Stent delivery system

• US 6,629,981 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2001
• Issued: 10/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Endocare Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Endocare Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Damasco, Sanford D., Bui, Dennis M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Izaguirre, Ismael
• Application Number:
  US09/816,508
• Publication Number:
  US 20020007206A1
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• Field of Search: 606/108, 606/191, 606/198, 606/195, 606/192, 606/193, 606/194, 606/196, 606/200, 623/1-1-
• US Class Current: 606/108
• 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 2/962 having an outer sleeve
• 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 is disclosed. 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 releasable attachment structures to releasably engage the ends of the stent. A proximal hand piece includes controls for enlarging and deploying the stent in a body lumen.

Claims

1. A stent delivery device for delivering a stent into the urethra of a patient, the stent having a first end and a second end, the delivery device comprising:

an inner tube having a distal end releasably connectable to the first end of the stent; and

an outer tube being rotatably slideable over the inner tube and having a distal end releasably connectable to the second end of the stent.

2. The stent delivery device of claim 1, further comprising a main body having a proximal end and a distal end, the inner tube and the outer tube extending distally from the main body.

3. The stent delivery device of claim 1, further comprising a sheath being slideable over the outer tube.

4. The stent delivery device of claim 3, further comprising a trigger operably connected to the sheath for moving the sheath along the outer tube.

5. The stent delivery device of claim 3, wherein the sheath is moveable to a first fixed position wherein a distal end of the sheath is between the first and second ends of the stent, and a second position wherein the distal end of the sheath is proximal to the stent.

6. The stent delivery device of claim 1, further comprising a belt operably connected to the outer tube for rotating the outer tube relative to the inner tube.

7. The stent delivery device of claim 2, further comprising a handle extending from the main body.

8. The stent delivery device of claim 1, wherein the stent is releasably connectable to the first and second ends of the stent using at least one pullwire.

9. A method of delivering a stent into a the urethra of a patient, comprising:

providing a stent having a first end and a second end, the first end being releasably attached to an inner tube and the second end being releasably attached to an outer tube which is rotatably slidable over the inner tube;

advancing the stent into the urethra;

rotating the outer tube relative to the inner tube to at least partially expand the stent;

releasing the stent from the inner tube; and

releasing the stent from the outer tube.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the stent is at least partially covered by a sheath prior to advancing the stent into the urethra.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising sliding the sheath proximally prior to rotating the outer tube relative to the inner tube in order to at least partially expose the stent.

12. The method of claim 11, comprising sliding the sheath proximally such that a distal end of the sheath is located between the proximal and distal ends of the stent.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the outer tube is rotated relative to the inner tube by pulling a belt attached to the outer tube.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising sliding the sheath proximally such that the distal end of the sheath is located proximal to the proximal end of the stent after the outer tube is rotated relative to the inner tube.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the stent is released from the outer tube prior to being released from the inner tube.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the stent is released from the inner tube prior to being released from the outer tube.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein the stent is released from the inner tube and outer tube simultaneously.

18. The method of claim 9, wherein the stent is releasably attached to the inner and outer tubes using at least one pullwire connecting the ends of the stent to the tubes.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the stent is released from the tubes by pulling the wire proximally.

20. The method of claim 9, wherein the stent is helical.

21. A stent delivery device for delivering a stent into a lumen of the body, the stent having a first end and a second end, the delivery device comprising:

a main body having a proximal end and a distal end;

an inner tube extending distally from the main body, the inner tube having a distal end releasably connectable to the first end of the stent;

an outer tube extending distally from the main body, the outer tube being rotatably slideable over the inner tube and having a distal end releasably connectable to the second end of the stent;

a sheath extending distally from the main body, the sheath being slideable over the outer tube to at least partially expose the stent; and

a belt extending from the main body and attached to the outer tube, wherein pulling of the belt rotates the outer tube relative to the inner tube.

22. The stent delivery device of claim 21, further comprising a handle depending from the main body.

23. The stent delivery device of claim 21, further comprising a trigger depending from the main body and being slideable in relation thereto, the trigger being operably connected to the sheath to move the sheath.

24. The stent delivery device of claim 21, further comprising a stop in the main body that limits the proximal movement of the sheath.

25. The stent delivery device of claim 24, wherein the stop includes a removable trigger.

26. The stent delivery device of claim 21, further comprising a pull wire for releasably connecting the inner tube to the first end of the stent.

27. The stent delivery device of claim 21, further comprising a pull wire for releasably connecting the outer tube to the second end of the stent.

28. A stent deployment device, comprising:

a tubular body, having a proximal end and a distal end, the tubular body comprising a first and a second stent support;

a hand piece on the proximal end of the tubular body;

a first control on the hand piece, for manipulating the first stent support; and

a second control on the hand piece, for manipulating the second stent support.

29. A stent deployment device as in claim 28, wherein the first stent support comprises an outer tubular sleeve for surrounding the stent.

30. A stent deployment device as in claim 29, wherein the first control comprises a control for proximally retracting the first stent support to expose at least a portion of the stent.

31. A stent deployment device as in claim 28, wherein the second stent support comprises a tubular body which is releasably connected to at least a first end of the stent.

32. A stent deployment device as in claim 31, wherein the second control comprises a control for rotating the second stent support.

33. A stent deployment device as in claim 30, wherein the first control comprises a releasable stop to stop proximal retraction of the first stent support at a point wheel the stent is only partially exposed.

34. A stent deployment device as in claim 30, wherein the first control comprises an axially movable lever.

35. A stent deployment device as in claim 32, wherein the second control comprises a belt which is wrapped around the second stent support.

36. A stent deployment device as in claim 28, further comprising a first pull wire, for releasably securing the stent to the second stent support.

37. A stent deployment device as in claim 28, further comprising a third stent support, releasably connected to at least a second end of the stent.

38. A stent deployment device as in claim 37, further comprising a second pull wire, for releasably securing the stent to the third stent support.

39. A stent deployment device as in claim 38, wherein the third stent support comprises an inner tube and the second stent support comprises an intermediate tube, concentrically carried by the inner tube.

40. A stent deployment device as in claim 39, wherein the first stent support comprises an outer tube, concentrically carried by the intermediate tube.