Stent delivery system with a fixed guide wire
First Claim
1. A stent delivery system for placing a stent in a vessel of the human body, the stent delivery system comprising:
- a balloon angioplasty catheter having a distal section with a single inflatable balloon located at the distal section;
a balloon expandable stent co-axially mounted onto the inflatable balloon, the stent being adapted for permanent implantation into the vessel of the human body; and
a flexible guide wire fixedly attached to and extending distally in a bare manner from the distal section of the balloon angioplasty catheter.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is a stent delivery system that uses a short section of a guide wire that is fixedly attached to a distal section of a balloon angioplasty catheter. By not having a guide wire that slides through the balloon of the balloon angioplasty catheter, the balloon on which the stent is mounted can have a reduced diameter. Therefore, the outside diameter of the undeployed stent mounted onto that balloon is also minimized. This provides a minimum profile, i.e., a minimum outside diameter, for the stent. A minimum profile at the distal section of the stent delivery system is highly advantageous for improving the percentage of cases that can be treated by direct stenting; i.e., without requiring pre-dilation of a stenosis.
207 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A stent delivery system for placing a stent in a vessel of the human body, the stent delivery system comprising:
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a balloon angioplasty catheter having a distal section with a single inflatable balloon located at the distal section;
a balloon expandable stent co-axially mounted onto the inflatable balloon, the stent being adapted for permanent implantation into the vessel of the human body; and
a flexible guide wire fixedly attached to and extending distally in a bare manner from the distal section of the balloon angioplasty catheter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification