Endoprosthesis deployment methods for treating vascular bifurcations
First Claim
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1. A method of treating a vascular bifurcation of a main vessel into first and second branch vessels, comprising the steps of:
- providing a delivery catheter carrying a first stent, the first stent having an upstream end, a downstream end, and a single central lumen extending therebetween, wherein the first stent is self-expandable, wherein the first stent is configured to be unattached to any other stent when the catheter is withdrawn from the main vessel, and wherein the upstream end has a smaller diameter than the downstream end when the first stent is expanded and unconstrained, the upstream end positioned proximal relative to the downstream end on the delivery catheter;
positioning the delivery catheter such that the first stent is at a treatment site within the main vessel and the downstream end is adjacent to the branch vessels; and
deploying the first stent in the main vessel such that the first stent self expands to a configuration in which the upstream end of the first stent has a smaller diameter than the downstream end of the first stent, and in which the downstream end communicates with both the first and second branch vessels.
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Abstract
A device and method for treating pathological narrowing of fluid-carrying conduits of the human body (such as blood vessels) in an area of a bifurcation is disclosed. In particular, a stent system comprising a pair of dissimilar stents, one of which is particularly suited for treating a widened portion of a blood vessel immediately proximal to a bifurcation. A stent delivery system including a handpiece adapted to selectively deliver the stents is also disclosed.
278 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method of treating a vascular bifurcation of a main vessel into first and second branch vessels, comprising the steps of:
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providing a delivery catheter carrying a first stent, the first stent having an upstream end, a downstream end, and a single central lumen extending therebetween, wherein the first stent is self-expandable, wherein the first stent is configured to be unattached to any other stent when the catheter is withdrawn from the main vessel, and wherein the upstream end has a smaller diameter than the downstream end when the first stent is expanded and unconstrained, the upstream end positioned proximal relative to the downstream end on the delivery catheter; positioning the delivery catheter such that the first stent is at a treatment site within the main vessel and the downstream end is adjacent to the branch vessels; and deploying the first stent in the main vessel such that the first stent self expands to a configuration in which the upstream end of the first stent has a smaller diameter than the downstream end of the first stent, and in which the downstream end communicates with both the first and second branch vessels. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 25)
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18. A method of treating a vascular bifurcation of a main vessel into first and second branch vessels, comprising the steps of:
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deploying a substantially cylindrical stent in a first branch vessel, wherein the first branch vessel is downstream with respect to the bifurcation; and deploying a tapered stent in the main vessel, wherein the main vessel is upstream with respect to the bifurcation; wherein both the substantially cylindrical stent and the tapered stent are deployed from the same catheter; and wherein the tapered stent has a single central lumen and tapers in a downstream direction from a smaller upstream diameter to a larger downstream diameter which faces the bifurcation, and wherein the substantially cylindrical stent and the tapered stent are unattached to each other when the catheter is withdrawn from the main vessel, and wherein the tapered stent'"'"'s downstream diameter is larger than its upstream diameter when unconstrained. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of treating a bifurcation of a main vessel into first and second branch vessels, comprising the steps of:
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providing a catheter having a self-expandable, tapered stent thereon, which in an unconstrained expansion is substantially conical in shape, and has a single central lumen extending between a relatively smaller diameter end and a relatively larger diameter end, wherein the tapered stent is configured to be unattached to any other stent when deployed and is not covered by a membrane or film; positioning the catheter in the vicinity of the bifurcation; partially deploying the self expandable tapered stent into a vessel; infusing contrast media to permit visualization of the self expandable tapered stent; and deploying the self-expandable, uncovered, tapered stent into the main vessel such that the relatively smaller diameter end is upstream with respect to the relatively larger diameter end and blood flow through the vessel, and the relatively larger diameter end is downstream with respect to the relatively smaller diameter end and blood flow through the vessel. - View Dependent Claims (24, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification