Surgical stent delivery devices and methods

A device for loading a self-expanding stent into a receiving area of a delivery tool, the device comprising:

• a stent storage region having an internal chamber sized to retain the stent in a first state;
• a stent transfer region spaced from the storage region and having an internal chamber sized to receive, retain, and transfer the self-expanding state in a second state in which the stent is at least partially compressed relative to the first state of the stent;
• a stent compressing region extending between the storage region and the transfer region for radially collapsing the stent from the first state to a second state;
• and
• a loading element slideably positioned within the internal chamber of the stent transfer region and comprising an extending portion for engaging at least a portion of the stent in its second state for slideably moving the stent in the second state from the transfer region toward the compressing region.

A delivery system for loading a self-expanding stent into a delivery tool used for positioning and deploying the stent into a predetermined location in a body cavity, the system comprising:

• a delivery tool comprising an outer tube having a first end and an inner tube positioned within the outer tube, wherein the outer tube has a first end and a receiving area adjacent to the first end, and wherein the outer tube is slideable relative to the inner tube for receiving and deploying the stent;
• and
• a stent cartridge for providing a stent into the receiving area of the delivery tool, the cartridge comprising:
• a stent storage region having an internal chamber sized to retain the stent in a first state;
• a stent transfer region spaced from the storage region and having an internal chamber sized to receive, retain, and transfer the self-expanding stent in a second state in which the stent is at least partially compressed relative to the first state of the stent;
• a stent compressing region extending between the storage region and the transfer region and having an internal chamber for radially collapsing the stent from the first state to a second state;
• and
• a loading mechanism slideably positioned relative to the transfer region for slideably moving the stent in the second state from the transfer region toward the compressing region.

A method of loading a self-expanding stent into the receiving area of a loading tool, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a stent cartridge comprising a stent storage region having an internal chamber including a stent in a first state, a stent transfer region spaced from the storage region and having an internal chamber sized to receive, retain, and transfer the self-expanding stent in a second state in which the stent is at least partially compressed relative to the first state of the stent, a stent compressing region having an internal chamber extending between the storage region and the transfer region, and a loading mechanism slideably positioned relative to the transfer region;
• moving the stent from the internal chamber of the storage region through the internal chamber of the compressing region to the internal chamber of the transfer region, wherein the stent is compressed to the second state;
• inserting a first end of a delivery tool through an end of the stent storage region and into the stent compressing region, the delivery tool comprising an outer tube having a first end and an inner tube positioned within the outer tube, wherein the outer tube has a receiving area adjacent to the first end, and wherein the inner tube is slideable relative to the outer tube;
• transferring the stent in the second state from the transfer region of the cartridge into the receiving area of the delivery tool by moving the loading mechanism toward the compressing region.