Integrated catheter system for balloon angioplasty and stent delivery

An integrated catheter system for balloon angioplasty and stent delivery comprising:

• a flexible guide wire;
• a balloon angioplasty catheter having a distal section which has an inflatable balloon that has a proximal end and distal end, the distal section also having a passageway through which the guide wire can be slideably moved;
• a radially expandable stent;
• a stent catheter having a proximal section and a distal section and being generally in the form of an elongated cylinder having a passageway through which the balloon angioplasty catheter can be slideably moved, the stent catheter's distal section including a stent containment cavity into which the stent is placed;
• and
• first and second positioning means secured respectively to said stent catheter and said balloon angioplasty catheter for terminating displacement of said stent catheter when said first and second positioning means are brought into abutting relation for longitudinally centering said stent over said inflatable balloon.

A method for performing balloon angioplasty and placing a stent within a stenosis in an artery of a human being, the method comprising the following steps:

• a) placing a guide wire through a passageway in a balloon angioplasty catheter which balloon angioplasty catheter is placed coaxially through a central passageway of a stent catheter, the balloon angioplasty catheter having a distal section that includes an inflatable balloon and a radiopaque marker located just proximal to the proximal end of the balloon angioplasty catheter, the stent catheter having a distal section wherein is located a radially expandable stent and a radiopaque marker;
• b) advancing the guide wire, balloon angioplasty catheter and stent catheter through a vessel of the human body until the distal end of the balloon angioplasty catheter and stent catheter lies proximal to the stenosis;
• c) advancing the guide wire through the stenosis;
• d) advancing the balloon angioplasty catheter over the guide wire until an inflatable balloon is placed within the stenosis;
• e) inflating the inflatable balloon to a first pressure to perform pre-dilatation of the stenosis;
• f) deflating the inflatable balloon;
• g) advancing the stent catheter over the balloon angioplasty catheter until the stent is properly positioned over the inflatable balloon of the balloon angioplasty catheter;
• h) moving the stent catheter back in a proximal direction until the stent is completely uncovered;
• i) expanding the inflatable balloon to a second pressure thereby imbedding the stent into the wall of the dilated stenosis;
• j) deflating the inflatable balloon;
• and
• k) removing the inflatable balloon angioplasty catheter, stent catheter and guide wire from the vessel of the human body.