VESSEL BIFURCATION STENT DEPLOYMENT SYSTEM WITH ZIPPERED CATHETERS

• US 20140148891A1
• Filed: 07/12/2012
• Published: 05/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rush University Medical Center (Rush University)
• Original Assignee: Rush University Medical Center (Rush University)
• Inventors: Johnson, Andrew K.
• Granted Patent: US 9,474,640 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/856 Single tubular stent with a side portal passage
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/954 for placing stents or stent-grafts in a bifurcation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/97 the outer sleeve being splittable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/067 modular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0001 Means for transferring electromagnetic energy to implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0071 breakable or frangible

Abstract

A bifurcated catheter, which can deploy a bifurcated stent constructed as a single piece into a bifurcated vessel, is disclosed. The system may have two main parts—a y-shaped catheter with a splittable seam, and a custom made stent, which can be deployed with the bifurcated catheter. The disclosed bifurcated catheter permits a physician or operator to stent a vessel at a bifurcation of the vessel.

Claims

1. A deployment system for a bifurcated stent, the system comprising:

a bifurcated catheter comprising a proximal first leg connected to a distal second leg and a distal third leg, the second and third legs including at least one splittable seam that extends across the second and legs,

a first guide wire passing through the first and second legs of the bifurcated catheter and a second guide wire passing through the first and third legs of the bifurcated catheter, the first and second guide wires for introducing the second and third legs of the bifurcated catheter into different but connected vessels,

a bifurcated stent-deployment guide wire including a third guide wire connected to a fourth guide wire and a fifth guide wire, the third, fourth and fifth guide wires being connected a junction,

a bifurcated stent comprising a proximal first leg connected to a distal second leg and a distal third leg, the third guide wire being received in the first leg of the bifurcated stent, the fourth guide wire is received in the second leg of the bifurcated stent and the fifth guide wire being received in the third leg of the bifurcated stent,

the second leg of the bifurcated stent and the fourth guide wire being receivable into the second leg of the bifurcated catheter, the third leg of the bifurcated stent and the fifth guide wire being receivable into the third leg of the bifurcated catheter.

2. The deployment system of claim 1 further including an introduction catheter and a sixth guide wire for introducing the introduction catheter into a vascular system, the bifurcated catheter and bifurcated stent being capable of passing through the introduction catheter.

3. The deployment system of claim 1 wherein the splittable seam comprises an electrolytic material extending along the seam, the electrolytic material being in communication with a power supply for splitting the splittable seam.

4. The deployment system of claim 1 wherein the splittable seam may be split by exposure to a chemical.

5. The deployment system of claim 1 wherein the splittable seam includes at least one chemical that, upon exposure to another chemical, dissolves and splits the splittable seam.

6. The deployment system of claim 1 wherein the splittable seam is coupled to a wire filament that, when pulled, breaks the splittable seam.

12. The deployment system of claim 1 wherein the splittable seam is coupled to a wire filament that, when pulled, breaks the splittable seam.

7. A deployment system for a stent, the system comprising:

a bifurcated catheter comprising a first leg connected to a second leg and a third leg at a first junction, the second and third legs including at least one splittable seam that extends across the second and third legs,

first and second guide wires for introducing the first, second and third legs of the bifurcated catheter into different but connected vessels,

a stent comprising a first leg connected to a second leg at a second junction,

a bifurcated stent-deployment guide wire with a third guide wire connected to a fourth guide and a fifth guide wire at a third junction, the third guide wire being received in the first leg of the bifurcated stent, the fourth guide wire and first leg of the bifurcated stent being receivable in the second leg of the bifurcated catheter, the fifth guide wire and the second leg of the bifurcated stent being receivable in the third leg of the bifurcated catheter.

8. The deployment system of claim 7 further including an introduction catheter and a sixth guide wire for introducing the introduction catheter into a vascular system, the bifurcated catheter and bifurcated stent being capable of passing through the introduction catheter.

9. The deployment system of claim 7 wherein the splittable seam comprises an electrolytic material extending along the seam, the electrolytic material being in communication with a power supply for splitting the splittable seam.

10. The deployment system of claim 7 wherein the splittable seam may be split by exposure to a chemical.

11. The deployment system of claim 7 wherein the splittable seam includes at least one chemical that, upon exposure to another chemical, dissolves and splits the splittable seam.

13. A deployment system for a variable density stent, the system comprising:

a catheter comprising a second lumen comprising at least one splittable seam,

a first guide wire for introducing the catheter into a vascular system,

a variable density stent.

14. A method for installing a bifurcated stent into a bifurcated vessel of a vascular system, the method comprising:

locating the bifurcated vessel in the vascular system, the bifurcated vessel including a first branch connected to a second branch in a third branch at a first junction and wherein the second and third branches are connected,

introducing a first guide wire into the vascular system,

introducing an introduction catheter over the first guide wire and into the vascular system,

withdrawing the first guide wire,

providing a bifurcated catheter including a proximal first leg connected to a distal second leg and a distal third leg at a second junction, the bifurcated catheter further including a splittable seam that extends along the second and third legs of the bifurcated catheter,

providing a bifurcated stent including a proximal first leg connected to a distal second leg and a distal third leg at a third junction,

providing a second guide wire that passes through the first and second legs of the bifurcated stent and a third guide wire that passes through the first and third legs of the bifurcated stent,

inserting the bifurcated stent and second and third guide wires into the bifurcated catheter wherein the second leg of the bifurcated stent is disposed in the second leg of the bifurcated catheter, the third leg of the bifurcated stent is disposed in the third leg of the bifurcated catheter and the first leg of the bifurcated stent is disposed in the first leg of the bifurcated catheter, and wherein the second guide wire passes through the first legs of the bifurcated catheter and bifurcated stent and through the second legs of the bifurcated catheter and bifurcated stent and the third guide wire passes through the first legs of the bifurcated catheter and bifurcated stent and through the third legs of the bifurcated catheter and bifurcated stent,

inserting the bifurcated catheter, bifurcated stent, and second and third guide wires through the introduction catheter towards the bifurcated vessel and positioning the second legs of the bifurcated catheter and bifurcated stent and the second guide wire in the second branch of the bifurcated vessel and positioning the third legs of the bifurcated catheter and bifurcated stent and the third guide wire in the third branch of the bifurcated vessel,

splitting the seam of the bifurcated catheter,

withdrawing the bifurcated catheter,

allowing the bifurcated stent to expand against interior surfaces of the first, second and third branches of the bifurcated vessel, and

withdrawing the second and third guide wires.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the third junction is disposed within the second junction and the second junction is disposed within the first junction prior to splitting the seam of the bifurcated catheter and prior to withdrawing the second and third guide wires.