment to the stability sheath stop when engaged.

9. A system for delivering a stent into a body lumen, the system comprising:

a delivery catheter, the delivery catheter having a retractable sheath and a stability sheath stop through which the retractable sheath can slide;

an introducer, the introducer having an introducer fitting slidably tightenable about the retractable sheath; and

a telescoping stability sheath comprising;

a first segment slidably disposed about the retractable sheath;

a second segment slidably disposed about the first segment; and

a stability fitting attached to at least one of the first segment and the second segment;

wherein the stability fitting fixes a set length between the introducer fitting and the stability sheath stop when the stability fitting is engaged to lock the first segment to the second segment.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the stability fitting is a compression fitting attached to the second segment.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the stability fitting is a Touhy Borst fitting.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the second segment comprises:

a first sub-segment slidably disposed about the first segment;

a second sub-segment slidably disposed about the first sub-segment; and

a second stability fitting attached to at least one of the first sub-segment and the second sub-segment, the second stability fitting fixing the first sub-segment and the second sub-segment to a second set length when engaged.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein a proximal end of one of the first segment and the second segment is attached to the stability sheath stop.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein a distal end of one of the first segment and the second segment is tapered to engage the introducer fitting.

15. The system of claim 9 further comprising a complementary fitting operable to connect a distal end of one of the first segment and the second segment to the introducer fitting when engaged.

16. The system of claim 9 further comprising a complementary fitting operable to connect a proximal end of one of the first segment and the second segment to the stability sheath stop when engaged.

17. The system of claim 9 further comprising a guidewire slidable within the delivery catheter.

18. A method of delivering a stent into a body lumen, the method comprising:

providing an introducer having an introducer first end and an introducer second end;

inserting the introducer first end into the body lumen;

providing a delivery catheter having a stability sheath stop;

inserting the delivery catheter into the introducer with a set length of the delivery catheter between the introducer second end and the stability sheath stop; and

fixing the set length between the introducer second end and the stability sheath stop.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the introducer has an introducer fitting at the introducer second end, the delivery catheter has a retractable sheath axially slidable within the stability sheath stop, and the inserting the delivery catheter further comprises tightening the introducer fitting onto the retractable sheath.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the inserting the delivery catheter comprises inserting a guidewire through the introducer into the body lumen and inserting the delivery catheter through the introducer over the guidewire.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the delivery catheter has a retractable sheath axially slidable within the stability sheath stop, the inserting the delivery catheter further comprises positioning a telescoping stability sheath about the retractable sheath, and the fixing the set length comprises locking the telescoping stability sheath to the set length between the introducer second end and the stability sheath stop.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the telescoping stability sheath comprises a first segment, a second segment slidably disposed about the first segment, and a stability fitting attached to at least one of the first segment and the second segment, and the locking comprises engaging the stability fitting to lock the first segment to the second segment.

23. The method of claim 18 wherein the delivery catheter has a retractable sheath axially slidable within the stability sheath stop, the retractable sheath extending beyond the introducer first end and restraining a stent at a deployment site in the body lumen, and further comprising withdrawing the retractable sheath to release the stent at the deployment site.

24. A system for delivering a stent into a body lumen, the system comprising:

an introducer having an introducer first end and an introducer second end;

a delivery catheter a retractable sheath and a stability sheath stop axially slidable on the retractable sheath; and

means for fixing a set length between the introducer second end and the stability sheath stop when the introducer first end is in the body lumen, the retractable sheath is in the introducer, and the set length is an axial distance between the introducer second end and the stability sheath stop.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the introducer includes means for slidably sealing about the retractable sheath.

26. The system of claim 24 wherein the fixing means comprises a first segment, a second segment slidably disposed about the first segment, and means for locking the first segment to the second segment.