Loading apparatus and method for expandable intraluminal medical devices
First Claim
1. An apparatus for loading an expandable intraluminal medical device into a delivery device, comprising:
- a flexible main body having inner and outer surfaces, first and second opposing edges and first and second rolled ends, the main body adapted to alternatively adopt a substantially flat configuration that exposes a portion of the inner surface and a helical configuration in which the main body is coiled upon itself such that each of the first and second opposing edges defines a helical path, a substantial portion of the inner surface is disposed adjacent to and in contact with the outer surface, and such that the helical path defined by one of the first and second opposing edges is free of contact with the inner surface, the helical configuration defining an interior chamber adapted to receive said expandable intraluminal medical device;
wherein one of the first and second rolled ends is disposed on a lengthwise axis of the apparatus and the other of the first and second rolled ends is disposed on a different axis that transects the lengthwise axis when the main body is in the helical configuration.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for loading an expandable intraluminal medical device into a delivery device has a flexible main body with first and second rolled ends that enable the main body to alternatively adopt a substantially flat configuration that exposes a portion of the inner surface and a helical configuration that defines an interior chamber adapted to receive said expandable intraluminal medical device. An expandable intraluminal medical device is prepared for loading into a delivery device by placing the device on the main body of the loading apparatus while in the substantially flat configuration and then transforming the main body into the helical configuration. The medical device can then be compressed and forced out of the loading apparatus—and into a delivery device—by applying rotational and translational force to one end of the loading apparatus. Related kits and methods are also described.
36 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for loading an expandable intraluminal medical device into a delivery device, comprising:
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a flexible main body having inner and outer surfaces, first and second opposing edges and first and second rolled ends, the main body adapted to alternatively adopt a substantially flat configuration that exposes a portion of the inner surface and a helical configuration in which the main body is coiled upon itself such that each of the first and second opposing edges defines a helical path, a substantial portion of the inner surface is disposed adjacent to and in contact with the outer surface, and such that the helical path defined by one of the first and second opposing edges is free of contact with the inner surface, the helical configuration defining an interior chamber adapted to receive said expandable intraluminal medical device; wherein one of the first and second rolled ends is disposed on a lengthwise axis of the apparatus and the other of the first and second rolled ends is disposed on a different axis that transects the lengthwise axis when the main body is in the helical configuration. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus for loading an expandable intraluminal medical device into a delivery device, comprising:
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a flexible main body adapted to alternatively adopt a substantially flat configuration and a helical configuration, the main body having inner and outer surfaces, first and second opposing edges, and first and second rolled ends, one of the first and second rolled ends disposed on a lengthwise axis of the apparatus and the other of the first and second rolled ends disposed on a different axis that transects the lengthwise axis when the main body is in the helical configuration; a first cylindrical collar disposed around the first rolled end; a second cylindrical collar disposed around the second rolled end; a first handle partially disposed in the first cylindrical collar; and a second handle partially disposed in the second cylindrical collar; wherein the main body is adapted to alternatively adopt the substantially flat configuration that exposes a portion of the inner surface and the helical configuration in which the main body is coiled upon itself such that each of the first and second opposing edges defines a helical path, a substantial portion of the inner surface is disposed adjacent to and in contact with the outer surface, and such that the helical path defined by one of the first and second opposing edges is free of contact with the inner surface, the helical configuration defining an interior chamber for receiving said expandable intraluminal medical device by application of a rotational force to one of the first and second handles while maintaining the other of the first and second handles in a substantially stationary position. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of loading an expandable intraluminal medical device into a delivery device, said method comprising the steps of:
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selecting an expandable intraluminal medical device and an appropriate delivery device defining an appropriate device chamber for containing the expandable intraluminal medical device; selecting a loading apparatus comprising a flexible main body having inner and outer surfaces, first and second opposing edges, and first and second rolled ends, the main body adapted to alternatively adopt a substantially flat configuration that exposes a portion of the inner surface and a helical configuration in which the main body is coiled upon itself such that each of the first and second opposing edges defines a helical path, the helical path defined by one of the first and second opposing edges is free of contact with the inner surface, and such that one of the first and second rolled ends is disposed on a lengthwise axis of the apparatus and the other of the first and second rolled ends is disposed on a different axis that transects the lengthwise axis, the helical configuration defining an interior chamber adapted to receive said expandable intraluminal medical device; placing the loading apparatus in an open configuration to expose an inner surface of the main body; placing the expandable intraluminal medical device on the inner surface of the main body of the loading apparatus; placing the loading apparatus in a closed configuration to place the main body in a helical configuration and to dispose the expandable intraluminal medical device within an interior chamber formed by the helical configuration; applying a rotational force to an end of the loading apparatus to constrict the outer diameter of the helical configuration of the main body; and applying a substantially translational force to an end of the loading apparatus to advance the expandable intraluminal medical device along a lengthwise axis of the loading apparatus until the expandable intraluminal medical device is transferred from the interior chamber of the loading apparatus to the device chamber of the selected delivery device. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification