Stent delivery catheter and method of use

• US 6,264,671 B1
• Filed: 11/15/1999
• Issued: 07/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Boyle, William J., Stack, Richard S., Stalker, Kent C. B., Muller, Paul F., Patel, Udayan
• Primary Examiner(s): Recla, Henry J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): King, Anthony S.
• Application Number:
  US09/439,692
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 606/198, 606/159, 606/194, 606/191, 606/192, 606/200, 623/1.1, 604/53
• US Class Current: 606/198
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/95 Instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/958 Inflatable balloons for placing 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 deformable sheath is attached to a catheter and introduced intravascularly to be expanded against an arterial wall and entrap plaque therebetween. A stent is subsequently deployed within the expanded sheath and the sheath is then withdrawn from within the vasculature to leave the stent expanded against the arterial wall with the plaque entrapped therebetween.

Claims

1. An assembly for trapping arterial plaque against a vascular wall, comprising:

a radially outwardly deformable, tubular sheath having a proximal end and an open distal end, said sheath to be introduced intravascularly and said distal end expanded against the vascular wall to trap the plaque therebetween, a delivery catheter disposed within the tubular sheath for deploying a self-expanding intravascular device against the vascular wall;

a flexible elongated tubular member with an inner lumen extending therethrough from a proximal end of the tubular member to a distal end of the tubular member that is attached to the proximal end of the sheath.

2. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a radially outwardly deformable, tubular member disposed within the sheath between the distal end and the proximal end of the sheath to be expanded together with the sheath against the vascular wall.

3. The assembly of claim 2, further comprising:

a flexible, elongated tubular member having an inner lumen extending therethrough from a proximal end of the tubular member to a distal end of the tubular member attached to the proximal end of the sheath to introduce the sheath with the deformable member intravascularly.

4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the tubular member is a catheter.

5. The assembly of claim 4, wherein the sheath is an integral part of the distal end of the catheter.

6. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the tubular member has perforations formed near the distal end to allow fluid communication therethrough between the outside of the tubular member and the inner lumen.

7. The assembly of claim 3, further comprising:

a catheter disposed within the lumen of the tubular member with a balloon portion of the catheter lying within the deformable member to expand the deformable member together with the sheath against the vascular wall.

8. The assembly of claim 3, further comprising:

an outer sheath disposed over the tubular member to receive the sheath therein.

9. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the deformable member is formed from a shape memory alloy having a compressed state for placing within the unexpanded sheath and an expanded state for anchoring the sheath against the vascular wall, and exhibiting a radially outward expansive force when in the compressed state.

10. The assembly of claim 9, wherein the resistance to elastic deformation of the sheath is greater than the expansive force exhibited by the deformable member.

11. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the resistance to elastic deformation of the sheath is between 1 percent to 5 percent greater than the expansive force exhibited by the deformable member.

12. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the deformable member is embedded within the sheath.

13. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the deformable member is a wire coil.

14. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the deformable member is a stent.

15. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the sheath material has a yield strength of between 50 psi and 300 psi.

16. The assembly of claim 15, wherein the sheath material has a break point tensile strength of over 2000 psi.

17. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the deformable member is comprised of a material selected from the group of materials consisting of metals and thermoplastics.

18. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the deformable member is a wire mesh.

19. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the deformable member is a stent.

20. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the deformable member is a wire coil.

21. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the sheath is comprised of a material selected from the group of materials consisting of polymers, cross-linked materials, and composites.

22. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the deformable member is formed from a radiopaque material.

23. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the sheath is comprised of a material selected from the group of materials consisting of polymers, cross-linked materials, and composites.

24. The assembly of claim 23, wherein the sheath material has a yield strength of between 50 psi and 300 psi.

25. The assembly of claim 24, wherein the sheath material has a break point tensile strength of over 2000 psi.

26. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the tubular member is a catheter.

27. The assembly of claim 26, wherein the sheath is an integral part of the distal end of the catheter.

28. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the tubular member has a plurality of perforations formed near the distal end to allow fluid communication therethrough between the outside of the tubular member and the inner lumen.

29. An assembly for trapping arterial plaque against a vascular wall, comprising:

a deployment catheter having a proximal end, a distal end, and an inner lumen extending therebetween;

a radially outwardly, deformable, tubular sheath to be introduced intravascularly and expanded against the vascular wall to entrap the plaque therebetween, the sheath having a proximal end attached to the deployment catheter distal end, and a distal end;

a delivery catheter being axially movably disposed within the deployment catheter lumen and having a distal end and an inner lumen;

a self-expanding intravascular device disposed within the delivery catheter lumen adjacent the delivery catheter distal end;

an outer sheath disposed over the deployment catheter to receive the deformable sheath therein; and

a pusher rod axially movably disposed within the delivery catheter lumen proximal of the intravascular device.