Stent delivery system

• US 6,413,269 B1
• Filed: 07/06/2000
• Issued: 07/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Endocare Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Endocare Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Bui, Dennis, Eum, Jay J., Mikus, Paul W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Reip, David O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bui, Vy Q.
• Application Number:
  US09/612,405
• Time in Patent Office: 726 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1.11, 623/1.12, 623/1.23, 623/1.13, 623/1.18, 623/1.2, 623/1.22, 606/108, 606/191, 606/194, 606/198
• US Class Current: 623/1.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/88 the wire-like elements formed as helical or spiral coils forming a net-like or mesh-like structure A61F2/90
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/9517 handle assemblies therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/966 with relative longitudinal movement between outer sleeve and prosthesis, e.g. using a push rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/047 Urethrae
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9505 having retaining means other than an outer sleeve, e.g. male-female connector between stent and instrument

Abstract

A stent delivery catheter. The catheter includes an inner catheter tube and an outer catheter tube which are rotatable relative to each other. The inner catheter and outer catheter include recesses to receive the ends of the stent, permitting pull wires to engage the stent ends without need to for the pull wires to extend radially beyond the bounds of the catheter or requiring the stent ends to protrude it into the lumen of the inner or outer catheter.

Claims

1. A stent delivery catheter for delivering a stent into a lumen of the body, wherein said stent has a distal end and a proximal end and a small diameter insertion configuration, said stent delivery catheter comprising:

a first tube having a distal end and a proximal end, said first tube characterized by a tube wall, a central lumen, and at least one side lumen extending from the distal end to the proximal end thereof;

a second tube having a distal end and a proximal end, said second tube characterized by a tube wall, a central lumen, and at least one side lumen extending from the distal end to the proximal end thereof, said second tube being coaxially disposed over the first tube, said distal end of the second tube terminating proximally of the distal end of the first tube;

a third tube having a distal end and a proximal end, said third tube being coaxially disposed over the second tube;

said first and second tubes being rotatable relative to each other;

said third tube being longitudinally slidable relative to the first and second tubes;

wherein the distal end of first tube has a recess extending from the outer surface of the first tube wall at least partially through the wall of the first tube and to a depth sufficient to communicate with the side lumen of the first tube, said recess adapted to receive the distal end of the stent;

wherein the distal end of second tube has a recess extending from the outer surface of the second tube wall at least partially through the wall of the first tube and to a depth sufficient to communicate with the side lumen of the first tube, said recess adapted to receive the proximal end of the stent;

a first retaining wire disposed within the side lumen of the first tube, said first retaining wire extending from the proximal end of the first tube to the distal end of the first tube and being longitudinally translatable within the side lumen so as to be capable of extending into the recess of the first tube;

a second retaining wire disposed within the side lumen of the second tube, said second retaining wire extending from the proximal end of the second tube to the distal end of the second tube and being longitudinally translatable within the side lumen so as to be capable of extending into the recess of the second tube.

2. The stent delivery catheter of claim 1 wherein the length of the stent delivery catheter extending from the recess of the first tube and the recess of the second tube comprise a stent loading segment of the delivery catheter, said stent delivery catheter further comprising:

a helical self-expanding stent having a large diameter when unconstrained and capable of being deformed into a small diameter insertion configuration, said stent having a distal end and a proximal end;

said stent being deformed into its insertion configuration and disposed coaxially over the stent loading segment, the distal end the stent extending into the recess of the first tube and the proximal end of the stent extending into the recess of the second tube;

wherein the first retaining wire extends into the recess of the first tube to engage the distal end of the stent and the second retaining wire extends into the recess of the second tube to engage the proximal end of the stent.

3. The stent delivery catheter of claim 1 wherein:

the outer diameter of the second tube is greater than or equal to the outer diameter of the stent in its insertion configuration.

4. The stent delivery catheter of claim 2 wherein:

the outer diameter of the stent in its insertion configuration is smaller than or equal to the outer diameter of the second tube.

5. A method for assembling a stent delivery catheter comprising:

providing a stent delivery catheter comprising a first tube and second tube, said first tube being coaxially disposed within the second tube and extending distally from the distal end of the second tube, wherein said first and second tubes each have a recess near the distal end thereof;

wrapping a helical stent around the distal end of the first tube and placing the distal end of the stent in the recess of the first tube and placing the proximal end of the stent in the recess of the second tube;

passing a first retaining wire longitudinally through the wall of the first tube to enter the recess of the first tube and engage the distal end of the stent within the recess;

passing a second retaining wire longitudinally through the wall of the second tube to enter the recess of the second tube and engage the proximal end of the stent within the recess;

providing a third tube and sliding the third tube coaxially over the first and second tubes and the stent.

6. A method for assembling a stent in a lumen of the body, said method comprising:

providing a stent delivery catheter comprising a first tube and second tube, said first tube being coaxially disposed within the second tube and extending distally from the distal end of the second tube, wherein said first and second tubes each have a recess near the distal end thereof;

wrapping a helical stent around the distal end of the first tube and placing the distal end of the stent in the recess of the first tube and placing the proximal end of the stent in the recess of the second tube;

passing a first retaining wire longitudinally through the wall of the first tube to enter the recess of the first tube and engage the distal end of the stent within the recess;

passing a second retaining wire longitudinally through the wall of the second tube to enter the recess of the second tube and engage the proximal end of the stent within the recess;

providing a third tube coaxially disposed over the first and second tubes and the stent;

inserting the distal end of the stent delivery system including the stent into the body;

pulling the third tube proximally to expose the stent and the distal end of the first tube within the body;

rotating the first tube relative to the second tube to at least partially open the stent;

pulling the first retaining wire proximally to release the distal end of the stent;

pulling the second retaining wire proximally to release the proximal end of the stent.