Prosthesis (i.e. – artificial body members) – parts thereof – or ai – Arterial prosthesis – Stent combined with surgical delivery system
Reexamination Certificate
1998-02-27
2001-01-16
Thaler, Michael H. (Department: 3731)
Prosthesis (i.e., artificial body members), parts thereof, or ai
Arterial prosthesis
Stent combined with surgical delivery system
C606S108000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06174327
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a stent deployment system and apparatus. In particular, the present invention relates to an improved stent deployment system for use with a catheter for deployment.
It is well known to use balloon angioplasty catheters for dilating various vessels of human bodies and most particularly for opening stenotic or restricted coronary arteries. It is also well known to place stents into vessels to maintain patency of a dilated vessel. In such systems, a balloon angioplasty or dilatation catheter is inserted into a patient and advanced to align a dilatation balloon with a lesion. Inflation pressure is supplied to the balloon to open the lesion. Stents are inserted into a patient in a collapsed condition and are deployed to conform to the shape of a dilated vessel. Balloon expandable or self expanding stents are known.
The dimensions of coronary arteries are relatively small. Thus, it is a very difficult and arduous task to track treatment devices to a lesion site in coronary arteries. Stents may be deployed by catheter devices including an inflatable balloon at a distal end. Such catheter devices may be used to dilate a lesion in addition to stent deployment. To facilitate deployment of a stent via a catheter, it is desirable to provide a device that does not interfere with dilatation and which can be easily maneuvered to a treatment site for deployment without damage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an improved stent deployment system which may be adapted for dilating a lesion and deploying a stent to maintain the patency of a dilated vessel. The stent deployment system includes an expandable stent and a stent sheath which carries the stent. The stent sheath is movably coupled to a catheter shaft of a catheter and is insertable thereby to a lesion site for deployment. The stent sheath is movably coupled to the catheter shaft for operation between a proximally-retracted insertion position and an advanced deployment position aligned with a balloon at a distal end of the catheter. The extent of the movable stent sheath is relatively short in comparison to the catheter shaft. In the proximally-retracted insertion position, the stent sheath and stent are positioned out of alignment with the balloon. In the advanced deployment position, the stent and stent sheath are aligned with the dilatation balloon for deployment of the stent via inflation of the balloon.
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Eidenschink Tracee E. J.
Mertens Steven P.
Mickley Timothy J.
Sci-Med Life Systems, Inc.
Thaler Michael H.
Westman Champlin & Kelly P.A.
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