Catheter with controlled release endoluminal prosthesis

A catheter including a catheter shaft with a distal portion, an inflatable balloon at the distal portion, the balloon surrounded by an expandable endoluminal prosthesis, the improvement comprising:

• the prosthesis having first and second prosthesis portions;
• the catheter shaft comprising first and second prosthesis portion holders;
• the prosthesis capable of assuming a second, expanded-diameter state from a first, reduced-diameter state;
• a sheath slidably mounted around the catheter shaft;
• the first and second prosthesis portions being releasably secured to the catheter shaft by the first and second prosthesis portion holders, said first portion being releasable from the catheter shaft by inflating the balloon while the second prosthesis portion remains unreleased;
• and
• said sheath being movable between a first position surrounding said prosthesis and a second position spaced-apart from said prosthesis;
• whereby said prosthesis is prevented from assuming its second, expanded-diameter state by (1) the engagement of the first and second prosthesis portions with the first and second prosthesis portion holders, and (2) the sheath being in its first position.

A catheter comprising:

• a catheter shaft having a distal portion;
• an inflatable balloon mounted to the distal portion and inflatable from a deflated condition to an inflated condition;
• an endoluminal prosthesis, capable of assuming a second, expanded-diameter state from a first, reduced-diameter state, surrounding the balloon in the first, reduced-diameter state;
• the distal portion of the catheter shaft having a first prosthesis portion holder and a second prosthesis portion holder;
• and
• the prosthesis having a first portion releasably engagable with the first prosthesis portion holder and a second prosthesis portion releasably engagable with the second prosthesis portion holder, said first portion being releasable from the catheter shaft by placing the balloon in the inflated condition while the second prosthesis portion remains unreleased.

A method for placing an endoluminal prosthesis within a body comprising:

• introducing a distal portion of a catheter at a chosen position within a body, the distal catheter portion comprising an inflatable balloon surrounded by a prosthesis, first and second prosthesis portions of the prosthesis releasably secured to the catheter shaft at first and second positions along the catheter shaft;
• inflating the balloon thereby releasing the first prosthesis portion from the catheter shaft while the second prosthesis portion remains secured to the catheter shaft;
• releasing the second prosthesis portion from the catheter shaft by other than inflating the balloon;
• deflating the balloon;
• and
• removing the catheter shaft and the deflated balloon therewith from the body leaving the expanded prosthesis within the body.

A catheter comprising:

• a catheter shaft having a distal portion;
• an inflatable balloon mounted to the distal portion and inflatable from a deflated condition to an inflated condition;
• an endoluminal prosthesis, capable of assuming a second, expanded-diameter state from a first, reduced-diameter state, surrounding the balloon in the first, reduced-diameter state;
• the distal portion of the catheter shaft having a first prosthesis portion holder;
• the prosthesis having a first portion releasably engagable with the first prosthesis portion holder, said first portion being releasable from the catheter shaft when the balloon is placed in the inflated condition;
• a second prosthesis portion holder, the prosthesis comprising a second portion releasably engaging the catheter shaft through the second prosthesis portion holder;
• a user-controlled release mechanism, operably coupled to the second prosthesis portion holder, by which a user can selectively disengage the second prosthesis portion from the catheter shaft by other than inflating the balloon;
• and
• a sheath slidably mounted around the catheter shaft, said sheath movable between a first position surrounding said prosthesis and a second position spaced-apart from said prosthesis, whereby said prosthesis is prevented from assuming its second, expanded-diameter state by (1) the engagement of the first and second prosthesis portions with the catheter shaft through the first and second prosthesis portion holders, and (2) the sheath being in its first position.

A catheter comprising:

• a catheter shaft having a distal portion;
• an inflatable balloon mounted to the distal portion and inflatable from a deflated condition to an inflated condition;
• a coil-type stent having first and second ends, capable of assuming a second, expanded-diameter state from a first, reduced-diameter state, surrounding the balloon in the first, reduced-diameter state;
• the distal portion of the catheter shaft having a hollow interior sized for receipt of the first end of the stent;
• the first end of the stent releasably engagable with the hollow interior, said first end being releasable from the catheter shaft when the balloon is placed in the inflated condition;
• the distal portion of the catheter shaft having a second stent portion holder configured for receipt of the second end of the stent;
• and
• an elongate element, extending along the catheter shaft, having a distal portion operably engagable with the second end of the stent to permit a user to mechanically disengage said second end from the second stent portion holder.

A method for placing an endoluminal prosthesis within a body comprising:

• introducing a distal portion of a catheter along a straight section of a blood vessel within a body, the distal catheter portion comprising an inflatable balloon surrounded by a prosthesis, first and second prosthesis portions of the prosthesis releasably secured to the catheter shaft at first and second positions along the catheter shaft;
• inflating the balloon thereby releasing the first prosthesis portion from the catheter shaft;
• releasing the second prosthesis portion from the catheter shaft by other than inflating the balloon;
• deflating the balloon;
• and
• removing the catheter shaft and the deflated balloon therewith from the body leaving the expanded prosthesis within the body.

A method for placing an endoluminal prosthesis within a body comprising:

• introducing a distal portion of a catheter at a chosen position within a body, the distal catheter portion comprising an inflatable balloon surrounded by a prosthesis, first and second prosthesis portions of the prosthesis releasably secured to the catheter shaft at first and second positions along the catheter shaft;
• partially inflating the balloon causing the first prosthesis portion to release from the catheter shaft;
• then at least partially deflating the balloon;
• then at least partially inflating the balloon;
• releasing the second prosthesis portion from the catheter shaft by other than inflating the balloon;
• deflating the balloon;
• and
• removing the catheter shaft and the deflated balloon therewith from the body leaving the expanded prosthesis within the body.

A method for placing an endoluminal prosthesis within a body comprising:

• introducing a distal portion of a catheter at a chosen position within a body, the distal catheter portion comprising an inflatable balloon surrounded by a prosthesis, first and second prosthesis portions of the prosthesis releasably secured to the catheter shaft at first and second positions along the catheter shaft;
• inflating the balloon which causes the first prosthesis portion to pull out of a first receptacle at the first position, thereby releasing the first stent portion from the catheter shaft;
• releasing the second prosthesis portion from the catheter shaft by other than inflating the balloon;
• deflating the balloon;
• and
• removing the catheter shaft and the deflated balloon therewith from the body leaving the expanded prosthesis within the body.

A method for placing an endoluminal prosthesis within a body comprising:

• introducing a distal portion of a catheter at a chosen position within a body, the distal catheter portion comprising an inflatable balloon surrounded by a prosthesis, first and second prosthesis portions of the prosthesis releasably secured to the catheter shaft at first and second positions along the catheter shaft;
• inflating the balloon thereby releasing the first prosthesis portion from the catheter shaft;
• longitudinally moving a release wire along the catheter shaft causing a distal end of the release wire to push the second prosthesis portion from a second receptacle at the second position along the catheter shaft, thereby releasing the second prosthesis portion from the catheter shaft;
• deflating the balloon;
• and
• removing the catheter shaft and the deflated balloon therewith from the body leaving the expanded prosthesis within the body.

A method for placing an endoluminal prosthesis within a body comprising:

• introducing a distal portion of a catheter at a chosen position within a body, the distal catheter portion comprising an inflatable balloon surrounded by a prosthesis, first and second prosthesis portions of the prosthesis releasably secured to the catheter shaft at first and second positions along the catheter shaft;
• pulling a sheath, initially surrounding the balloon and prosthesis, from the balloon and prosthesis after the introducing step;
• inflating the balloon thereby releasing the first prosthesis portion from the catheter shaft;
• releasing the second prosthesis portion from the catheter shaft by other than inflating the balloon;
• deflating the balloon;
• and
• removing the catheter shaft and the deflated balloon therewith from the body leaving the expanded prosthesis within the body.