Multi-length delivery system

• US 6,660,031 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2001
• Issued: 12/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Scimed Life Systems Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Tran, Khanh, Spencer, Steve M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Willse, David H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SWEET, THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US09/681,462
• Publication Number:
  US 20020151955A1
• Time in Patent Office: 972 Days
• Field of Search: 608/108, 623/1.11, 623/1.12, 606/108
• US Class Current: 623/1.12
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12013 for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/01 Filters implantable into blood vessels
• 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

Abstract

A stent delivery system may comprise a shape memory metal bumper which is expandable from a reduced profile configuration to an increased profile configuration. The stent delivery system comprises an inner tube, a stent disposed about the inner tube and a shape memory metal bumper disposed about the inner tube adjacent the proximal end of the stent.

Claims

1. A stent delivery system comprising:

an inner tube having a proximal end, a distal end and a stent receiving region;

a stent having a proximal end and a distal end, the stent disposed about the stent receiving region of the inner tube; and

a shape memory metal bumper affixed to the inner tube adjacent the proximal or distal end of the stent,

wherein, when the stent is expanded, the shape memory metal bumper remains at least partially affixed to the inner tube.

2. The stent delivery system of claim 1 wherein the shape memory bumper is adjacent the proximal end of the stent.

3. The stent delivery system of claim 1 wherein the shape memory metal bumper has a first reduced profile configuration and a second increased profile configuration, the shape memory metal bumper transformable from the first configuration to the second configuration.

4. The stent delivery system of claim 3 wherein the shape memory metal bumper may be transformed from the first configuration to the second configuration by increasing the temperature of the shape memory metal bumper.

5. The stent delivery system of claim 1 wherein the shape memory metal bumper is a tube having a slotted portion and a non-slotted portion.

6. The stent delivery system of claim 5 wherein the shape memory metal bumper has a first reduced profile configuration and a second increased profile configuration, the shape memory metal bumper expandable from the first configuration to the second configuration.

7. The stent delivery system of claim 6 wherein the slotted portion opens on expansion of the shape memory metal bumper.

8. The stent delivery system of claim 6 wherein the slotted portion extends at a non-zero angle relative to the non-slotted portion on expansion of the shape memory metal bumper.

9. The stent delivery system of claim 1 further comprising a retractable sheath disposed about the stent.

10. The stent delivery system of claim 9 wherein the stent is made of nitinol.

11. The stent delivery system of claim 1 wherein the shape memory metal is nitinol.

12. The stent delivery system of claim 3 wherein the shape memory metal bumper in the increased profile configuration extends radially outward from the inner tube to a greater distance than the stent.

16. The stent delivery system of claim 3, the stent have a delivery inner diameter and an expanded inner diameter, wherein the shape memory metal bumper in the increased profile configuration extends radially outward from the inner tube to a distance at least as great as the delivery inner diameter of the stent.

13. A delivery system for delivering an implantable medical device to a bodily lumen comprising:

an inner tube having a proximal end and a distal end;

an implantable medical device having a proximal end and a distal end, the implantable medical device disposed about a portion of the inner tube, the implantable medical device having a delivery state and an expanded state; and

a shape memory metal bumper affixed to the inner tube adjacent the proximal or distal end of the implantable medical device,

wherein the shape memory metal bumper is at least partially affixed to the inner tube when the implantable medical device is in its expanded state.

14. The delivery system of claim 13 wherein the shape memory metal bumper is adjacent the proximal end of the implantable medical device.

15. The delivery system of claim 14 wherein the implantable medical device is selected from the group consisting of stents, stent-grafts, grafts and vena cava filters.