Enhanced stent delivery system

• US 6,780,199 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2002
• Issued: 08/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: X Technologies, Inc. (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Solar, Ronald J., Lieber, Glen L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thanh, Loan H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, CATHERINE SERKE
• Application Number:
  US10/102,112
• Publication Number:
  US 20030018376A1
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• Field of Search: 604/93.01, 604/96.01, 604/264, 604/265, 604/507, 604/509, 604/104, 604/103.04, 604/164.13, 604/523, 604/528, 604/907, 604/912, 604/913, 604/915, 604/918, 606/191, 606/192, 606/194, 623/1.11, 623/1.15, 623/1.28, 623/1.29, 623/23.7
• US Class Current: 623/1.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/958 Inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0008 having visible markings on its surface, i.e. visible to the naked eye, for any purpose, e.g. insertion depth markers, rotational markers or identification of type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0177 having external means for receiving guide wires, wires or stiffening members, e.g. loops, clamps or lateral tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0183 Rapid exchange or monorail catheters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1056 having guide wire lumens outside the main shaft, i.e. the guide wire lumen is within or on the surface of the balloon
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1061 having separate inflations tubes, e.g. coaxial tubes or tubes otherwise arranged apart from the catheter tube
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1093 having particular tip characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2029/025 characterised by the guiding element
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0067 characterised by the distal end, e.g. tips A61M25/0054, A61M25/04 take precedence; balloon catheters A61M25/10
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/007 Side holes, e.g. their profiles or arrangements; Provisions to keep side holes unblocked
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/01 Introducing, guiding, advancing, emplacing or holding catheters A61M25/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0105 Steering means as part of the catheter or advancing means; Markers for positioning systems for detection of markers A61B
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0108 using radio-opaque or ultrasound markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0662 Guide tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/104 used for angioplasty

Abstract

A stent delivery system is comprised of an elongated flexible advancement member which terminates in a tubular tracking member slidable over a guidewire. An inflatable balloon has proximal and distal ends, the proximal end communicating with an inflation channel, and the distal end attaching to the tracking member. The balloon portion is coextensive with but not attached to the advancement member, which is external to the balloon. A stent is positioned around the inflatable balloon, and when the balloon is inflated, the stent expands radially. The outer surface of the expanded stent has one or more projections that enhance retention of the stent.

Claims

1. A stent delivery system comprising:

a stent having an outer surface;

a flexible elongated advancement member having a proximal end and a distal end;

a tracking member having a proximal end and a distal end, said tracking member being adapted to slide over a guidewire and being fixedly attached to the distal end of the advancement member;

an inflation channel; and

an inflatable balloon having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the balloon being in fluid communication with the inflation channel,

wherein only the distal end of the balloon is attached to the tracking member, wherein the stent is arranged concentric to the balloon and the advancement member, wherein the advancement member is external to the balloon, and wherein when the balloon expands, it causes one or more projections to form in the outer surface of the stent.

2. The delivery system of claim 1, wherein the tracking member comprises two or more lumens.

3. The delivery system of claim 1, wherein the balloon is attached to the distal end of the tracking member.

4. The delivery system of claim 1, wherein the balloon is attached to the proximal end of the tracking member.

5. The delivery system of claim 1, wherein the tracking member has a lubricious coating.

6. The delivery system of claim 1, wherein the tracking member is formed integral with the balloon.

9. The delivery system of claim 1 or 7, wherein the inflation channel is substantially coextensive with the advancement member.

10. The delivery system of claim 1 or 7, wherein the inflation channel is in a spiral configuration around the advancement member.

11. The delivery system of claim 1 or 7, wherein the advancement member comprises a flexible wire, hypotubing, or a combination thereof.

12. The delivery system of claim 1 or 7, wherein the advancement member is rigid at its proximal end and increasingly more flexible as it extends distally.

13. The delivery system of claim 1 or 7, wherein the inflation channel is collapsible or noncollapsible.

14. The delivery system of claim 1 or 7, wherein the balloon or the inflation channel, or both, have a wire reinforcement.

15. The delivery system of claim 1 or 7, wherein the balloon and the inflation channel are formed integral.

16. The delivery system of claim 1 or 7, wherein the inflation channel is attached to the advancement member at at least one point.

17. The delivery system of claim 1 or 7, which also comprises a torquer attached to the proximal end of the advancement member.

18. The delivery system of claim 1 or 7, wherein the inflation channel is unattached to the advancement member.

19. A method of positioning a stent at a desired location within a patient'"'"'s body, which comprises the steps of:

(a) advancing a stent delivery system of claim 1 or 7 through a corporeal lumen so that the distal end of said delivery system is positioned at a desired location, and

(b) inflating the balloon to cause the stent to expand radially and to cause one or more projections on the outer surface of the stent.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein in an additional step (c) another delivery system or other medical device is subsequently advanced distally over the advancement member of claim 1 or 7.

21. A method of positioning a stent at a desired location within a patient'"'"'s body, which comprises the steps of:

(a) advancing a guidewire having a distal end through a corporeal lumen so that the guidewire distal end is positioned at a desired location,

(b) advancing a stent delivery system of claim 1 or 7 over the guidewire and through the corporeal lumen so that the distal end of said delivery system is positioned at the same or different desired location, and

(c) inflating the balloon to cause the stent to expand radially and to cause one or more projections on the outer surface of the stent.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein in an additional step (d) another delivery system or other medical device is subsequently advanced distally over the guidewire.

7. A stent delivery system comprising:

a stent having an outer surface;

a flexible elongated advancement member having a proximal end and a distal end;

an inflatable balloon having a proximal end and a distal end; and

an inflation channel, the proximal end of the balloon being in fluid communication with the inflation channel,

wherein the distal end of the balloon is attached to the distal end of the advancement member, wherein the advancement member is external to the balloon, wherein the stent is arranged concentric to the balloon and the advancement member, and wherein when the balloon expands, it causes one or more projections to form in the outer surface of the stent.

8. The delivery system of claim 7, wherein the balloon is folded to form a tracking member adapted to slide over a guidewire.