Coiled stent delivery system and method

A coiled endoluminal prosthesis delivery assembly comprising:

• a catheter comprising an outer surface, a lumen, and a number of openings extending from the outer surface to the lumen;
• a release wire extending along a release wire path;
• the release wire path comprising internal release wire path segments defined within the lumen and external release wire path segments external of the catheter, and
• a generally helical endoluminal prosthesis having proximal and distal portions separated by an intermediate portion, the endoluninal prosthesis being maintained in a radially contracted condition by the release wire engaging the proximal, distal and intermediate portions of the endoluminal prosthesis at least three of the external release wire path segments;
• whereby the coiled endoluminal prosthesis is releasable from the catheter when the release wire is moved along the release wire path.

A coiled endoluminal prosthesis delivery assembly comprising:

• a catheter comprising a release wire lumen, the release wire lumen comprising a series of axially spaced-apart lumen segments, each lumen segment comprising an entrance and exit;
• a release wire extending along a release wire path;
• the release wire path comprising internal release wire path segments defined by the lumen segments and external release wire path segments extending between the exit of one lumen segment and the entrance of another lumen segment;
• a generally helical endoluminal prosthesis having proximal and distal portions separated by an intermediate portion, the endoluminal prosthesis being maintained in a radially contracted condition with:
• the intermediate portion passing between the catheter and the release wire at at least one of the external release wire path segments;
• and
• the proximal and distal portions of the endoluminal prosthesis having release wire engagement parts with which the release wire releasably engages;
• whereby the coiled endoluminal prosthesis is releasable from the catheter when the release wire is moved along the release wire path.

A coiled endoluminal prosthesis delivery assembly comprising:

• a catheter comprising an outer surface, a main lumen, a release wire lumen, and a number of openings extending from the outer surface to the release wire lumen;
• a release wire extending along a release wire path;
• the release wire path comprising internal release wire path segments defined within the release wire lumen and external release wire path segments external of the catheter;
• and
• a generally helical endoluminal prosthesis having proximal and distal portions separated by an intermediate portion, the endoluminal prosthesis being maintained in a radially contracted condition by the release wire engaging the endoluminal prosthesis at at least two of the external release wire path segments;
• whereby the coiled endoluminal prosthesis is releasable from the catheter when the release wire is moved along the release wire path.

A method for controllably releasing a generally helical endoluminal prosthesis from a catheter within a body lumen of a hollow body structure, the endoluminal prosthesis being mounted onto the catheter in a radially contracted, first state, comprising:

• placing the endoluminal prosthesis, carried by the catheter, at a target location within a body lumen, the endoluminal prosthesis comprising proximal, distal and intermediate portions, each of which is temporarily retained in the radially contracted, first state;
• releasing one or more of the distal, intermediate and proximal portions to move towards a radially expanded, second state in contact with the hollow body structure while maintaining the unreleased portions in the radially contracted, first state;
• the releasing step comprising permitting a portion of the endoluminal prosthesis to move to the radially expanded, second state in contact with the hollow body structure;
• thereafter selectively releasing the remaining one or ones of the proximal, distal and intermediate portions to permit the entire endoluminal prosthesis to move to the radially expanded, second state in contact with the hollow body structure;
• and
• removing the catheter from the body lumen.