Short sleeve stent delivery catheter and methods

A therapeutic catheter, comprising:

• a catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a guidewire lumen extending from the distal end to at least part way between the proximal end and the distal end;
• a balloon disposed over the catheter body near the distal end;
• and
• a side sheath coupled to the catheter body, the side sheath having a proximal end, a distal end, and a guidewire lumen extending between the proximal end and the distal end, wherein the proximal end of the side sheath is located between the proximal end of the catheter body and the balloon, and wherein the side sheath has a distal portion that is unattached to the catheter body, wherein the unattached distal portion has a length of at least about 1 cm.

A method for placing a stent having a side hole into a main vessel such that the side hole is aligned with an ostium of a branch vessel that extends from the main vessel, the method comprising:

• providing a delivery catheter that comprises a catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a guidewire lumen extending from the distal end to at least part way between the proximal end and the distal end;
• a balloon disposed over the catheter body near the distal end;
• a stent positioned over the balloon, the stent having a proximal end, a distal end, and a side opening between the proximal end and the distal end;
• and a side sheath coupled to the catheter body, the side sheath having a proximal end, a distal end, and a guidewire lumen extending between the proximal end and the distal end, wherein the proximal end of the side sheath is located between the proximal end of the catheter body and the balloon, and wherein the side sheath exits out of the side opening of the stent;
• introducing a branch vessel guidewire into the main vessel until a distal end of the branch vessel guidewire passes into the branch vessel;
• inserting a primary main vessel guidewire through the catheter body guidewire lumen;
• inserting the catheter containing the primary main vessel guidewire over the branch vessel guidewire such that the branch vessel guidewire passes through the side sheath;
• advancing the catheter over the branch vessel guidewire until the side sheath is within the branch vessel and the side opening of the stent is aligned with an ostium of the branch vessel;
• and
• inflating the balloon to deploy the stent.

A method for placing a stent having a side hole into a main vessel such that the side hole is aligned with an ostium of a branch vessel that extends from the main vessel, the method comprising:

• providing a delivery catheter that comprises a catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a guidewire lumen extending from the distal end to at least part way between the proximal end and the distal end;
• a balloon disposed over the catheter body near the distal end;
• a stent positioned over the balloon, the stent having a proximal end, a distal end, and a side opening between the proximal end and the distal end;
• and a side sheath coupled to the catheter body, the side sheath having a proximal end, a distal end, and a guidewire lumen extending between the proximal end and the distal end, wherein the proximal end of the side sheath is located between the proximal end of the catheter body and the balloon, and wherein the side sheath exits out of the side opening of the stent;
• introducing a main vessel guidewire into the main vessel until a distal end of the main vessel guidewire passes beyond the branch vessel;
• introducing a branch vessel guidewire into the main vessel until a distal end of the branch vessel guidewire passes into the branch vessel;
• inserting the catheter over the branch vessel guidewire and the main vessel guidewire such that the main vessel guidewire passes through the guidewire lumen of the catheter body and the branch vessel guidewire passes through the side sheath;
• advancing the catheter over the main vessel guidewire and the branch vessel guidewire until the side sheath is within the branch vessel and the side opening of the stent is aligned with an ostium of the branch vessel;
• and
• inflating the balloon to deploy the stent.

A method for placing a stent having a side hole into a main vessel such that the side hole is aligned with an ostium of a branch vessel that extends from the main vessel, the method comprising:

• providing a delivery catheter that comprises a catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a guidewire lumen extending from the distal end to at least part way between the proximal end and the distal end;
• a balloon disposed over the catheter body near the distal end;
• a stent positioned over the balloon, the stent having a proximal end, a distal end, and a side opening between the proximal end and the distal end;
• and a side sheath coupled to the catheter body, the side sheath having a proximal end, a distal end, and a guidewire lumen extending between the proximal end and the distal end, wherein the proximal end of the side sheath is located between the proximal end of the catheter body and the balloon, and wherein the side sheath exits out of the side opening of the stent;
• inserting a branch vessel guidewire through the side sheath guidewire lumen;
• inserting a main vessel guidewire through the catheter body guidewire lumen;
• inserting the catheter containing the main vessel guidewire and the branch vessel guidewire through the main vessel until near branch vessel;
• advancing the branch vessel guidewire through the side sheath and into the branch vessel, and the main vessel guidewire through the catheter body and further into the main vessel beyond the branch vessel;
• advancing the catheter over the branch vessel guidewire and the main vessel guidewire until the side sheath is within the branch vessel and the side opening of the stent is aligned with an ostium of the branch vessel;
• and
• inflating the balloon to deploy the stent.

A method for placing a stent having a side hole into a main vessel such that the side hole is aligned with an ostium of a branch vessel that extends from the main vessel, the method comprising:

• providing a delivery catheter that comprises a catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a guidewire lumen extending from the distal end to at least part way between the proximal end and the distal end;
• a balloon disposed over the catheter body near the distal end;
• a stent positioned over the balloon, the stent having a proximal end, a distal end, and a side opening between the proximal end and the distal end;
• and a side sheath coupled to the catheter body, the side sheath having a proximal end, a distal end, and a guidewire lumen extending between the proximal end and the distal end, wherein the proximal end of the side sheath is located between the proximal end of the catheter body and the balloon, and wherein the side sheath exits out of the side opening of the stent;
• introducing a branch vessel guidewire into the main vessel until a distal end of the branch vessel guidewire passes into the branch vessel;
• inserting a primary main vessel guidewire through the catheter body guidewire lumen;
• inserting the catheter containing the primary main vessel guidewire over the branch vessel guidewire such that the branch vessel guidewire passes through the side sheath
• advancing the catheter over the branch vessel guidewire until the catheter is in close proximity to the branch vessel;
• advancing the primary main vessel guidewire through the catheter body and further into the main vessel until extending beyond the ostium of the branch vessel;
• advancing the catheter over the branch vessel guidewire and the primary main vessel guidewire until the side sheath is within the branch vessel, with the side opening of the stent being aligned with the ostium of the branch vessel, and the catheter body passes further into the main vessel;
• and
• inflating the balloon to deploy the stent.