Stent-graft delivery system having an inner shaft component with a loading pad or covering on a distal segment thereof for stent retention

Abstract

A catheter for delivering a self-expanding stent-graft prosthesis includes an inner shaft component having a distal segment over which the stent-graft prosthesis is loaded in a compressed delivery configuration. The distal segment has a covering that is intimately disposed thereover. The covering forms a raised outer surface on the distal segment and includes a plurality of protrusions that extend radially outward from the raised outer surface. An outer shaft component is slidingly disposed over the distal segment of the inner shaft component for holding the stent-graft prosthesis in the compressed delivery configuration. In the compressed delivery configuration, the stent-graft prosthesis is disposed over and makes contact with the covering of the distal segment of the inner shaft component such that at least the plurality of protrusions provide sufficient friction to of the covering secure a longitudinal position of the stent-graft prosthesis relative to the inner shaft component.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.