Stent delivery system

A catheter for deploying an implantable medical device within a patient, which catheter comprises:

• a tubular catheter body having a proximal and distal ends, said catheter carrying a inflatable balloon adjacent the distal end of said catheter, said catheter also carrying an outer, semi-flexible sheath surrounding said catheter balloon in a first position, said sheath being retractable from a position adjacent said proximal end to permit said sheath to be slidingly retracted to expose said balloon the exterior, said catheter comprising a flow system for providing x-ray contrast fluid in a tubular path between said catheter said outer, semi-flexible sheath, said catheter also defining a guidewire lumen, whereby x-ray visualization can take place while a guidewire occupies said guidewire lumen.

A catheter for deploying an implantable medical device within a patient, which catheter comprises:

• a tubular catheter body having proximal and distal ends, said catheter carrying an inflatable balloon adjacent said distal end of said catheter, said catheter also carrying an outer, semi-flexible sheath surrounding said catheter balloon in a first position, said sheath being slidingly retractable from a position adjacent said proximal end to expose said balloon to the exterior, said catheter body and sheath each defining proximal ends which are connected each to a separate hub, one of said hubs and said sheath being slidingly movable along said catheter body between said first position and a retracted position where the sheath is longitudinally spaced from the catheter balloon, and in which said catheter body defines a proximal portion of non-circular cross section, said hub connected to said sheath being slidable along said proximal portion between said first and retracted positions in a manner preventing rotation about the longitudinal axis of said catheter.