Bifurcation graft deployment catheter

• US 6,500,202 B1
• Filed: 03/15/2000
• Issued: 12/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Endologix
• Original Assignee: Endologix
• Inventors: Shaolian, Samuel M., Madrid, Gilbert, Nguyen, Thanh Van, Pham, Trinh Van
• Primary Examiner(s): Milano, Michael J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HO, TAN-UYEN THI
• Application Number:
  US09/525,778
• Time in Patent Office: 1,021 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1.11, 623/1.23, 623/1.12, 623/1.13, 623/1.15, 606/1, 606/190-200, 606/108, 604/101.01, 604/165-1-1
• US Class Current: 623/1.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/856 Single tubular stent with a side portal passage
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/89 the wire-like elements comprising two or more adjacent rings flexibly connected by separate members
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/90 characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/954 for placing stents or stent-grafts in a bifurcation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/958 Inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/9661 the proximal portion of the stent or stent-graft is released first
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/065 Y-shaped blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/067 modular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/072 Encapsulated stents, e.g. wire or whole stent embedded in lining
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/075 the stent being loosely attached to the graft material, e.g. by stitching
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/828 Means for connecting a plurality of stents allowing flexibility of the whole structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/005 using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0058 soldered or brazed or welded
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0075 sutured, ligatured or stitched, retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0039 differing in diameter

Abstract

A deployment catheter for deploying a tubular endoluminal vascular prosthesis includes a proximal tubular section and a distal tubular section which are axially movable in opposite directions to deploy the prosthesis. A central core extends throughout the proximal tubular section and into the distal tubular section. In one embodiment, a reinforcing structure is carried by the central core, spanning the junction between the proximal tubular section and distal tubular section. In another embodiment, the proximal tubular section and/or distal tubular section are rotationally linked to the central-core.

Claims

1. An endoluminal graft deployment catheter, comprising:

a proximal outer tube section, having a proximal end and a distal end;

an intermediate tube extending through the proximal tube section and beyond the distal end;

a central core, extending through the intermediate tube; and

a cap attached to the central core;

wherein the intermediate tube comprises at least a first surface that cooperates with at least a second surface of the central core to inhibit relative rotation between the intermediate tube and the central core and the central core is axially moveable between a first position and a second position within the intermediate tube.

2. An endoluminal graft deployment catheter as in claim 1, wherein the intermediate tube is rotationally linked to the outer tube.

3. An endoluminal graft deployment catheter as in claim 1, wherein the cap is axially movable between a first position in which it contacts the outer tube and a second position in which it is spaced distally apart from the outer tube.

4. An endoluminal graft deployment catheter as in claim 3, wherein the central core comprises a flexible tube.

5. An endoluminal graft deployment catheter as in claim 4, wherein the flexible tube comprises a polymeric braid.

6. An endoluminal graft deployment catheter as in claim 5, wherein the flexible tube further comprises a reinforcing element which spans the point of contact between the cap and the outer tube.

7. An endoluminal graft deployment catheter as in claim 6, wherein the reinforcing element comprises a tubular element carried by the flexible tube.

8. An endoluminal graft deployment catheter, comprising:

an elongate flexible body, having a proximal end and a distal end;

a proximal outer tube section, having a proximal end and a distal end;

a distal outer tube section, having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal outer tube section being rotationally linked within the elongate flexible body to the distal outer tube section; and

a central core, extending through the proximal and distal outer tube sections;

wherein the proximal and distal outer tube sections define a prosthesis cavity therein for carrying a prosthesis; and

axial separation of the proximal outer tube section from the distal outer tube section opens the cavity to release the prosthesis.

9. An endoluminal graft deployment catheter as in claim 8, where in each of the proximal outer tube section and the distal outer tube section is rotationally linked to the central core.

10. An endoluminal graft deployment catheter as in claim 8, wherein at least one of the proximal outer tube section and the distal outer tube section is axially movable between a first position in which the cavity is closed and a second position in which the cavity is open.

11. An endoluminal graft deployment catheter as in claim 10, comprising a junction between the proximal outer tube section and the distal outer tube section when the cavity is closed, and further comprising a reinforcing element spanning the junction.

12. An endoluminal graft deployment catheter as in claim 11, wherein the reinforcing element comprises a tube.

13. An endoluminal graft deployment catheter as in claim 8, wherein each the proximal outer tube section and the distal outer tube section is rotationally linked to the central core within the elongate flexible body.

14. An endoluminal graft deployment catheter, comprising:

an elongate, flexible body, having a proximal end and a distal end;

a proximal outer tube section having a proximal end and a distal end;

a distal outer tube section, having a proximal end and a distal end;

a central core, extending between the proximal outer tube section and the distal outer tube section, wherein at least one of the proximal outer tube section and the distal outer tube section is axially moveable between a first position in which the proximal outer tube section and the distal outer tube section are adjacent each other and define at least in part a prosthesis cavity for carrying a prosthesis, and a second position in which the proximal outer tube section and the distal outer tube section are spaced apart, the proximal outer tube section and the distal outer tube section forming a junction when in the first position; and

a reinforcing element carried by the catheter within the prosthesis and spanning the junction.

15. An endoluminal graft deployment catheter as in claim 14, wherein the reinforcing element comprises a tube.

16. An endoluminal graft deployment catheter, comprising:

a proximal outer tube section, having a proximal end and a distal end;

an intermediate tube extending through the proximal tube section and beyond the distal end;

a central core, extending through the intermediate tube; and

a cap attached to the central core;

wherein the central core is rotationally linked within the catheter to the intermediate tube and the central core is axially moveable between a first position and a second position within the intermediate tube.

17. An endoluminal graft deployment catheter as in claim 16, wherein the intermediate tube is rotationally linked within the catheter to the outer tube.

18. An endoluminal graft deployment catheter as in claim 16, wherein the cap is axially movable between a first position in which it contacts the outer tube and a second position in which it is spaced distally apart from the outer tube.

19. An endoluminal graft deployment catheter as in claim 18, wherein the central core comprises a flexible tube.

20. An endoluminal graft deployment catheter as in claim 19, wherein the flexible tube comprises a polymeric braid.

21. An endoluminal graft deployment catheter as in claim 20, wherein the flexible tube further comprises a reinforcing element which spans the point of contact between the cap and the outer tube.

22. An endoluminal graft deployment catheter, comprising:

an elongate flexible body, having a proximal end and a distal end;

a proximal outer tube section, having a proximal end and a distal end;

a distal outer tube section, having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal outer tube section being rotationally linked within the elongate flexible body to the distal outer tube section; and

a central core, extending through the proximal and distal outer tube sections;

wherein the proximal and distal outer tube sections define a prosthesis cavity therein for carrying a prosthesis; and

axial separation of the proximal outer tube section from the distal outer tube section opens the cavity to release the prosthesis;

at least one of the proximal outer tube section and the distal outer tube section is axially movable between a first position in which the cavity is closed and a second position in which the cavity is open; and

the catheter further comprising a junction between the proximal outer tube section and the distal outer tube section when the cavity is closed and a reinforcing element spanning the junction.

23. An endoluminal graft deployment catheter as in claim 22, wherein the reinforcing element comprises a tube.

24. An endoluminal graft deployment catheter as in claim 22, wherein the central core comprises a flexible tube.

25. An endoluminal graft deployment catheter as in claim 24, wherein the flexible tube comprises a polymeric braid.