Method of delivering a stent

• US 6,113,607 A
• Filed: 07/20/1998
• Issued: 09/05/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories)
• Inventors: Khosravi, Farhad, Lau, Lilip, Hartigan, William M., Sigwart, Ulrich, Klemm, Kurt R.
• Primary Examiner(s): STRIGHT, RONALD K
• Application Number:
  US09/119,344
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 606/192, 606/194, 606/191, 606/195, 606/198, 606/108, 604/96, 604/102, 604/104, 604/160, 604/161, 604/171, 604/264, 604/523, 604/528, 623/1, 623/11, 623/12, 600/433-435, 600/585
• US Class Current: 606/108
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/9517 handle assemblies therefor
• 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: A61M 2025/0183 Rapid exchange or monorail catheters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1081 having sheaths or the like for covering the balloon but not forming a permanent part of the balloon, e.g. retractable, dissolvable or tearable sheaths

Abstract

The invention is directed to a stent delivery method and system which generally includes an elongated delivery sheath and a catheter disposed within an outer lumen of the sheath having an expandable member on its distal extremity. An expandable stent is mounted on the expandable member of the catheter. The distal portion of the sheath tapers down and is tucked within an elastic cone during transport of the stent to a stenotic region. A manipulating device is provided on the proximal end of the delivery system to effect relative axial movement between the sheath and the catheter so as to expose the stent mounted on the expandable member on the catheter within a body lumen such as a coronary artery and allow the expansion of the stent by the expansion of the expandable member. The elastic cone thereby disengages from the sheath and collapses about the distal end of the catheter. The delivery sheath has a first port in its distal end and a second port in the sheath wall proximally disposed from the distal end of the sheath. The catheter likewise has a first port in its distal end and a second port proximally disposed from the distal end of the catheter. An inner lumen extends within the distal portion of the catheter between the first and second ports and slidably receives a guiding member such as a guidewire. This system allows the stent to be delivered over a guidewire previously advanced to the desired location within a body lumen.

Claims

1. A method of delivering an expandable stent to a desired location within a patient'"'"'s body lumen which has a guide wire disposed therein with a proximal end extending out of the patient, the method comprising:

providing an elongated sheath having proximal and distal ends and a wall therebetween, a first port in the distal end of the sheath, a second port in the proximal end of the sheath and a side port spaced proximally from the distal end;

an elongated catheter disposed within the elongated sheath having proximal and distal ends, a first port in the distal end of the elongated catheter and a side port spaced proximally from the distal end of the elongated catheter, the catheter having an expandable member proximally adjacent to the distal end of the catheter and having mounted on the exterior thereof an expandable stent, the catheter having an inner lumen to slidably receive a guide wire therein;

adjusting the relative axial positions of the elongated sheath and the catheter so as to at least partially align the side port of the elongated sheath and side port of the elongated catheter;

positioning the guide wire so that a portion of the guide wire extends through the side port of the elongated sheath and side port of the elongated catheter;

advancing the guide wire to the desired location within the body lumen;

advancing the sheath and the catheter over the guide wire through the body lumen to the desired location therein;

adjusting the relative axial positions of the sheath with respect to the catheter to expose the expandable stent on the expandable member;

providing a slit in the sheath extending from the side port and the first port in the sheath distal end so that as the sheath is withdrawn proximally relative to the catheter the sheath slit is pealed away from the stationary guide wire;

inflating the expandable member to thereby expand the stent mounted thereon at the desired location within the body lumen;

after the expandable stent has been implanted, deflating the expandable member on the catheter; and

withdrawing the catheter and the sheath from the body lumen.

2. The method of claim 1, providing a slit in the catheter extending from the side port to a location proximal of the expandable member, the catheter slit and sheath slit being substantially axially aligned.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein during the withdrawing step, the catheter slit and sheath slit are peeled away from the stationary guide wire in a rapid exchange manner.

4. The method of claim 1, providing a tapered section from proximal to distal in at least a distal portion of the sheath so that the catheter will more easily negotiate tortuous body lumens.