Multi-sheath delivery catheter

• US 6,589,251 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2001
• Issued: 07/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Scimed Life Systems Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Roberts, Thomas, Christie, Robert, Yee, Carl E., Occidentale, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Dawson; Glenn K.
• Application Number:
  US09/894,426
• Publication Number:
  US 20010037141A1
• Time in Patent Office: 740 Days
• Field of Search: 606/1,108,151,159,190-200,213 623/1.11-1.54 604/158,164.01,164.07,164.09,165.01,165.02,166.01,170.01,264,523,533-539
• US Class Current: 606/108
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/95 Instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/9517 handle assemblies therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0097 Visible markings, e.g. indicia
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/00 Catheters; Hollow probes dilators A61M29/00; peritoneal catheters A61M1/285; tracheal tubes A61M16/04; for drainage A61M27/00; for uterus, vagina or rectum A61M31/00 ; for measuring or testing A61B; materials for catheters A61L29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0023 by the form of the lumen, e.g. cross-section, variable diameter

Abstract

A multi-sheath delivery catheter for introducing a prosthesis into a body lumen involving use of (a) an outer sheath containing a portion of the prosthesis and having an inner surface with a non-round cross-section; (b) a middle sheath slideably disposed within the outer sheath and containing another portion of the prosthesis, the middle sheath having a first handle with a non-round cross-section engaging the non-round cross-section of the outer sheath; and (c) a pusher within the middle sheath for engaging the prosthesis, whereby relative rotational movement between the outer sheath and the middle sheath is prevented by virtue of the engagement of the first handle with the non-round cross-section of the outer sheath. In another aspect, the invention provides a delivery catheter having a mechanism for sequentially retracting concentric tubes to deploy the prosthesis. In another aspect, the invention provides a mechanism for preventing relative axial movement of concentric tubes.

Claims

1. A delivery catheter for introducing a prosthesis to a body lumen comprising a plurality of concentric tubes, at least one of which is adapted to contain at least a portion of the prosthesis, and means for sequentially retracting said tubes to deploy the prosthesis, wherein said plurality of concentric tubes includes an outer tube with an inner surface and an inner tube with an outer surface, and said means for sequentially retracting said tubes comprises a first protrusion on said inner surface of said outer tube and a second protrusion, adapted to engage said first protrusion, on said outer surface of said inner tube, wherein said outer tube is adapted to be retracted over said inner tube before engagement of said first protrusion and said second protrusion, and said outer tube and said inner tube are adapted to be retracted together upon said engagement.

2. A delivery catheter for introducing a prosthesis to a body lumen comprising a plurality of concentric tubes, at least a portion of one of which is adapted to contain at least a portion of the prosthesis during introduction to the body lumen, wherein said plurality of concentric tubes includes a first tube having an inner surface, a second tube disposed at least partly within said first tube and having a distal end and a periphery, and a third tube disposed at least partly within said second tube and having a periphery, and means for preventing relative axial movement between said second tube and said third tube, said means comprising:

(a) at least one notch on said third tube;

(b) a prong assembly disposed on the periphery of said third tube and abutting said distal end of said second tube, said prong assembly having at least one prong adapted to engage said at least one notch in said third tube;

(c) a lock ring having a first portion adapted to be disposed over said distal end of said second tube and a second portion adapted to be disposed over said prong assembly abutting said distal end; and

(d) a protrusion on said inner surface of said first tube;

wherein said second portion of said lock ring is adapted to exert a force on said prong assembly sufficient to maintain the engagement of said prong with said notch and thereby prevent relative axial movement between said second tube and said third tube.

3. The delivery catheter of claim 2 wherein said protrusion on inner surface of said first tube is adapted to (a) engage said first portion of said lock ring during retraction of said first tube, (b) slide said first portion off said distal end of said second tube, and (c) allow said prong of said prong assembly to disengage from said notch, thereby allowing relative axial movement between said second tube and said third tube.

4. The delivery catheter of claim 2 further comprising a plurality of said means for preventing relative axial movement of said tubes.

5. A delivery catheter for introducing a prosthesis to a body lumen comprising a plurality of concentric tubes, at least a portion of one of which is adapted to contain at least a portion of the prosthesis during introduction to the body lumen, and means for preventing relative axial movement of said tubes, wherein said plurality of concentric tubes includes a first tube having a distal end and a second tube disposed at least partly within said first tube and having a periphery, and said means for preventing relative axial movement of said tubes comprises:

(a) at least one notch on said second tube;

(b) a cam-lock assembly having;

(i) a hub fixedly attached to said distal end of said first tube; and

(ii) a cam-lock knob rotationally attached to said hub around the periphery of said second tube;

(iii) said cam-lock knob having a detailed inner cam surface adapted to engage said notch in a first position, thereby preventing relative axial motion between said first and second tubes, and disengage said notch in a second position, thereby permitting relative axial motion between said first and second tubes.

6. The delivery catheter of claim 5 further comprising a plurality of said means for preventing relative axial movement of said tubes.

7. A delivery catheter for introducing a prosthesis to a body lumen comprising an outer tube with an inner surface;

an inner tube with an outer surface concentric with said outer tube and adapted to contain at least a portion of the prosthesis;

a first protrusion on said inner surface of said outer tube; and

a second protrusion, adapted to engage said first protrusion, on said outer surface of said inner tube, said first protrusion and said second protrusion for sequentially retracting said outer tube and said inner tube to deploy the prosthesis, wherein said outer tube is adapted to be retracted over said inner tube before engagement of said first protrusion and said second protrusion, and said outer tube and said inner tube are adapted to be retracted together upon said engagement.

8. A delivery catheter for introducing a prosthesis to a body lumen comprising a plurality of concentric tubes, at least a portion of one of which is adapted to contain at least a portion of the prosthesis during introduction to the body lumen, wherein said plurality of concentric tubes includes a first tube having an inner surface and a protrusion on said inner surface, a second tube disposed at least partly within said first tube and having a distal end and a periphery, and a third tube disposed at least partly within said second tube and having a periphery and defining at least one notch, wherein said catheter further comprises:

(a) a prong assembly disposed on the periphery of said third tube and abutting said distal end of said second tube, said prong assembly having at least one prong adapted to engage said at least one notch in said third tube; and

(b) a lock ring having a first portion adapted to be disposed over said distal end of said second tube and a second portion adapted to be disposed over said prong assembly abutting said distal end;

wherein said second portion of said lock ring is adapted to exert a force on said prong assembly sufficient to maintain the engagement of said prong with said notch to prevent relative axial movement between said second tube and said third tube.

9. A delivery catheter for introducing a prosthesis to a body lumen comprising a first tube having a distal end;

a second tube concentric with and disposed at least partly within said first tube and having;

(i) a periphery, (ii) at least a portion adapted to contain at least a portion of the prosthesis during introduction to the body lumen, and (iii) at least one notch; and

a cam-lock assembly for preventing relative axial movement of said first tube and said second tube, said cam-lock assembly comprising;

(i) a hub fixedly attached to said distal end of said first tube, and (ii) a cam-lock knob rotationally attached to said hub around the periphery of said second tube, wherein said cam-lock knob has a detailed inner cam surface adapted to engage said notch in a first position, thereby preventing relative axial motion between said first tube and said second tube, and disengage said notch in a second position, thereby permitting relative axial motion between said first tube and said second tube.