Stent delivery system

A stent delivery system, comprising:

• a) an inner tubular member having a distal end;
• b) a stent mounted on said distal end of said inner tubular member;
• c) an outer jacket longitudinally slidable over said inner tubular member;
• and
• d) a handle adapted to effect longitudinal movement of said jacket relative to said inner tubular member,
• wherein said outer jacket comprises a trilayer construction comprising,
• i) an inner layer selected from the group of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), high density polyethylene (HDPE), and urethane,
• ii) a middle flat wire braid layer, and
• iii) an outer polyether-based polyamide layer.

A stent delivery system, comprising:

• a) an inner tubular member having a distal end;
• b) a stent is mounted on said distal end of said inner tubular member;
• c) an outer jacket longitudinally slidable over said inner tubular member;
• and
• d) a handle adapted to effect longitudinal movement of said jacket relative to said inner tubular member,
• wherein said outer jacket includes a first portion and a relatively distal second portion, said first portion comprising a first trilayer construction comprising,
• i) an inner layer selected from the group of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), high density polyethylene (HDPE), and urethane,
• ii) a middle wire braid layer, and
• iii) an outer polyether-based polyamide layer, and said second portion comprising a second trilayer construction comprising,
• iv) an inner layer selected from the group of PTFE, FEP, HDPE and urethane,
• v) a middle tie-layer polymer resin, and
• vi) an outer polyether-based polyamide layer,
• wherein said first and second portions are substantially seamlessly coupled together.

A stent delivery system, comprising:

• a) an inner tubular member having a length, a first portion corresponding to a substantial portion of said length, said first portion having a first diameter, and a second relatively distal portion having a second diameter smaller than said first diameter, a shoulder integrally defined at a junction of said first and second portions;
• b) an outer jacket longitudinally slidable over said inner tubular member;
• and
• c) a stent mounted on said distal portion of said inner tubular member.

A stent delivery system, comprising:

• a) an inner tubular member having a distal end provided with a radiopaque tip;
• b) an outer jacket longitudinally slidable over said inner tubular member and having a distal end provided with a radiopaque marker;
• and
• c) a stent mounted on said distal end of said inner tubular member, said stent having a plurality of radiopaque markers at each of its ends,
• wherein said inner tubular member is absent of radiopaque markers proximal a location at which said stent is mounted.

A stent delivery system, comprising:

• a) an inner tubular member having a proximal end and a distal end
• b) a stent loaded on said distal end of said inner tubular member;
• c) an outer jacket longitudinally slidable over said inner tubular member, said outer jacket having a proximal portion with a proximal end, and a distal portion;
• d) a handle including a stationary member, a movable member, and a mechanism for moving said movable member relative to said stationary member,
• wherein said proximal end of said inner tubular member is fixedly coupled to said stationary member, said proximal end of said outer jacket is fixedly coupled to said movable member;
• and
• e) a sleeve fixedly coupled to said handle and extending over a proximal portion of said outer jacket, said outer jacket being longitudinally movable relative to said sleeve by operation of said handle,
• wherein said proximal portion of said outer jacket is provided with one of visible and tactile indicia to visibly or tactily indicate movement of said outer jacket relative to inner tubular member to a user of the system.

A stent delivery system, comprising:

• a) an inner tubular member having a proximal end and a distal end;
• b) a stent loaded on said distal end of said inner tubular member;
• c) an outer jacket longitudinally slidable over said inner tubular member and having a proximal end and distal end;
• and
• d) a handle including
• i) a stationary member,
• ii) a movable member, and
• iii) at least one knob rotatably coupled to the stationary member and mechanically coupled to said movable member such that rotation of said at least one knob causes movement of said movable member relative to said stationary member,
• wherein said proximal end of said inner tubular member is fixedly coupled to said stationary member, said proximal end of said outer jacket is fixedly coupled to said movable member

A stent delivery system, comprising:

• a) an inner tubular member having a proximal end and a distal end;
• b) a stent loaded on said distal end of said inner tubular member;
• c) an outer jacket longitudinally slidable over said inner tubular member and having a proximal end and distal end;
• and
• d) a handle including a stationary member, a movable member, and a mechanism for moving said movable member relative to said stationary member,
• wherein said proximal end of said inner tubular member is fixedly coupled to said stationary member, said proximal end of said outer jacket is fixedly coupled to said movable member, and said mechanism includes
• i) first and second sprockets,
• ii) a toothed belt extending about said first and second sprockets, said belt being fixedly coupled to said movable member, and
• iii) at least one knob extending at least partially outside said stationary member and rotatable relative thereto, said at least one knob being mechanically coupled to said first sprocket such that rotation of said at least one knob causes movement of said belt about said sprockets and longitudinal movement of said outer jacket relative to said inner tubular member.

A stent delivery system, comprising:

• a) an inner tubular member having a distal end;
• b) a stent loaded on said distal end of said inner tubular member;
• c) an outer jacket longitudinally slidable over said inner tubular member;
• d) a handle adapted to move said outer jacket relative to said inner tubular member;
• and
• e) a mechanism adapted to produce an audible sound as said outer jacket is incrementally moved relative to said inner tubular member.

A method of preparing a stent delivery system for use with a stent, comprising:

• a) selecting a stent of a particular length from stents having a plurality of lengths;
• b) providing a stent delivery system having
• i) an inner tubular member having a proximal end, and a distal end on which said stent of said particular length is to be mounted,
• ii) an outer jacket longitudinally slidable over said inner tubular member and having a proximal end and distal end, and
• iii) a handle including a stationary member, a movable member, and a gear assembly for moving said movable member relative to said stationary member, and a manually operable control element which interacts with said gear assembly,
• said gear assembly being adapted such that regardless of said particular length of said stent, said control element requires a common movement relative to said stationary member to effect retraction of said outer jacket relative to said inner tubular member to deploy said stent;
• and
• c) loading said stent on said distal end of said inner tubular member.

A method of preparing a stent delivery system for use with a stent, comprising:

• a) selecting a stent of a particular length from stents having a plurality of lengths;
• b) providing a stent delivery system having
• i) an inner tubular member having a proximal end, and a distal end on which said stent of said particular length is to be mounted,
• ii) an outer jacket longitudinally slidable over said inner tubular member and having a proximal end and distal end,
• iii) a handle including a stationary member, a movable member, and a mechanisms that moves said movable member relative to said stationary member, and
• iv) a sleeve coupled to said stationary member and extending over said outer jacket, said sleeve having a distal end,
• wherein said outer jacket includes one of visible and tactile indicia in a length corresponding to said length of said stent of said particular length, with a proximal end of said indicia being coincident with said distal end of said sleeve;
• and
• c) loading said stent on said distal end of said inner tubular member.