Prosthesis deployment system

• US 8,361,135 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2010
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cook Medical Technologies, LLC (Cook Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cook Medical Technologies, LLC (Cook Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Dittman, Jay A.
• Primary Examiner(s): SEVERSON, RYAN J
• Application Number:
  US12/693,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20100179635A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,100 Days
• Field of Search: 606/108, 623/1.11, 623/1.12, 623/1.23
• 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 2/9517 handle assemblies therefor
• 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 2002/9511 the retaining means being filaments or wires

Abstract

An introducer for an expandable endovascular prosthesis having a self expanding stent has a distal prosthesis positioning mechanism and a proximal prosthesis retention mechanism. The proximal prosthesis retention mechanism includes a cylindrical sleeve adapted to retain the self expanding stent. A release mechanism extends proximally from the distal prosthesis positioning mechanism exerts a force in the proximal direction on the self expanding stent to retain the self expanding stent in the cylindrical sleeve.

Claims

1. An introducer for an expandable, endovascular prosthesis, the introducer comprising:

a distal prosthesis positioning mechanism including a distal retention section and a distal retention mechanism engaging and retaining a distal portion of the expandable endovascular prosthesis on the distal retention section and to selectively disengage the distal retention section from the retained distal portion of said prosthesis; and

a proximal prosthesis positioning mechanism including a cylindrical sleeve adapted to retain said prosthesis and a second control member to selectively disengage the cylindrical sleeve from said prosthesis;

wherein the second control member includes a first region coupled to the distal prosthesis positioning mechanism extending longitudinally therefrom, and a second region coupled to the first region adapted to selectively and proximally engage a self expanding stent of said prosthesis to retain the self expanding stent in the cylindrical sleeve.

2. The introducer of claim 1, comprising a tube, wherein the first region is coupled to and extends proximally from the tube.

3. The introducer of claim 1, comprising a tube, wherein the second region is coupled to and extends proximally from the tube.

4. The introducer of claim 1, comprising a tube, wherein the first region is formed from the tube.

5. The introducer of claim 1, comprising a tube, wherein the second region is formed from the tube.

6. The introducer of claim 1, wherein the first region includes a cannula.

7. The introducer of claim 6, comprising a tube, wherein the cannula is formed from the tube.

8. The introducer of claim 1, wherein the second region includes a conical tip.

9. The introducer of claim 8, comprising a tube, wherein the conical tip is formed from the tube.

10. The introducer of claim 1, comprising a tube, wherein the distal retention section is coupled the tube.

11. The introducer of claim 1, comprising a tube, wherein the distal retention section is formed from the tube.

12. The introducer of claim 1, comprising a control arrangement for controlling the length of said prosthesis.

13. The introducer of claim 1, comprising a rotational arrangement by which the relative angular orientation of the proximal and distal portions of said prosthesis can be adjusted.

14. An introducer for positioning an expandable endovascular prosthesis, the introducer comprising:

a control section to be maintained external to the patient;

a cylindrical sleeve adapted to retain a self expanding stent of an expandable endovascular prosthesis; and

a control member extending longitudinally from the control section to the cylindrical sleeve, and a second region coupled to a first region of the control member to maintain the self expanding stent of said prosthesis in the cylindrical sleeve until said prosthesis is positioned at a desired site in the lumen.

15. The introducer of claim 14, comprising a tube coupled between the control section and the first region.

16. The introducer of claim 14, comprising a tube coupled between the control section and the second region.

17. The introducer of claim 14, comprising a tube, wherein the first region is formed from the tube.

18. The introducer of claim 14, comprising a tube, wherein the second region is formed from the tube.

19. The introducer of claim 14, wherein the first region includes a cannula.

20. The introducer of claim 19, comprising a tube, wherein the cannula is formed from the tube.

21. The introducer of claim 14, wherein the second region includes a conical tip.

22. The introducer of claim 21, comprising a tube, wherein the conical tip is formed from the tube.

23. The introducer of claim 14, comprising a control arrangement for controlling the length of said prosthesis.

24. The introducer of claim 14, comprising a rotational arrangement by which the relative angular orientation of the proximal and distal portions of said prosthesis can be adjusted.

25. The introducer of claim 14, comprising a prosthesis positioning mechanism coupled between the control section and the control member.

26. The introducer of claim 25, wherein the prosthesis positioning mechanism includes a distal attachment section, the control section comprises a tube, and the distal attachment section is coupled to the tube.

27. A method of placing a prosthesis into an internal lumen with an insertion assembly, the insertion assembly comprising a distal prosthesis positioning mechanism including a distal retention section and a distal retention mechanism engaging and retaining a distal portion of the expandable prosthesis on the distal retention section and to selectively disengage the distal retention section from the retained distal portion of said prosthesis, the method including the steps of:

a. inserting the insertion assembly including the prosthesis into the internal lumen;

b. withdrawing a sheath from the insertion assembly to expose the prosthesis;

c. exerting force on the prosthesis in a proximal direction with a release mechanism to retain a proximal end of the prosthesis in a proximal prosthesis retention mechanism of the insertion assembly;

d. moving the proximal prosthesis retention mechanism proximally away from the release mechanism to disengage the prosthesis from the insertion assembly;

e. replacing the sheath onto the insertion assembly; and

f. retracting the insertion assembly.