Low profile delivery system for stent and graft deployment
First Claim
1. A system for deployment of a stent inside of a biocompatible graft cover in a distal deployment location in a body lumen from a proximal access location outside the body lumen, said lumen defining an interior space therein, the delivery system comprising:
- a stent sheath having a distal end located upstream relative to a fluid flow direction in said body lumen;
a compressed stent underlying the stent sheath, the stent having a proximal end housed within said stent sheath and a distal end; and
a compressed biocompatible graft cover overlying the stent sheath along the length of the stent and releasably retained in a compressed state surrounding said sheath, said graft having a distal end attached to said stent at or proximal said stent distal end and an outer surface exposed to the interior space of said lumen during deployment.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A delivery system for endoluminal deployment of a stent inside of a biocompatible graft cover minimizes obstruction of endoluminal fluid flow during deployment. The delivery system comprises a stent sheath, a compressed stent underlying the stent sheath, and a graft overlying the stent sheath and releasably retained in a compressed state surrounding the sheath. The graft distal end is attached to the stent at or proximal the stent distal end, and the graft outer surface is exposed to the interior space of the lumen during deployment. The proximal end of the graft may be attached to the stent sheath by a releasable attachment adapted for release during deployment of the stent, or may be otherwise constrained, such as by heat deformation, to remain adjacent the outer circumference of the stent prior to deployment. The releasable attachment may be a suture that is severed by a pusher having a cutter therein. The delivery system may further include an inner core underlying the stent and connected to a tip sheath that overlies the stent distal end. One method of deploying the stent and overlying graft comprises advancing the tip sheath to allow the stent distal end to expand, retracting the stent sheath to cause the suture to be severed by the pusher cutter therefore allowing endoluminal fluid to flow between the graft and the sheath, and then completing deployment of the stent to urge the graft against the lumen wall.
191 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A system for deployment of a stent inside of a biocompatible graft cover in a distal deployment location in a body lumen from a proximal access location outside the body lumen, said lumen defining an interior space therein, the delivery system comprising:
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a stent sheath having a distal end located upstream relative to a fluid flow direction in said body lumen;
a compressed stent underlying the stent sheath, the stent having a proximal end housed within said stent sheath and a distal end; and
a compressed biocompatible graft cover overlying the stent sheath along the length of the stent and releasably retained in a compressed state surrounding said sheath, said graft having a distal end attached to said stent at or proximal said stent distal end and an outer surface exposed to the interior space of said lumen during deployment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
the stent sheath has a circumference having therein a suture connection point and a first and second through-hole, said through-holes radially opposite one another;
the pusher has a distal end having a window therein, said window aligned with the stent sheath through-holes and having a cutter proximally positioned therein; and
the suture has opposite ends attached to said suture connection point and an intermediate section threaded through said graft in one or more locations, through said sheath through-holes, and through said pusher window.
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18. The system of claim 17 in which the suture has a first and a second end, wherein the first end is anchored to the suture connection point and the suture extends distally along the stent sheath from the suture connection point, pierces the graft one or more times, returns proximally along the stent sheath, enters the stent sheath radially through the first through-hole, extends through the pusher window, exits the stent sheath through the second through-hole, extends distally along the stent sheath, pierces the graft one or more times, extends semi-circumferentially around the stent sheath to the suture connection point, where the suture second end is anchored to the suture connection point or to the suture first end.
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19. The system of claim 17 wherein the suture connection point comprises a pair of tie-holes in said stent sheath.
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20. The system of claim 11 wherein the releasable attachment is a crochet weave around the proximal end of the graft.
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21. The system of claim 11 wherein the releasable attachment comprises a bead of biocompatible adhesive between the graft and the stent sheath, said adhesive adapted to soften or dissolve when exposed to blood for a predetermined amount of time.
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22. The system of claim 11 wherein the stent sheath comprises a slot therein adapted to receive a portion of the graft and the pusher comprises an indented portion thereof, the releasable attachment comprising a portion of the graft disposed within said slot and pinched between said pusher and said stent sheath in a first position of said stent sheath relative to said pusher, said graft portion in said slot adapted to be released in a second position of said stent sheath relative to said pusher in which said indented portion of said pusher aligns with said slot in said stent sheath.
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23. The system of claim 22 wherein the graft comprises a tab, a portion of said tab being adapted to be the portion of the graft disposed within said slot.
Specification