Stent delivery system with multiple evenly spaced pullwires

• US 8,968,379 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2005
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Vascular, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Vascular, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Pryor, Jack
• Primary Examiner(s): Dowe, Katherine
• Assistant Examiner(s): COLELLO, ERIN L
• Application Number:
  US11/218,919
• Publication Number:
  US 20070055340A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,469 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1.2, 623/1.23, 623 111- 113, 623/1.21, 623/1.27
• 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 2002/9665 with additional retaining means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0037 characterized by lumina being arranged side-by-side
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/004 characterized by lumina being arranged circumferentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0136 Handles therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0147 with movable mechanical means, e.g. pull wires

Abstract

In one aspect, a stent delivery system includes a catheter having two or more pullwire lumens evenly spaced about the central axis of the catheter and thereby balanced within the catheter. Pullwires are positioned in the pullwire lumens. Proximal portions of the pullwires are attached to a connector, which is attached to a master pullwire. The connector has a given range of motion that allows the pullwires to move within the pullwire lumens, thereby ensuring full flexibility of the catheter. The pullwires assume different lengths. A pullwire positioned over the outer curve of a flexed catheter may be longer than a pullwire positioned within the inner curve of the catheter, preventing the catheter from being straightened or displaced by the action of retracting the pullwires. The catheter may serve as either an inner member on which a stent is mounted or a sheath enclosing a stent.

Claims

1. A catheter system for treating a vascular condition with a stent, comprising:

a catheter shaft defining a central lumen and a plurality of pullwire lumens evenly spaced about a central axis of the catheter shaft;

an inner member disposed in the central lumen, the inner member being operable to receive the stent thereon;

a catheter sheath slideably disposed about the catheter shaft and operable to enclose at least a portion of the stent;

a plurality of pullwires received within the pullwire lumens and thereby being evenly spaced about the central axis of the catheter shaft, the plurality of pullwires being coupled to the catheter sheath to slide the catheter sheath axially relative to the catheter shaft;

a pivoting connector having an end, wherein proximal portions of said plurality of pullwires are operably attached to and evenly distributed about an end of the pivoting connector; and

a master pull wire connected to the midpoint of said pivoting connector, wherein said master pull wire is operably connected to facilitate retraction of said catheter sheath by retracting said midpoint of said pivoting connector to cause a relative catheter sheath retraction motion between said inner member and said pivoting connector.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the pivoting connector is a wheel having at least one groove formed in an outer surface of the wheel.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the pivoting connector is a narrow, elongated member.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the pivoting connector is a substantially flat, triangular plate.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the pivoting connector is a hemisphere.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the inner member includes a central guidewire lumen.

7. The system of claim 6 further comprising:

a guidewire.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a flexible conduit enclosing a proximal portion of each pullwire.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein a distal end of each of the plurality of pullwires is coupled to the catheter sheath at a location approximately midway along a length of the stent or distal to the location approximately midway along the length of the stent.

10. A stent delivery system, comprising:

a catheter shaft having a plurality of pullwire lumens evenly spaced about a central axis of the catheter;

a stent mounted on a distal portion of the catheter shaft;

a retractable sheath enclosing the stent and slideably disposed about the catheter shaft; and

a plurality of pullwires received within the pullwire lumens, the plurality of pullwires attached to the retractable sheath to slide the retractable sheath axially relative to the catheter shaft,

a pivoting connector having an end, wherein proximal portions of the plurality of pullwires are operably attached to and evenly spaced about an end of the pivoting connector, and

a master pullwire operably attached to the midpoint of said pivoting connector which retracts said pivoting connector to cause retraction of said retractable sheath.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the pullwires are attached to a mid-portion of the retractable sheath.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the catheter shaft includes a central guidewire lumen.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising:

a guidewire.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein a distal end of each of the plurality of pullwires is coupled to the sheath at a location approximately midway along a length of the stent or distal to the location approximately midway along the length of the stent.

15. A stent delivery system, comprising:

an inner member having an axial length;

a stent mounted on the inner member;

a catheter and sheath assembly enclosing at least a portion of the stent, the catheter and sheath assembly having an integrated catheter shaft and sheath, the catheter shaft slideably disposed about the inner member and including a plurality of pullwire lumens evenly spaced about a central axis of the catheter shaft; and

a plurality of pullwires having proximal and distal portions received within the pullwire lumens;

wherein the distal portions of said plurality of pullwires are coupled to the sheath to slide the sheath axially relative to the inner member, wherein proximal portions of said plurality of pullwires are operably attached to and evenly distributed about an end of a pivoting connector, wherein a master pullwire is operably attached to a midpoint of said pivoting connector to retract said pivoting connector to retract said pullwires to retract said catheter and sheath assembly.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the inner member includes a central guidewire lumen.

17. The system of claim 16 further comprising:

a guidewire.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein a distal end of each of the plurality of pullwires is coupled to the sheath at a location approximately midway along a length of the stent or distal to the location approximately midway along the length of the stent.