Loading apparatus and system for expandable intraluminal medical devices
First Claim
1. A method of loading an expandable intraluminal medical device into a delivery catheter, said expandable intraluminal medical device having radially-expanded and radially-compressed configurations, said method comprising:
- placing said expandable intraluminal medical device into a passageway defined by a loading apparatus such that said expandable intraluminal medical device is disposed within the passageway in said radially-expanded configuration;
pulling said expandable intraluminal medical device along an axial path and through the apparatus such that said expandable intraluminal medical device transitions from said radially-expanded configuration to said radially-compressed configuration; and
after pulling said expandable intraluminal medical device and achieving said radially-compressed configuration, pushing said expandable intraluminal medical device into said medical device delivery catheter.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Medical device loading apparatuses, systems, methods and kits are described. A loading apparatus comprises a main body having a proximal end defining a proximal opening, a distal end defining a distal opening, and a passageway extending between the proximal and distal openings. An expandable intraluminal medical device can be loaded into a delivery catheter using the loading apparatus by placing the device into the passageway such that it is in a radially-expanded configuration; pulling the device along an axial path through the loading apparatus such that the device transitions from the radially-expanded configuration to a radially-compressed configuration; and pushing the radially-compressed device along the axial path into the delivery catheter.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of loading an expandable intraluminal medical device into a delivery catheter, said expandable intraluminal medical device having radially-expanded and radially-compressed configurations, said method comprising:
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placing said expandable intraluminal medical device into a passageway defined by a loading apparatus such that said expandable intraluminal medical device is disposed within the passageway in said radially-expanded configuration; pulling said expandable intraluminal medical device along an axial path and through the apparatus such that said expandable intraluminal medical device transitions from said radially-expanded configuration to said radially-compressed configuration; and after pulling said expandable intraluminal medical device and achieving said radially-compressed configuration, pushing said expandable intraluminal medical device into said medical device delivery catheter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of loading an expandable intraluminal medical device into a delivery catheter, said expandable intraluminal medical device having radially-expanded and radially-compressed configurations, said method comprising:
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placing said expandable intraluminal medical device into a passageway defined by a loading apparatus such that said expandable intraluminal medical device is disposed within the passageway in said radially-expanded configuration; pulling said expandable intraluminal medical device along an axial path and through the apparatus such that said expandable intraluminal medical device transitions from said radially-expanded configuration to said radially-compressed configuration; and after pulling said expandable intraluminal medical device and achieving said radially-compressed configuration, pushing said expandable intraluminal medical device along the axial path and into said medical device delivery catheter; wherein each of the steps of pulling said expandable intraluminal medical device and pushing said expandable intraluminal medical device comprises moving said expandable intraluminal medical device without rotation about an axis.
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20. A method of loading an expandable intraluminal medical device into a delivery catheter, said expandable intraluminal medical device comprising a self-expandable support frame having radially-expanded and radially-compressed configurations and a tissue section attached to the support frame, said method comprising:
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placing said expandable intraluminal medical device into a passageway defined by a loading apparatus such that said expandable intraluminal medical device is disposed within the passageway in said radially-expanded configuration; pulling said expandable intraluminal medical device along an axial path and through the apparatus such that said expandable intraluminal medical device transitions from said radially-expanded configuration to said radially-compressed configuration; and after pulling said expandable intraluminal medical device and achieving said radially-compressed configuration, pushing said expandable intraluminal medical device along the axial path and into said medical device delivery catheter; wherein each of the steps of pulling said expandable intraluminal medical device and pushing said expandable intraluminal medical device comprises moving said expandable intraluminal medical device without rotation about an axis.
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Specification