Bifurcation stent crimping systems and methods
First Claim
1. A method of crimping a stent of a catheter assembly with a stent contracting assembly, the catheter assembly including a main catheter branch, a side catheter branch, and a stent, the stent including a proximal open end, a distal open end, and a side branch opening located between the proximal and distal open ends, wherein the side catheter branch extends into the proximal open end of the stent and out of the side branch opening, and the main catheter branch extends into the proximal open end of the stent and out of the distal open end of the stent, the stent contracting assembly defining a outer profile reduction chamber and a side surface defining an opening into the chamber, the method comprising:
- (a) inserting the catheter assembly through the opening in the side surface into the chamber until a distal portion of the stent up to a location distal of the side branch opening of the stent is positioned in the chamber, moving a distal end of the side catheter branch radially outward relative to the main catheter branch such that the distal end of the side catheter branch is bent radially away from the stent and remains outside of the stent contracting assembly and adjacent the side surface;
(b) reducing an outer profile of the distal portion of the stent;
(c) realigning the side catheter branch with the main catheter branch and inserting the entire stent into the chamber; and
(d) reducing an outer profile of a proximal portion of the stent.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A stent crimping system and method for use in preparing a bifurcation catheter assembly for use in a patient. The catheter assembly includes main and side catheter branches and a stent. The stent includes a side branch aperture through which the side catheter branch extends. The stent is crimped onto the main and side catheter branches with a crimping mechanism in two crimping steps. In the first crimping step, only a distal end portion of the stent is crimped while the side catheter branch remains extending through the side branch opening of the stent and remains positioned outside of the crimping mechanism. In a second crimping step, the entire stent is crimped with the crimping mechanism.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method of crimping a stent of a catheter assembly with a stent contracting assembly, the catheter assembly including a main catheter branch, a side catheter branch, and a stent, the stent including a proximal open end, a distal open end, and a side branch opening located between the proximal and distal open ends, wherein the side catheter branch extends into the proximal open end of the stent and out of the side branch opening, and the main catheter branch extends into the proximal open end of the stent and out of the distal open end of the stent, the stent contracting assembly defining a outer profile reduction chamber and a side surface defining an opening into the chamber, the method comprising:
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(a) inserting the catheter assembly through the opening in the side surface into the chamber until a distal portion of the stent up to a location distal of the side branch opening of the stent is positioned in the chamber, moving a distal end of the side catheter branch radially outward relative to the main catheter branch such that the distal end of the side catheter branch is bent radially away from the stent and remains outside of the stent contracting assembly and adjacent the side surface; (b) reducing an outer profile of the distal portion of the stent; (c) realigning the side catheter branch with the main catheter branch and inserting the entire stent into the chamber; and (d) reducing an outer profile of a proximal portion of the stent. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of crimping a stem of a catheter assembly with a stent contracting assembly, the catheter assembly including a main catheter branch, a side catheter branch, and a stent, the stent including a proximal open end, a distal open end, and a side branch opening located between the proximal and distal open ends, wherein the side catheter branch extends out of the side branch opening, and the main catheter branch extends through the stent from the proximal open end to the distal open end, the stent contracting assembly defining a outer profile reduction chamber, the method comprising:
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(a) inserting portions of the catheter assembly into the chamber while moving a distal end of the side catheter branch radially outward relative to the main catheter branch such that the distal end of the side catheter branch is bent radially away from the main catheter branch and remains outside the stent contracting assembly; and (b) reducing an outer profile of the stent in only two activations of the stent contracting assembly to reduce a size of the chamber. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification