Stent mounting and transfer device and method

• US 5,693,066 A
• Filed: 12/21/1995
• Issued: 12/02/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Chao, Cecilia, Sasamine, Kazuo, Rupp, Garry Eugene, Shy, James M.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEWIS, WILLIAM W
• Application Number:
  US08/576,720
• Time in Patent Office: 712 Days
• Field of Search: 606/1, 606/108, 606/191, 606/192, 606/194, 606/195, 606/198, 604/96, 128/898, 128/899, 623/1, 623/12
• US Class Current: 623/1.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/9522 Means for mounting a stent or stent-graft onto or into a placement instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/9526 using a mandrel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/958 Inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts

Abstract

A mounting and transfer device and method for installing a stent on a delivery device that inserts the stent into a body lumen. The device includes a generally cylindrical mandrel for receiving and frictionally holding a stent, a handle at a first end of the mandrel and a guide rod extending axially from the second of the mandrel. The second end of the mandrel has a conical recess surrounding the guide rod exit. In use, a stent is placed on the mandrel, the distal end of the guide rod is fully inserted into a guide wire lumen at an end a delivery system such as a catheter and the stent is slid from the mandrel onto the balloon and crimped in place. A tube of heat shrinkable material may be placed over the stent on the mandrel and heat shrunk to lightly press against the stent. The tube and stent are transferred to the balloon and crimped. The tube protects the stent against damage during transfer and crimping and is easily removed thereafter since crimping reduces the outside diameter of the stent to less than the internal diameter of the tube.

Claims

1. A combination stent and stent mounting and transfer device which comprises:

a generally cylindrical mandrel having a diameter sized to receive a stent of predetermined diameter and frictionally retain said stent thereon;

handle means at a proximal end of said mandrel;

guide means extending from approximately the center of a distal end of said mandrel and extending substantially coaxial therewith; and

a recess in said distal end of said mandrel;

whereby a stent may be installed on said mandrel, said guide means may be inserted into a guide wire lumen at a catheter end until said balloon contacts said recess and said stent can be slid from said mandrel onto said balloon.

2. The stent mounting and transfer device according to claim 1 further including a length of heat shrinkable tubing over said stent on said mandrel for heating to shrink said tubing over said stent.

3. The stent mounting and transfer device according to claim 1 wherein said handle and said mandrel are formed as a single unit from a material selected from the group consisting of acetal, polyamide and polycarbonate resins.

4. The stent mounting and transfer device according to claim 1 wherein said mandrel diameter gradient ranges from about 2 to 10% from said handle to said guide wire.

5. The stent mounting and transfer device according to claim 1 wherein said guide means is rod formed from a material selected from the group consisting of stainless steel or a fluoroplastic resin coated metal.

6. A combination stent and storage and transfer device which comprises:

a generally cylindrical mandrel having a predetermined outside diameter;

handle means at a proximal end of said mandrel;

guide means extending from a distal end of said mandrel, substantially coaxial with said mandrel and adapted to receive a delivery system tubular balloon thereover;

a expandable tubular stent on said mandrel, said stent having an inside diameter such as to frictionally retain said stent on said mandrel; and

tubular means over said stent and pressing said stent against said mandrel;

whereby said stent can be slidingly moved along said mandrel and onto a delivery system tubular balloon on said guide means and in contact with said mandrel second end.

7. The stent storage and transfer device according to claim 6, further including a conical, axial recess in said mandrel second end for receiving an end of a tubular balloon on said guide means.

8. The stent storage and transfer device according to claim 6, wherein said guide means is an elongated metal rod having a predetermined diameter adapted to slidingly fit within a predetermined tubular balloon inside diameter.

9. The stent storage and transfer device according to claim 8 wherein said guide rod is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of stainless steel and fluoroplastic resin coated metal.

10. The stent storage and transfer device according to claim 6 wherein said handle and said mandrel are formed as a single unit from a material selected from the group consisting of acetal, polyamide and polycarbonate resins.

11. The stent storage and transfer device according to claim 6 wherein said tubular means comprises a tube of heat shrinkable material that has been heated to shrink against said stent.

12. A method for mounting a stent onto a delivery system balloon which comprises the steps of:

sliding a stent onto an end of a mandrel sized to frictionally hold said stent in place;

sliding tubular balloon, carried by a delivery means, onto a guide rod extending from said mandrel end until said tubular balloon contacts said mandrel end;

sliding said stent from said mandrel onto said tubular balloon;

removing said mandrel and guide rod; and

crimping said stent onto said balloon.

13. The method according to claim 12 further including the steps of placing a tube of heat shrinkable tubing over said stent on said mandrel prior to slipping said stent onto said balloon and heating said tube to shrink said tube over said stent.

14. The method according to claim 13 wherein said heat shrinkable material is selected from the group consisting of heat shrinkable fluoroplastic, polyamide and polyethylene resins.

15. The method according to claim 12 wherein said crimping is accomplished by finger pressure.

16. The method according to claim 12 wherein said mandrel end is recessed and said balloon is brought into contact with said mandrel end by pressing a distal end of said balloon into said recess.