Everting deployment system and handle

A stent deployment system for delivering a tubular medical device, the system comprising:

• an outer catheter having a tubular wall defining a lumen disposed about a longitudinal axis between a proximal end and a distal end, the tubular wall of the outer catheter comprising an outer layer, an inner liner, a structural layer bonded therebetween, wherein a portion of the inner liner extends past the outer layer and the structural layer of the outer catheter;
• an inner catheter disposed within the lumen of the outer catheter, the inner catheter having a proximal end and a distal end and defining a lumen, the inner catheter having a first portion with a first diameter and a second portion distal thereto with a second diameter less than the first diameter, the outer catheter and the inner catheter being configured and oriented to define an annular lumen therebetween,
• wherein the extended portion of the inner liner is inverted to define radial outer and inner portions, the inner portion of the inverted extended portion of the inner liner of the outer catheter being attached to the first portion of the inner catheter, said inner portion and the second portion of the inner catheter being sized and oriented to receive a tubular medical device;
• and
• a handle disposed at the proximal end of the outer catheter, the handle configured to permit relative movement between the outer catheter and the inner catheter in order to invert or evert the extended portion of the inner liner.

A method of loading a tubular medical device within a stent deployment system, the method comprising the steps:

• providing a tubular medical device being expandable between an expanded configuration and a compressed configuration and a stent deployment system, the system comprising an outer catheter having a tubular wall defining a lumen about a longitudinal axis between a proximal end and a distal end, the tubular wall comprising an inner liner having a portion extending past the distal end of the outer catheter, an inner catheter disposed within the lumen of the outer catheter, the inner catheter having a proximal end and a distal end and defining a lumen, the extended portion of the inner liner being invertable to define radial outer and inner portions, the inner portion and the inner catheter being sized and oriented to define a stent retaining region to receive the tubular medical device, wherein relative movement between the outer and inner catheters permits inversion or eversion of the extended portion of the inner liner;
• loading the tubular medical device in the compressed configuration within a lumen of a tubular sleeve;
• abutting the stent retaining region of the stent deployment system against a first end of the tubular sleeve;
• tearing the tubular sleeve longitudinally from the first end to translate the tubular medical device toward the stent retaining region such that a portion of the tubular medical device is inserted in the stent retaining region;
• and
• inverting the inner liner by relative movement between the outer and inner catheters to receive the tubular medical device within the stent retaining region of the stent deployment system.