Devices and methods for controlling and indicating the length of an interventional element
First Claim
1. A catheter comprising:
- an elongated flexible shaft having a distal end and a proximal end;
an interventional element at the distal end, the interventional element having an adjustable length, wherein the interventional element comprises a stent comprising a plurality of discrete unconnected stent segments releasably coupled to the shaft adjacent the distal end thereof;
an actuator at the proximal end for adjusting the length of the interventional element, wherein an actuation of the actuator adjusts the number of discrete stent segments in a deployable portion of the stent, and wherein the actuator controls the length of the deployable portion of the stent, the deployable portion being released from the shaft while an undeployed portion of the stent remains coupled to the shaft; and
a post slidably coupled with the actuator at a distal end of the actuator such that the post is retractable within the actuator;
wherein a distal end of the post is disposed externally of the actuator, and wherein a distal portion of the post comprises an indication device for providing a tactile indication of the length of the deployable portion of the stent before deployment of the deployable portion.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Devices and methods are provided for controlling and indicating the deployed length of an interventional element on an interventional catheter. The interventional element may be a stent or series of stents, a balloon, or any other interventional element for which length control is necessary or desirable. Devices for controlling the length of the interventional element include gear driven actuators, motors, and other mechanisms. Devices for indicating length of an interventional element to the user include sensors, detents, visual displays and other mechanisms providing visual, audible, and tangible indications of length to the user. The control and indication devices preferably work in tandem to enable highly precise adjustment of interventional element length.
578 Citations
52 Claims
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1. A catheter comprising:
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an elongated flexible shaft having a distal end and a proximal end; an interventional element at the distal end, the interventional element having an adjustable length, wherein the interventional element comprises a stent comprising a plurality of discrete unconnected stent segments releasably coupled to the shaft adjacent the distal end thereof; an actuator at the proximal end for adjusting the length of the interventional element, wherein an actuation of the actuator adjusts the number of discrete stent segments in a deployable portion of the stent, and wherein the actuator controls the length of the deployable portion of the stent, the deployable portion being released from the shaft while an undeployed portion of the stent remains coupled to the shaft; and a post slidably coupled with the actuator at a distal end of the actuator such that the post is retractable within the actuator;
wherein a distal end of the post is disposed externally of the actuator, and wherein a distal portion of the post comprises an indication device for providing a tactile indication of the length of the deployable portion of the stent before deployment of the deployable portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A catheter comprising:
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an elongated flexible shaft having a distal end a proximal end; an expandable member mounted at the distal end of the shaft, the expandable member being expandable to an expanded configuration having an expanded length; a sheath axially movable relative to the shaft and being positionable around at least a portion of the expandable member to restrain the expansion thereof; a stent comprising a plurality of discrete unconnected stent segments, the stent segments of the stent releasably positioned over the expandable member; an actuator at the proximal end for controlling the position of the sheath relative to the expandable member to adjust the expanded length of the expandable member, wherein actuation of the actuator adjusts the number of discrete stent segments in a deployable portion of the stent, and wherein the actuator controls the length of the deployable portion of the stent, the deployable portion being released from the shaft while an undeployed portion of the stent remains coupled to the shaft; and a post slidably coupled with the actuator such that the post is retractable within the actuator;
wherein a distal end of the post is disposed externally of the actuator, and wherein a distal portion of the post comprises an indication device for providing a tactile indication of the expanded length of the deployable portion before deployment thereof. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A stent delivery catheter comprising:
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an elongated flexible shaft having distal and proximal ends; a stent comprising a plurality of discrete unconnected stent segments releasably mounted at the distal end, a deployable portion of the stent being releasable from the catheter to assume an expanded configuration, the deployable portion having a length and comprising one or more stent segments; an actuator at the proximal end for controlling the length of the deployable portion, wherein actuation of the actuator adjusts the number of discrete stent segments in the deployable portion, and wherein the actuator controls the length of the deployable portion of the stent, the deployable portion being released from the shaft while an undeployed portion of the stent remains coupled to the shaft; and a post slidably coupled with the actuator such that the post is retractable within the actuator;
wherein a distal end of the post is disposed externally of the actuator, and wherein a distal portion of the post comprises an indication device for tactilely indicating the length of the deployable portion before deployment of the deployable portion. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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Specification