Apparatus and methods for placement and repositioning of intraluminal prostheses

A delivery catheter for positioning a resilient, tubular, radially compressible endoluminal prosthesis having at least one radial aperture, said catheter comprising:

• an elongate flexible shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;
• a retaining structure attached near the distal end of the shaft for releasably holding the axial position of the prosthesis on the shaft;
• and
• a sheath slidably received over the shaft to cover the prosthesis while said prosthesis is axially held on the shaft by the retaining structure;
• wherein the retaining structure comprises at least one locking stay extending radially from the shaft so as to extend through the aperture of the prosthesis and hold the prosthesis axially in place relative to the shaft as the sheath is axially translated relative to the shaft and a portion of the prosthesis expands resiliently.

A delivery catheter for positioning a resilient, tubular, radially compressible endoluminal prosthesis having a proximal end and a distal end, said catheter comprising:

• an elongate flexible shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;
• a retaining structure attached near the distal end of the shaft for releasably holding the axial position of the prosthesis on the shaft;
• and
• a sheath slidably received over the shaft to cover the prosthesis while said prosthesis is axially held on the shaft by the retaining structure;
• wherein the retaining structure is disposable between the prosthesis and the sheath so that the retaining structure extends axially over the prosthesis from its proximal end to its distal end while the sheath covers the retaining structure, the retaining structure comprising a cover which is detachably secured over the radially compressible prosthesis and means operable from the proximal end of the flexible shaft for detaching the cover from over the prosthesis to release said prosthesis.

A catheter system comprising:

• a resilient, radially compressible endoluminal prosthesis having a proximal end and a distal end;
• an elongate flexible shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;
• a retaining structure attached near the distal end of the shaft which releasably holds the axial position of the prosthesis on the shaft;
• and
• a sheath slidably received over the shaft to cover the prosthesis while said prosthesis is axially held on the shaft by the retaining structure;
• wherein the retaining structure extends distally over the prosthesis and within the sheath from a proximal end of the prosthesis beyond the distal end of the prosthesis while the sheath covers the retaining structure.

A delivery system comprising:

• a resilient, radially compressible endoluminal prosthesis;
• an elongate flexible shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;
• a sheath slidably received over the shaft and prosthesis to radially restrain the prosthesis;
• and
• a plurality of resilient, radially outwardly flarable axial elements attached near the distal end of the shaft and extending distally over the prosthesis and within the sheath, resilient expansion of the prosthesis against the axial elements releasably holds the axial position of the entire prosthesis relative the shaft when the sheath slides relative to the axial elements.