Gastric pseudocyst drainage and stent delivery system for use therein

A method of draining a pseudocyst present within a patient, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a double pigtail stent, said double pigtail stent having a first end and a second end, each of said first and second ends being transformable from a straightened state, when constrained, to a curled state, when relaxed;
• (b) coaxially mounting said double pigtail stent over the distal end of a catheter, whereby each of said first and second ends is in said straightened state;
• (c) endoscopically introducing said double pigtail stent and the distal end of said catheter through the mouth and into the stomach of a patient in the vicinity of a pseudocyst;
• (d) sliding said first end of said double pigtail stent off the distal end of said catheter, through the stomach and into the pseudocyst, whereby said first end is transformed from said straightened state to said curled state;
• and
• (e) sliding said second end of said double pigtail stent off the distal end of said catheter into the stomach, whereby said second end is transformed from said straightened state to said curled state;
• (f) whereby the pseudocyst drains through said stent into the stomach.

A stent delivery system comprising:

• (a) an inner catheter, said inner catheter being provided with a first longitudinally extending lumen;
• (b) perforating means slidably disposed in said first longitudinally extending lumen;
• (c) an outer catheter, said outer catheter surrounding at least a portion of the length of said inner catheter and adapted for axial movement relative to said inner catheter;
• and
• (d) a self-expandable stent, said self-expandable stent disposed between said inner catheter and said outer catheter;
• (e) wherein said outer catheter is dimensioned to maintain said self-expandable stent in a compressed state.

A stent delivery system comprising:

• (a) a catheter, said catheter having a proximal end, a distal end, a first lumen extending longitudinally through said distal end and a second lumen extending longitudinally and having a proximal end connected to a gas line and a distal end terminating in a balloon section;
• (b) perforating means slidably disposed in said first lumen;
• and
• (c) a balloon-expandable stent coaxially mounted over said balloon section of said catheter.

A stent delivery system comprising:

• (a) a catheter, said catheter having a proximal end, a distal end, a first lumen extending longitudinally through said distal end, and a second lumen extending longitudinally and having a proximal end connected to a gas line and a distal end terminating in a balloon section;
• (b) perforating means slidably disposed in said first lumen;
• and
• (c) a first pigtail stent coaxially and slidably mounted over said catheter proximal to said balloon section.