Reduced diameter stent/graft deployment catheter

• US 6,074,398 A
• Filed: 01/13/1998
• Issued: 06/13/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lifeshield Sciences LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Datascope Corporation (Getinge AB)
• Inventors: Leschinsky, Boris
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Gary
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bui, Vy Q.
• Application Number:
  US09/006,113
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: 606/108, 606/194, 606/195, 606/191
• US Class Current: 606/108
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/95 Instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/966 with relative longitudinal movement between outer sleeve and prosthesis, e.g. using a push rod

Abstract

A reduced diameter stent/graft deployment catheter and a method of insertion for said catheter. The delivery sheath portion of the catheter, i.e. the distal portion of the catheter containing the stent/graft, has a larger outer diameter than the remaining proximal portion of the catheter. The reduced outer diameter of the body of the catheter allows for the use of a smaller diameter introducer sheath. The method of inserting said catheter comprises the following steps: First, the delivery sheath portion of the catheter is inserted into the patient. Next, an introducer sheath, with an outer diameter which is no larger than the outer diameter of the delivery sheath, is disposed about the catheter and its distal portion inserted into the patient. The catheter is then advanced into the patient and the stent/graft deployed.

Claims

1. A catheter deployment device system comprising an insertion sheath and a deployment device, said insertion sheath having an inner and outer diameter, said deployment device comprising a means for deploying a deployable device and comprising a catheter body having a delivery sheath portion, having an outer diameter, and a tube portion having an outer diameter, the outer diameter of the delivery sheath portion of the catheter body is larger than the outer diameter of the tube portion of the catheter body, the inner diameter of the insertion sheath is larger than the outer diameter of the tube portion of the catheter body and smaller than the outer diameter of the delivery sheath portion of the catheter body, the entire insertion sheath is slidingly disposed about the tube portion of the catheter body and is not slidingly restrained at any location to the tube portion of the catheter body during use of said insertion sheath.

2. A catheter deployment device system comprising an insertion sheath and a deployment device, said insertion sheath having an inner and outer diameter, said deployment device comprising a catheter body, a plunger, and a deployable device, the catheter body has a delivery sheath portion and a tube portion, the outer diameter of the delivery sheath portion of the catheter body is larger than the outer diameter of the tube portion of the catheter body, the plunger has delivery sheath portion and a tube portion, the plunger is slidingly disposed within the catheter body, the delivery sheath portion of the plunger is disposed within the delivery sheath portion of the catheter body, the deployable device is disposed within the delivery sheath portion of the catheter body, the outer diameter of the delivery sheath portion of the catheter body is larger than the outer diameter of the tube portion of the catheter body, the inner diameter of the insertion sheath is larger than the outer diameter of the tube portion of the catheter body and smaller than the outer diameter of the delivery sheath portion of the catheter body, the entire insertion sheath is slidingly disposed about the tube portion of the catheter body and is not slidingly restrained at any location to the tube portion of the catheter body during use of said insertion sheath.

3. A catheter deployment device system comprising an insertion sheath and a deployment device, said insertion sheath having an inner and outer diameter, said deployment device comprising a catheter body, a plunger, a deployable device, a tip, and an inner tube, the catheter body, deployable device, inner tube, and the tip each have proximal and distal ends and are coaxial, the proximal end of the tip is attached to the distal end of the inner tube, the catheter body has a delivery sheath portion and a tube portion, the diameter of the delivery sheath portion of the catheter body is larger than the diameter of the tube portion of the catheter body, the plunger has a delivery sheath portion and a tube portion, the plunger is slidingly disposed within the catheter body, the delivery sheath portion of the plunger is disposed within the delivery sheath portion of the catheter body, the deployable device is disposed within the delivery sheath portion of the catheter body, the plunger, tip, deployable device, and catheter body are all disposed about the inner tube, the outer diameter of the delivery sheath portion is larger than the outer diameter of the tube portion of the catheter body, the inner diameter of the insertion sheath is larger than the outer diameter of the tube portion of the catheter body and smaller than the outer diameter of the delivery sheath portion of the catheter body, the entire insertion sheath is slidingly disposed about the tube portion of the catheter body and is not slidingly restrained at any location to the tube portion of the catheter body during use of said insertion sheath.

4. A method for using a catheter for inserting a deployable device within a bodily lumen wherein the catheter comprises a means for deploying the deployable device and a catheter body having a delivery sheath portion and a tube portion, the diameter of the delivery sheath portion is larger than the diameter of the tube portion, comprising the steps of:

a) advancing a guide wire into the lumen;

b) advancing the delivery sheath portion of the catheter into the bodily lumen;

c) inserting a distal end of the introducer sheath into the bodily lumen, the entire introducer sheath being slidingly disposed about the tube portion of the catheter body and is not slidingly restrained at any location to the tube portion of the catheter body;

d) advancing the catheter further into the bodily lumen;

e) deploying the deployable device;

f) retracting the catheter until a proximal end of the delivery sheath portion of the catheter body contacts or comes near a distal end of the introducer sheath;

g) removing the introducer sheath; and

h) removing the catheter.

5. A method for using a catheter for inserting a deployable device within a bodily lumen wherein the catheter comprises a catheter body, a plunger, a deployable device, a tip, and an inner tube, the catheter body, deployable device, inner tube, and the tip each have proximal and distal ends and are coaxial, the proximal end of the tip is attached to the distal end of the inner tube, the catheter body has a delivery sheath portion and a tube portion, the diameter of the delivery sheath portion of the catheter body is larger than the diameter of the tube portion of the catheter body, the plunger has delivery sheath portion and a tube portion, the plunger is slidingly disposed within the catheter body, the delivery sheath portion of the plunger is disposed within the delivery sheath portion of the catheter body, the deployable device is disposed within the delivery sheath portion of the catheter body, the plunger, tip, deployable device, and catheter body are all disposed about the inner tube, comprising the steps of:

a) advancing a guide wire into the lumen;

b) advancing the delivery sheath portion of the catheter into the bodily lumen;

c) inserting a distal end of the introducer sheath into the bodily lumen, the entire introducer sheath being slidingly disposed about the tube portion of the catheter body and is not slidingly restrained at any location to the tube portion of the catheter body;

d) advancing the catheter further into the bodily lumen;

e) exposing the deployable device to blood by holding the plunger and retracting the catheter body;

f) retracting the catheter until a proximal end of the delivery sheath portion of the catheter body contacts or comes near a distal end of the introducer sheath;

g) removing the introducer sheath; and

h) removing the catheter.