Stent delivery system and method
First Claim
1. A stent delivery system, for delivering a stent to a target region in a vessel, said stent delivery system comprising:
- a delivery catheter having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein said distal end of said delivery catheter is adapted to extend through said vessel to said target region in said vessel;
at least one dilation balloon disposed on said delivery catheter proximate to said distal end of said delivery catheter, for pre-dilating said target region of said vessel, said dilation balloon having a leading end and a trailing end;
a stent deployment mechanism disposed on said delivery catheter proximate to said dilation balloon, for deploying a stent to said target region of said vessel that has been pre-dilated by said dilation balloon, said stent deployment mechanism having a leading end and trailing end, wherein said leading end of said stent deployment mechanism is disposed at a predetermined distance from said leading end of said dilation balloon; and
said delivery catheter including at least one set of markers disposed proximate to said proximal end of said delivery catheter, wherein said at least one set of markers provides an indication of said predetermined distance between said leading end of said stent delivery mechanism and said leading end of said dilation balloon, for gauging movement of said dilation balloon and said stent delivery mechanism into alignment with said target region in said vessel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A stent deployment system includes a delivery catheter, a dilation balloon disposed at the distal end of the delivery catheter, and a stent deployment mechanism disposed at a predetermined distance from the dilation balloon. The delivery catheter includes a plurality of markers at the proximal end that are used to gauge the movement of the delivery catheter and to align the dilation balloon and stent deployment mechanism with a target region in a vessel, such as a lesion or blocked region. The stent deployment method includes introducing the delivery catheter into the vessel until the dilation balloon is aligned with the target region, and inflating the dilation balloon to predilate the target region. The delivery catheter is then advanced until the stent deployment mechanism is aligned with the predilated target region using the markers on the proximal end of the delivery catheter. When properly aligned with the predilated target region, the stent deployment mechanism deploys the stent against the target region of the vessel. The delivery catheter is then withdrawn until the dilation balloon is again aligned with the stent deployed in the target region, and the dilation balloon is inflated to post-dilate or further embed the stent into the target region of the vessel.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A stent delivery system, for delivering a stent to a target region in a vessel, said stent delivery system comprising:
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a delivery catheter having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein said distal end of said delivery catheter is adapted to extend through said vessel to said target region in said vessel; at least one dilation balloon disposed on said delivery catheter proximate to said distal end of said delivery catheter, for pre-dilating said target region of said vessel, said dilation balloon having a leading end and a trailing end; a stent deployment mechanism disposed on said delivery catheter proximate to said dilation balloon, for deploying a stent to said target region of said vessel that has been pre-dilated by said dilation balloon, said stent deployment mechanism having a leading end and trailing end, wherein said leading end of said stent deployment mechanism is disposed at a predetermined distance from said leading end of said dilation balloon; and said delivery catheter including at least one set of markers disposed proximate to said proximal end of said delivery catheter, wherein said at least one set of markers provides an indication of said predetermined distance between said leading end of said stent delivery mechanism and said leading end of said dilation balloon, for gauging movement of said dilation balloon and said stent delivery mechanism into alignment with said target region in said vessel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of delivering a stent to a target region in a vessel using a stent delivery system having a delivery catheter, a dilation balloon disposed proximate to a distal end of said delivery catheter, and a stent deployment mechanism disposed proximate to said dilation balloon, said method comprising the steps of:
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guiding said distal end of said delivery catheter through said vessel to said target region of said vessel; moving said delivery catheter until said dilation balloon is aligned with said target region of said vessel; inflating said dilation balloon, for pre-dilating said target region of said vessel; moving said delivery catheter until said stent deployment mechanism is aligned with said target region of said vessel; deploying a stent to said target region of said vessel; moving said delivery catheter until said dilation balloon is aligned with said stent; inflating said dilation balloon, for further embedding said stent into said vessel; and withdrawing said delivery catheter from said vessel. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A stent delivery system, for delivering a stent to a target region in a vessel, said stent delivery system comprising:
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a delivery catheter having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein said distal end of said delivery catheter is adapted to extend through said vessel to said target region in said vessel; at least one dilation balloon disposed on said delivery catheter proximate to said distal end of said delivery catheter, for pre-dilating said target region of said vessel, said dilation balloon having a leading end and a trailing end; a stent deployment balloon disposed on said delivery catheter proximate to said dilation balloon, for deploying a stent to said target region of said vessel that has been pre-dilated by said dilation balloon, said stent deployment balloon having a leading end and a trailing end, wherein a point on said stent deployment balloon is disposed at a predetermined distance from a point on said dilation balloon; and wherein said delivery catheter includes at least one set of markers disposed proximate said proximal end of said delivery catheter, for providing an indication of said predetermined distance between said stent deployment balloon and said dilation balloon and for gauging movement of said dilation balloon and said stent deployment balloon into alignment with said target region in said vessel. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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Specification