Method and apparatus for deployment of an endoluminal device

• US 7,892,272 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2006
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lifeshield Sciences LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: McDonald, Karen, Chouinard, Paul F., Johnson, Wade M., Haverkost, Patrick A., Weldon, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Anhtuan T
• Assistant Examiner(s): LANG, AMY T
• Application Number:
  US11/363,015
• Publication Number:
  US 20060142837A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,821 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1.11, 623/1.12, 623/1.23, 606/194, 606/108, 606/94
• US Class Current: 623/1.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/95 Instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/958 Inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/966 with relative longitudinal movement between outer sleeve and prosthesis, e.g. using a push rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9665 with additional retaining means

Abstract

An introducer deploys an endoluminal device in a distal location from a proximal location. The introducer comprises a retrograde portion, an anterograde portion axially moveable relative to the retrograde portion, a shaft having a distal tip and an anterograde sheath attached to the distal tip, and anchoring means in at least one of the retrograde portion or the anterograde portion for anchoring the device during deployment from its proximal end to its distal end. An inner sheath may be mounted concentrically over the shaft with the endoluminal device mounted concentrically over the inner sheath. The anchoring device may comprise an inflatable balloon mounted radially inside the retrograde portion, a tether, or an extended portion of the endoluminal device confined by a notch in the interface of two sheaths in the retrograde portion of the introducer, or may comprise a holder in the anterograde portion.

Claims

1. A method for deployment of an endoluminal device in a distal location in a body lumen from a proximal location, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) inserting an introducer into the body lumen, the introducer comprising a retrograde portion;

an anterograde portion;

a shaft having a distal tip;

an inner sheath mounted concentrically over the shaft with the endoluminal device mounted concentrically over the inner sheath;

an anterograde sheath proximally attached to the shaft distal tip, mounted over the endoluminal device in the anterograde portion of the introducer, and axially moveable relative to the inner sheath; and

a balloon in the retrograde portion for anchoring the endoluminal device during deployment of the device from a proximal end to a distal end of the device, wherein the introducer includes only one balloon;

(b) aligning the introducer in a deployment location, aligning the proximal end of the device with the deployment location, and inflating the balloon to anchor the proximal end of the endoluminal device against the retrograde sheath so that the retrograde sheath can not move relative to the proximal end of the endoluminal device;

(c) distally advancing the anterograde sheath by extending the shaft to deploy at least a proximal portion of the endoluminal device; and

(d) deflating the balloon, retracting the retrograde sheath, and removing the introducer from the body lumen.

2. A method for deployment of an endoluminal device in a distal location in a body lumen from a proximal location, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) inserting an introducer into the body lumen having a lumen wall, the introducer comprising a retrograde portion, an anterograde portion comprising a distal tip and an anterograde sheath attached proximally to the distal tip, a shaft attached to the distal tip and extending concentrically through a central lumen defined by the anterograde portion and retrograde portion, an endoluminal device mounted concentrically over the shaft in the central lumen and having a distal end contained by the anterograde portion and a proximal end contained by the retrograde portion, an inflatable balloon mounted inside the retrograde portion for anchoring the endoluminal device during deployment of the device, wherein the introducer includes only one balloon, and a proximally retractable retrograde sheath extending distally over the balloon and the proximal end of the endoluminal device;

(b) aligning the proximal end of the endoluminal device in a deployment location;

(c) inflating the balloon to anchor the proximal end of the endoluminal device against the retrograde sheath so that the retrograde sheath can not move relative to the proximal end of the endoluminal device;

(d) distally advancing the anterograde sheath by extending the shaft to deploy at least a portion of the endoluminal device; and

(e) deflating the balloon and retracting the retrograde sheath.