Shuttle stent delivery catheter

• US 5,807,398 A
• Filed: 04/28/1995
• Issued: 09/15/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alexander Shaknovich
• Original Assignee: Alexander Shaknovich
• Inventors: Shaknovich, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Reichard, Lynne A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): YU, JUSTINE ROMANG
• Application Number:
  US08/430,378
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• Field of Search: 606/108, 606/194, 606/114, 606/191, 606/198, 606/195, 606/200, 606/127, 623/1
• US Class Current: 623/1.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/01 Filters implantable into blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/011 Instruments for their placement or removal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/958 Inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/97 the outer sleeve being splittable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/826 more than one stent being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0023 operated at different temperatures whilst inside or touching the human body, heated or cooled by external energy source or cold supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0006 circular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0067 Means for introducing or releasing pharmaceutical products into the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0098 radio-opaque, e.g. radio-opaque markers

Abstract

The present invention relates to a stent delivery system, including a tubular stent delivery catheter (a "shuttle") comprising an expandable deployment segment, onto which a stent can be mounted in a contracted conformation. Unlike hitherto known delivery catheters, however, the deployment segment is expanded by an ancillary device, for example, by a balloon catheter separate and distinct from the shuttle.

Claims

1. A shuttle for delivering a stent in a patient comprising a tubular catheter having a proximal end and a distal end and having, at the distal end of the tubular catheter, a deployment segment, wherein the deployment segment comprises an expandable portion flanked, on both sides, by reenforced regions that are less expandable than the expandable portion, such that the deployment segment is capable of being expanded by means of a separate balloon catheter to deliver the stent in a desired location in the patient.

2. The shuttle of claim 1, wherein a stent is mounted on the deployment segment.

3. The shuttle of claim 2, wherein the stent is a self-expanding stent.

4. The shuttle of claim 2, wherein the stent is a non-self-expanding stent.

5. The shuttle of claim 4, wherein the stent is a Palmaz-Schatz stent.

6. The shuttle of claim 1, further comprising an embolic filter attached to the distal end of the tubular catheter.

7. The shuttle of claim 1, wherein the deployment segment comprises a pharmaceutical substance in releasable form.

8. A stent delivery system comprising

(a) a shuttle for delivering a stent in a patient comprising a tubular catheter having a proximal end and a distal end and having, at the distal end of the tubular catheter, a deployment segment wherein the deployment segment comprises an expandable portion flanked, on both sides, by reenforced regions that are less expandable than the expandable portion;

(b) a stent mounted on the expandable portion of the deployment segment; and

(c) a balloon catheter having a shaft and comprising a balloon at its distal end;

wherein the deployment segment is capable of being passed over the shaft of the balloon catheter and its expandable portion may be expanded by inflation of the balloon to deliver the stent in a desired location in the patient.

9. The stent delivery system of claim 8, further comprising an embolic filter attached to the distal end of the tubular catheter.

10. A method for placing a stent in a vasel of a patient wherein the vessel contains an obstruction, comprising

(i) introducing a balloon catheter, having a shaft and comprising a balloon at its distal end, into the vessel such that the balloon is within the obstruction;

(ii) inflating the balloon so as to dilate the obstruction;

(iii) deflating the balloon;

(iv) advancing the balloon distal to the obstruction;

(v) passing a shuttle, comprising a tubular catheter having a proximal end and a distal end and having, at the distal end of the tubular catheter, a deployment segment wherein the deployment segment comprises an expandable portion flanked, on both sides, by reenforced regions that are less expandable than the expandable portion, and wherein a stent is mounted on the expandable portion of the deployment segment, over the balloon catheter, such that the stent is positioned within the dilated obstruction;

(vi) withdrawing the deflated balloon into the shuttle such that the balloon lies within the deployment segment;

(vii) inflating the balloon, thereby expanding the expandable portion of the deployment segment and delivering the stent within the dilated obstruction; and

(viii) withdrawing the shuttle and the balloon catheter from the patient.