Noncylindrical stent deployment system for treating vascular bifurcations
AssigneeDevax, Inc.
InventorsJacques Sequin, Robert John Elicker, Jean-Claude Laborde
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device and method for treating pathological narrowing of fluid-carrying conduits of the human body (such as blood vessels) in an area of a bifurcation is disclosed. In particular, a stent system carries a self expandable noncylindrical stent, which is particularly suited for treating a widened portion of a blood vessel immediately proximal to a bifurcation. A stent delivery system is also disclosed, for delivering the stent such that a larger expanded diameter end of the stent faces the bifurcation, and a smaller expanded diameter end of the stent faces proximally in the main vessel.
Claims27
A method of treating a vascular bifurcation of a main vessel into a first and a second branch vessels, comprising the steps of:
- providing a delivery catheter having a first stent thereon, the first stent having a proximal end and a distal end and being self expandable to a configuration in which the proximal end has a smaller diameter than the distal end;
- positioning the catheter such that the first stent is at a treatment site within the main vessel with the distal end adjacent the bifurcation;
- and
- deploying the first stent in the main vessel such that the distal end communicates with both the first and the second branch vessels.
A deployment system for treating a bifurcation of a main vessel and a first and second branch vessels, comprising:
- an elongate, flexible body, having a proximal end and a distal end;
- a first stent carried by the distal end of the body;
- and
- a releasable restraint, for retaining the stent on the flexible body;
- wherein the distal end of the stent is larger in diameter than the proximal end of the stent in an unconstrained expanded configuration.
A method of treating a vascular bifurcation of a main vessel into first and second branch vessels, comprising the steps of:
- deploying a substantially cylindrical stent in a first branch vessel which is distal to the bifurcation;
- and
- deploying a tapered stent in the main vessel, proximal to the bifurcation;
- wherein the tapered stent tapers in the distal direction from a smaller proximal diameter to a larger distal diameter which faces the bifurcation.
A stent deployment catheter, comprising:
- an elongate, flexible tubular body, having a proximal end and a distal end;
- a noncylindrical, self expandable stent carried by the distal end;
- a handpiece on the proximal end;
- a control on the handpiece, having a first position for indicating partial deployment of the stent, and a second position indicating complete deployment of the stent.
A method of treating a bifurcation of a main vessel into first and second branch vessels, comprising the steps of:
- providing a catheter having a tapered stent thereon;
- positioning the catheter in the vicinity of the bifurcation;
- partially deploying the stent into a vessel;
- introducing contrast media to permit visualization of the stent;
- and
- completely deploying the stent into the vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.