Controlled deployment of a medical device

• US 6,872,223 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2001
• Issued: 03/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Corporation
• Inventors: Nott, Sepideh H., Hess, Kathleen L., Chin, Yem, Chu, Michael S. H., Roberts, George T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Anhtuan T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ho, (Jackie) Tan-Uyen T.
• Application Number:
  US09/968,149
• Publication Number:
  US 20020045914A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,275 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1.11, 623/1.12, 623/1.3, 623/1.15, 623/1.23, 606/194, 606191-192, 60410101-10103, 604/103.05, 604/103.06, 60410307-10309, 60410311-104
• US Class Current: 623/1.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/958 Inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1059 having different inflatable sections mainly depending on the response to the inflation pressure, e.g. due to different material properties
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1068 having means for varying the length or diameter of the deployed balloon, this variations could be caused by excess pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1081 having sheaths or the like for covering the balloon but not forming a permanent part of the balloon, e.g. retractable, dissolvable or tearable sheaths
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/125 Heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/10 Balloon catheters A61M25/0125 takes precedence; embolectomy A61B17/22032; retractors A61B17/02; inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts A61F2/958 ; stomach balloons for treatment of obesity A61F5/0003; oesophagal tubes A61J15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/1002 characterised by balloon shape A61M25/1006, A61M25/1009 take precedence

Abstract

A prosthesis delivery system having a balloon catheter with an inflatable balloon on its exterior. The balloon is inflatable by injection of fluid through a lumen in the catheter and the balloon is initially partially constrained against inflation by a constraint. A tubular prosthesis is disposed on the catheter over at least a portion of the balloon and a portion of the constraint. The tubular prosthesis has a contracted condition and an expanded condition. The tubular prosthesis is initially disposed on the catheter in the contracted condition. Further, a balloon catheter includes a constraint so that the balloon may be sequentially inflated for dilatation purposes such as in a valvuloplasty operation.

Claims

1. A medical system, comprising:

a catheter having an inflatable balloon;

a nonelastic constraint surrounding a portion of the balloon; and

an expandable prosthesis disposed over the constraint,

wherein, while surrounding the portion of the balloon, the constraint prevents the portion of the balloon from inflating.

2. The system of claim 1, comprising a plurality of constraints, the prosthesis disposed over at least two of the constraints.

3. The system of claim 1, comprising two constraints having different resistance to inflation pressure.

4. The system of claim 1, comprising a plurality of constraints positioned on the balloon in a predetermined sequence according to their resistance to inflation pressure.

5. The system of claim 1, comprising a plurality of constraints positioned on the balloon progressively according to their resistance to inflation pressure.

6. The system of claim 1, comprising a plurality of constraints having different thickness.

7. The system of claim 1, comprising a plurality of constraints positioned on the balloon sequentially according to thickness.

8. The system of claim 1, comprising a plurality of constraints positioned on the balloon progressively according to their thickness.

9. The system of claim 1, comprising a plurality of constraints arranged contiguously.

10. The system of claim 1, comprising a plurality of constraints extending the full length of the balloon.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the constraint is separable from the expandable prosthesis.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the constraint comprises Teflon®

.

13. A method, comprising:

delivering a medical system into the body, the medical system comprising

a catheter having an inflatable balloon,

a nonelastic constraint surrounding a portion of the balloon, and

an expandable prosthesis disposed over the constraint, wherein, while surrounding the portion of the balloon, the constraint prevents the portion of the balloon from inflating; and

inflating the balloon.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising withdrawing from the body, the catheter and the constraint.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising axially moving the constraint during inflation of the balloon.

16. A medical system, comprising:

a catheter having an inflatable balloon;

first and second nonelastic constraints surrounding portions of the balloon and constraining the portion of the balloon against inflation; and

an expandable prosthesis disposed over the constraints,

wherein the constraints have different resistance to inflation pressure.

17. A medical system, comprising:

a catheter having an inflatable balloon;

a plurality of nonelastic constraints surrounding portions of the balloon and constraining the portion of the balloon against inflation; and

an expandable prosthesis disposed over the constraints,

wherein the plurality of constraints are positioned on the balloon in a predetermined sequence according to their resistance to inflation pressure.

18. A medical system, comprising:

a catheter having an inflatable balloon;

a plurality of constraints surrounding portions of the balloon and constraining the portion of the balloon against inflation; and

an expandable prosthesis disposed over the constraints,

wherein the plurality of constraints are positioned on the balloon progressively according to their resistance to inflation pressure.

19. A medical system, comprising:

a catheter having an inflatable balloon;

a plurality of nonelastic constraints surrounding portions of the balloon and constraining the portion of the balloon against inflation; and

an expandable prosthesis disposed over the constraints,

wherein the plurality of constraints have different thickness.

20. A medical system, comprising:

a catheter having an inflatable balloon;

a plurality of nonelastic constraints surrounding portions of the balloon and constraining the portion of the balloon against inflation; and

an expandable prosthesis disposed over the contraints,

wherein the plurality of constraints are positioned on the balloon sequentially according to thickness.

21. A medical system, comprising:

a catheter having an inflatable balloon;

a plurality of constraints surrounding portions of the balloon and constraining the portion of the balloon against inflation; and

an expandable prosthesis disposed over the constraints,

wherein the plurality of constraints are positioned on the balloon progressively according to their thickness.

22. A medical system, comprising:

a catheter having an inflatable balloon;

a plurality of nonelastic constraints surrounding portions of the balloon and constraining the portion of the balloon against inflation; and

an expandable prosthesis disposed over the constraints,

wherein the plurality of constraints are arranged contiguously.

23. A medical system, comprising:

a catheter having an inflatable balloon;

a plurality of nonelastic constraints surrounding portions of the balloon and constraining the portion of the balloon against inflation; and

an expandable prosthesis disposed over the constraint,

wherein the plurality of constraints extend the full length of the balloon.

24. A medical system, comprising:

a catheter having an inflatable balloon;

a constraint surrounding a portion of the balloon; and

an expandable prosthesis disposed over the constraint,

wherein, while surrounding the portion of the balloon, the constraint prevents the portion of the balloon from inflating, and wherein the constraint is configured to move axially during inflation of the balloon.