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Stent delivery system

  • US 5,776,140 A
  • Filed: 07/16/1996
  • Issued: 07/07/1998
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/16/1996
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. The method of deploying an implantable medical stent within a patient, which comprises:

  • advancing a catheter having a balloon into said patient, said catheter carrying said stent in a position surrounding said catheter balloon, said catheter and sheath defining proximal ends and being connected together at said ends each to a separate hub, said catheter also carrying an outer, semi-flexible sheath surrounding at least part of said catheter and said stent, the stent and semi-flexible sheath being advanced together into the patient with said catheter to position the stent at a desired location while enclosed in said sheath, said catheter defining a proximal portion of non-circular cross section;

    retracting said sheath to expose said stent to the exterior, one of said hubs and said sheath slidingly moving along the proximal portion during said retracting step from an advanced position surrounding said stent to a retracted position where the sheath is longitudinally spaced from said stent, the hub connected to said sheath, sliding in said step of retracting said sheath between said advanced and retracted positions, being prevented from rotation about the longitudinal axis of said catheter by said proximal portion of non-circular cross section;

    inflating said balloon to radially expand said stent; and

    withdrawing said catheter and sheath from the patient.

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