Stent insertion device

• US 6,162,231 A
• Filed: 06/21/1999
• Issued: 12/19/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Endocare Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Endocare Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Eum, Jay J., Mikus, Paul W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Buiz, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): King, Anthony
• Application Number:
  US09/336,974
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• Field of Search: 606/108, 606/198, 606/99, 604/164, 623/1.12, 623/1.11
• 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 2/9517 handle assemblies therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/166 Prostate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0068 Static characteristics of the catheter tip, e.g. shape, atraumatic tip, curved tip or tip structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0662 Guide tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0668 splittable, tear apart
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 29/00 Dilators with or without means for introducing media, e.g. remedies instruments for performing visual medical inspections of cavities or tubes of the body A61B1/00

Abstract

Two embodiments for a stent delivery device are disclosed. In the first embodiment, the stent delivery device comprises an outer sheath and an inner tubular member which distally ends in a tongue having an arcuate cross section. In a second embodiment, the stent delivery device further comprises a housing having a lumen extending longitudinally therethrough, the lumen holding the inner tubular member. A guide pin attached to the outer sheath is slidably disposed within the housing wherein the guide pin may be longitudinally displaced with respect to the lumen. In addition, an endoscope mounting plate may be slidably disposed along the housing. Detents may be used to releasably prevent a proximal displacement of the guide pin within the lumen of the housing as well as to releasably prevent the proximal displacement of the endoscope mounting plate with respect to the housing.

Claims

1. A stent delivery device comprising:

an outer sheath extending a first predetermined distance from a distal end to a proximal end and having a first lumen therethrough;

a tubular member extending a second predetermined distance from a distal to a proximal end with a second lumen therethrough, wherein the second predetermined distance is greater than the first predetermined distance, the tubular member being slidably disposed in the first lumen of the outer sheath and having an adapter port for receiving an endoscope at its proximal end and ending distally in an elongated tongue having an arc-shaped cross section, the elongated tongue being adapted to receive substantially the full length of a stent;

a housing having a primary lumen extending longitudinally therethrough for receiving the proximal end of the tubular member, the primary lumen ending proximally in a port for receiving an endoscope, the primary lumen having a central axis; and

a guide pin slidably disposed within the housing wherein the guide pin may be longitudinally displaced within the housing in parallel to the central axis of the primary lumen, the guide pin being attached to the outer sheath.

2. The stent delivery device of claim 1 further comprising an endoscope mounting plate slidably disposed along said housing.

3. The stent delivery device of claim 2 wherein said housing includes a first detent, said first detent releasably preventing longitudinal displacements of said guide pin in parallel to the central axis of the primary lumen.

4. The stent delivery of claim 3 wherein said housing includes a second detent, said second detent releasably preventing longitudinal displacements of said endoscope mounting plate with respect to the central axis of the primary lumen.

5. The stent delivery device of claim 1 further comprising:

a stent having a distal and proximal end, said stent being disposed along said elongated tongue within the first lumen of said outer sheath, wherein the distal end of said stent, the distal end of said elongated tongue, and the distal end of said outer sheath are substantially aligned.

6. A method of placing a stent within a prostatic urethra, comprising the steps of:

providing a stent delivery catheter comprising;

an outer sheath extending a first predetermined distance from a distal end to a proximal end and having a first lumen therethrough;

a tubular member extending a second predetermined distance from a distal to a proximal end and having a second lumen therethrough, wherein the second predetermined distance is greater than the first predetermined distance, the tubular member being slidably disposed in the first lumen of the outer sheath and having an adapter port for receiving an endoscope at its proximal end and ending distally in an elongated tongue having an arc-shaped cross section, said elongated tongue being adapted to receive substantially the full length of a stent;

a housing having a primary lumen extending longitudinally therethrough for receiving the proximal end of the tubular member, the primary lumen ending proximally in a port for receiving an endoscope, the primary lumen having a central axis;

a guide pin slidably disposed within the housing wherein the guide pin may be longitudinally displaced within the housing in parallel to the central axis of the primary lumen, the guide pin being attached to the outer sheath; and

a stent having a distal end, the stent disposed along the elongated tongue within the first lumen of the outer sheath, wherein the distal end of the stent, the distal end of the elongated tongue, and the distal end of the outer sheath are substantially aligned;

inserting the outer sheath through the urethra into the prostatic urethra;

proximally displacing the guide pin a first distance within the housing whereby the outer sheath is displaced the first distance with respect to the tubular member such that a distal portion of the stent is deployed in the prostatic urethra but does resist further displacement;

proximally displacing the guide pin a second distance within the housing whereby the outer sheath is displaced the second distance with respect to the tubular member to fully expose the tongue such that the stent contacts the prostatic urethra substantially along the full length of the stent; and

proximally displacing the housing while steadying the guide pin whereby the tongue and tubular member are retracted from the stent such that the stent is fully deployed in the urethra.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said stent delivery device includes an endoscope inserted in the first lumen of said tubular member, said method further comprising:

observing the position of said stent using said endoscope during said inserting step and during said proximal displacement steps.