Self-expanding stent and catheter assembly and method for treating bifurcations

A method of forming a self-expanding bifurcated stent, comprising:

• forming a stent pattern into a single hypotube, the stent pattern including a plurality of rings connected by links, and the stent pattern including a proximal section, a distal section, and a central section having a central opening;
• expanding the hypotube to a desired size without expanding the central opening to an angle and annealing the hypotube;
• and
• expanding the central opening to a desired angle and annealing the hypotube.

A method for delivering and implanting a stent in a bifurcated vessel, comprising:

• providing a stent delivery catheter having a stent mounted thereon in a collapsed state, the catheter having an Rx lumen and an Rx guide wire positioned therein and an OTW guide wire lumen and an OTW guide wire positioned therein;
• providing a first delivery sheath over the collapsed stent;
• advancing the catheter and first delivery sheath in a vessel;
• advancing the Rx guide wire into the main vessel to a position distal of the bifurcation;
• advancing the catheter and first delivery sheath over the Rx guide wire to position a distal end of the catheter proximal of the bifurcation;
• advancing the OTW guide wire distally into the side branch vessel;
• advancing the catheter and first delivery sheath distally over the Rx guide wire and the OTW guide wire;
• and
• removing the first delivery sheath from the stent, allowing the stent to self-expand into an expanded state thereby expanding and implanting the stent to cover a portion of the main vessel and the opening to the side branch vessel.