Method and system for stent delivery

• US 5,344,426 A
• Filed: 04/15/1993
• Issued: 09/06/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories)
• Inventors: Lau, Lilip, Hartigan, William M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yasko, John D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CERMAK, ADAM
• Application Number:
  US08/048,375
• Time in Patent Office: 509 Days
• Field of Search: 128/898, 604/104, 606/108, 606/153, 606/155, 606/156, 606/191, 606/198, 606/194, 606/200, 623/1, 623/11, 623/12
• US Class Current: 623/1.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/92 Stents in the form of a rolled-up sheet expanding after insertion into the vessel , e.g. with a spiral shape in cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/958 Inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9583 Means for holding the stent on the balloon, e.g. using protrusions, adhesives or an outer sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1068 having means for varying the length or diameter of the deployed balloon, this variations could be caused by excess pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1081 having sheaths or the like for covering the balloon but not forming a permanent part of the balloon, e.g. retractable, dissolvable or tearable sheaths
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/1006 Balloons formed between concentric tubes

Abstract

A stent delivery system having an expandable stent in a contracted condition positioned on an expandable member, such as an inflatable balloon, disposed on the distal portion of an elongated catheter body. A guidewire extends through an inner lumen within the elongated catheter body and out its distal end. A tubular protective sheath is secured by its distal end to the portion of the guidewire which extends out of the distal end of the catheter body and fits over the rolled up stent mounted on the expandable member on the distal end of the catheter body. The catheter assembly is advanced to a desired location within a patient'"'"'s body lumen, such as the patient'"'"'s arterial system, with the sheath in place over the stent. Once in proper position, the guidewire is advanced distally in order to remove the attached sheath and completely expose the stent. The expandable member on the catheter is expanded to expand the stent. The stent is preferably self-locking in the expanded condition so that the expanded expandable member can be contracted and the catheter can be removed therefrom.

Claims

1. An intravascular stent for implanting in a coronary artery, comprising:

a flat sheet of material having a first and a second longitudinal edge, said flat sheet having an open reticulated design including a plurality of apertures;

a plurality of finger-like projections aligned in rows parallel to said first longitudinal edge;

whereby said flat sheet is rolled-up to form an elongated cylindrical structure wherein some of said finger-like projections intersect some of said apertures in an interlocking relationship.

2. The intravascular stent of claim 1, wherein said first and second longitudinal edges overlap when said flat sheet is in its rolled-up condition.

3. The intravascular stent of claim 1, wherein said stent is adjustably expandable to differing diameters.

4. The intravascular stent of claim 1, wherein said stent is elastically deformed so that it tends to contract when in its cylindrical-shaped form.

5. A method of delivering an expandable stent to a region within a body lumen, comprising:

(a) providing a stent delivery system which includes an elongate catheter body with an expandable member on the distal end thereof;

(b) mounting an expandable stent in a contracted condition onto the expanded member;

(c) advancing the stent delivery system through a body lumen until the stent is disposed within a desired region therein;

(d) expanding the expandable member to expand the stent thereon;

(e) locking the stent in an expanded condition by interlocking a plurality of finger-like projections with a plurality of corresponding apertures; and

(f) contracting the expandable member sufficiently to facilitate removing the expandable member from within the expanded stent.