Stent crimping tool and method of use
First Claim
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1. A crimping tool assembly for crimping a stent onto a balloon catheter assembly, the crimping tool assembly comprising:
- a handle having a plurality of elongate strands attached thereto, the elongate strands being formed of a flexible material;
a cylindrical element having a tapered bore extending at least partially therethrough, the tapered bore further having an inner diameter substantially defining the diameter of the stent when crimped onto the balloon catheter;
whereby the elongate strands extend through the tapered bore and inner diameter and the stent is positioned over the balloon portion of the balloon catheter with the elongate strands positioned around the stent and balloon, the stent is crimped onto the balloon as the handle is used to pull the elongate strands through the tapered bore, which in turn crimps the stent around the balloon portion of the catheter.
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Abstract
A device for enabling crimping of an intravascular stent onto a balloon catheter assembly. The stent crimping device includes a pair of elements, adapted to be held in the hands of the user, which enable one element, in which a stent and balloon catheter assembly are positioned to slidably move relative to the other element, and to move through a tapered opening to crimp the stent onto the balloon catheter assembly.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A crimping tool assembly for crimping a stent onto a balloon catheter assembly, the crimping tool assembly comprising:
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a handle having a plurality of elongate strands attached thereto, the elongate strands being formed of a flexible material; a cylindrical element having a tapered bore extending at least partially therethrough, the tapered bore further having an inner diameter substantially defining the diameter of the stent when crimped onto the balloon catheter; whereby the elongate strands extend through the tapered bore and inner diameter and the stent is positioned over the balloon portion of the balloon catheter with the elongate strands positioned around the stent and balloon, the stent is crimped onto the balloon as the handle is used to pull the elongate strands through the tapered bore, which in turn crimps the stent around the balloon portion of the catheter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A crimping tool assembly for crimping a stent onto a balloon catheter assembly, the crimping tool assembly comprising:
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means for releasably retaining a first end of a catheter therein, which catheter includes a balloon portion on which a stent may be loaded, including means mounted in the retaining means and adapted to be extendable therefrom so as to be extendable along and about the catheter and the stent-loaded balloon catheter portion; and means having a tapered bore for enabling the catheter, the stent-loaded balloon catheter portion, and the extendable means to extend and be slidably movable therethrough, so as to apply compressive force via the tapered bore to the stent-loaded balloon catheter portion, for crimping the stent onto the balloon catheter portion. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A crimping tool assembly for crimping an intravascular stent onto a balloon catheter assembly, the crimping tool assembly comprising:
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a device adapted to enable slidable movement of the stent-loaded balloon catheter portion through a channel having a diameter which decreases to the crimped diameter of the stent-loaded balloon catheter; and thin strands extending through the channel terminated by a handle at an end and arrayed open at an opposite end wherein the strands at least partially envelope the stent positioned on the balloon catheter assembly.
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17. A method of crimping an intravascular stent onto a balloon catheter assembly, comprising:
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inserting a balloon portion of a catheter, on which a stent may be loaded, into a channel, the diameter of which decreases from substantially greater than the diameter of the stent-loaded balloon catheter portion and an extendable means extending therealong and thereabout to a reduced diameter substantially the same as the diameter of the stent-loaded balloon catheter portion and the extendable means after crimping of the stent onto the balloon catheter portion; and sliding the stent-loaded balloon catheter portion through the channel from the diameter substantially greater than the diameter of the stent-loaded balloon catheter portion and the extendable means through the reduced diameter substantially the same as the diameter of the stent-loaded balloon catheter portion and extendable means after crimping of the stent onto the balloon catheter portion, to crimp the stent onto the catheter portion. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A method of crimping a stent onto the balloon portion of a catheter assembly comprising:
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providing a stent crimping device including the handle portion having a plurality of elongate strands attached thereto, a cylindrical element having a tapered bore extending therethrough, at least a portion of the tapered bore having an inner diameter substantially defining the diameter of the stent when crimped onto the balloon portion of the catheter; positioning the elongate strands through the tapered bore in the cylindrical element; positioning the stent over the balloon portion of the catheter, and positioning the stent and balloon portion of the catheter within the elongate strands; pulling the handle with one hand in one direction and the cylindrical in the other hand in the opposite direction thereby pulling the elongate strands and the stent and balloon portion of the catheter through the tapered bore; crimping the stent onto the balloon portion of the catheter as the elongate strands and the stent and balloon portion of the catheter pass through the inner diameter of the tapered bore; and withdrawing the crimped stent and balloon portion of the catheter through the tapered bore. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification