Deployment device for tubular expandable prosthesis

• US 5,860,998 A
• Filed: 11/25/1996
• Issued: 01/19/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: C.R. Bard, Inc. (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: C.R. Bard, Inc. (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Dwyer, Clifford J., Robinson, Timothy, Kujawski, Dennis, Weiser, Michael F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Prebilic, Paul B.
• Application Number:
  US08/756,061
• Time in Patent Office: 785 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1, 623/12, 606/191, 606/194, 606/195, 606/108
• US Class Current: 606/194
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/89 the wire-like elements comprising two or more adjacent rings flexibly connected by separate members
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/954 for placing stents or stent-grafts in a bifurcation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/065 Y-shaped blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/075 the stent being loosely attached to the graft material, e.g. by stitching
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/826 more than one stent being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0058 soldered or brazed or welded
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0075 sutured, ligatured or stitched, retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable

Abstract

An endoprosthetic implant is formed from a plurality of separate individual components that are inserted sequentially and transluminally into a bifurcated vascular region with each component being deployed in sequence by a sequence of catheter-like deployment devices. The separate components are placed relative to each other to define a bifurcated endoprosthesis. In one embodiment the deployment device includes a tubular sheath for maintaining the radially expandable tubular implant in a contracted configuration and a gripping device including a cup and a gripping member that cooperate to define an annular space by which the trailing end of the implant can be securely held by the deployment device during positioning of the device.

Claims

1. An apparatus for delivering and deploying a radially expandable tubular implant within a body vessel comprising:

a tubular sheath for maintaining the radially expandable tubular implant in a radially contracted configuration, the sheath having a proximal end and a distal end and being open at its distal end and axially movable relative to the implant;

a gripping device disposed within and movable longitudinally of the sheath, the gripping device being constructed to releasably grip the trailing end of the implant;

the gripping device further comprising a cup having a distally facing open end adapted to receive the trailing end of the implant and a gripping member movably mounted with respect to the cup between a gripping position in which the gripping member is withdrawn into the cup to define an annular space between its periphery and the interior of the cup and a release position in which the gripping member is disposed out of the cup;

the annular space being sufficiently narrow to enable the trailing end of the implant to be securely wedged between the gripping member and the cup when the gripping member and cup are in the gripping position;

wherein the gripping member is axially movable with respect to the implant by axial remote movement of an inner member attached to the gripping member such that the implant is released from its wedged securement in the annular space.