Methods and assemblies for deploying biliary stents

A stent-deployment assembly for use with a guidewire, comprising:

• a. an elongated stent-conveyance tube comprising a guidewire-retaining segment (i) having a lengthways laterally-breachable portion and (ii) configured for having the guidewire traverse therethrough;
• and
• b. a single biliary stent arranged to surround a stent-conveyance tube segment that is proximally displaced from the guidewire-retaining segment, for advancement of the single stent together with the stent-conveyance tube along the guidewire into a body lumen of a human subject,
• wherein when the stent is disposed at a target deployment location within the lumen, a proximal-direction withdrawal of the stent-conveyance tube is effective to cause the guidewire to breach the laterally-breachable portion of the guidewire-retaining segment so as to decouple the guidewire from the tube without manipulation of the guidewire.

A method for deploying a biliary stent in a lumen of a human body, using a guidewire arranged such that a distal end-section thereof is disposed within the body lumen and a proximal end-section thereof is outside the body, the method comprising:

• a. providing a stent-deployment assembly comprising:
• i. a biliary stent;
• and
• ii. an elongated stent-conveyance tube comprising a guidewire-retaining segment that includes (i) respective distal and proximal apertures defining a guidewire-path therethrough, and (ii) a lengthways laterally-breachable portion;
• b. distally advancing the stent-deployment assembly along the guidewire into a body lumen of a human subject in a stent-advancement configuration in which (i) the guidewire passes through the respective apertures so as to interiorly traverse the guidewire-retaining segment, and (ii) the stent is arranged to surround a stent-conveyance tube segment that is proximally displaced from the guidewire-retaining segment;
• and
• c. when the stent is disposed, in the stent-advancement configuration, at a target deployment location within the lumen, withdrawing the stent-conveyance tube a proximal-direction so as to cause the guidewire to breach the laterally-breachable portion of the guidewire-retaining segment and decouple the guidewire from the tube without longitudinal displacement of the guidewire.

A stent-deployment assembly for use with a guidewire, comprising:

• a. an elongated stent-conveyance tube comprising a guidewire-retaining segment configured for having the guidewire traverse therethrough;
• b. a biliary stent arranged to surround a first stent-conveyance-tube segment that is proximally displaced from the guidewire-retaining segment, for advancement of the stent together with the stent-conveyance tube along the guidewire into a body lumen of a human subject;
• c. a pushing tube arranged to surround the stent-conveyance tube, proximal to the stent;
• and
• d. a proximally-withdrawable locking mechanism arranged to engage the stent with the pushing tube, wherein:
• i. the locking mechanism is effective to maintain a position of the stent relative to the stent-conveyance tube when the stent-deployment assembly is advanced along the guidewire, and
• ii. a proximal withdrawal of the stent-conveyance tube is effective to disengage the proximally withdrawable locking mechanism.