Stent deployment systems and methods
First Claim
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1. A method of deploying stent segments in a blood vessel having a luminal taper, the method comprising:
- transluminally introducing a catheter into the blood vessel, the catheter having an expandable member near a distal end thereof, the expandable member having an expansion surface;
positioning a first plurality of independent stent segments over the expansion surface of the expandable member such that a first stent segment is on a proximal extremity of the expandable member and a second stent segment is on a distal extremity of the expandable member, the first and second stent segments being independently movable relative to the expandable member, and wherein the expansion surface is continuously tapered between the proximal and the distal extremities; and
expanding the expandable member such that the proximal extremity has a first expanded diameter and the distal extremity has a second expanded diameter smaller than the first expanded diameter, wherein the first stent segment is expanded to a diameter larger than the second stent segment.
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Abstract
A stent deployment system includes a catheter shaft, an expandable member mounted to the catheter shaft, and one or more stents or stent segments slidably positioned on the expandable member. The stent deployment system is adapted for deployment of stents or stent segments in very long lesions and in tapered and curved vessels. The stent deployment system facilitates slidable movement of a stent in a distal direction relative to the expandable member while inhibiting slidable movement in a proximal direction relative to the expandable member.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method of deploying stent segments in a blood vessel having a luminal taper, the method comprising:
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transluminally introducing a catheter into the blood vessel, the catheter having an expandable member near a distal end thereof, the expandable member having an expansion surface; positioning a first plurality of independent stent segments over the expansion surface of the expandable member such that a first stent segment is on a proximal extremity of the expandable member and a second stent segment is on a distal extremity of the expandable member, the first and second stent segments being independently movable relative to the expandable member, and wherein the expansion surface is continuously tapered between the proximal and the distal extremities; and expanding the expandable member such that the proximal extremity has a first expanded diameter and the distal extremity has a second expanded diameter smaller than the first expanded diameter, wherein the first stent segment is expanded to a diameter larger than the second stent segment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of deploying stent segments in a blood vessel having a luminal taper, the method comprising:
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transluminally introducing a catheter into the blood vessel, the catheter having a tapered expandable member near a distal end thereof, the tapered expandable member having an expansion surface; positioning a first plurality of independent stent segments over the expansion surface of the tapered expandable member such that a first stent segment is on a proximal extremity of the tapered expandable member and a second stent segment is on a distal extremity of the tapered expandable member, the first and second stent segments being independently movable relative to the tapered expandable member, and wherein the expansion surface is continuously tapered between the proximal and the distal extremities; and expanding the tapered expandable member such that the proximal extremity has a first expanded diameter and the distal extremity has a second expanded diameter smaller than the first expanded diameter, wherein the first stent segment is expanded to a diameter larger than the second stent segment. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification