Stent delivery system

A delivery apparatus for implanting a medical device within a corporeal vessel or organ comprising:

• a tubular member having an elongated body with an outer surface, proximal and distal ends, and at least one lumen extending therethrough,
• an inflatable member attached to the outer surface of said tubular member body and having two end sections and a midsection therebetween, said inflatable member being in fluid communication with said at least one lumen for inflation thereof;
• an implantable, radially-expandable medical device having two end sections and a midsection therebetween mounted in an unexpanded state over the midsection of said inflatable member;
• and
• inflation means connected to said lumen for inflating said inflatable member from its uninflated state wherein said medical device is unexpanded to its inflated state wherein said medical device is expanded,
• wherein said ends of said inflatable member in its uninflated state are folded over said end sections of said medical device in its unexpanded state such that said medical device ends sections lie between said inflatable member ends sections and said inflatable member midsection and are covered by said inflatable member end sections.

A method for implanting a stent within a body vessel or organ, comprising the steps of:

• forming a catheter having an elongated body with an outer surface, proximal and distal ends, and at least one lumen extending therethrough,
• attaching a balloon having two end sections and a midsection therebetween along the outside surface of said catheter body such that a first end of said balloon is attached proximally along said catheter body and a second end of said balloon is attached distally along said catheter body, whereby said balloon is in fluid communication with said at least one lumen for inflation of said balloon;
• connecting inflation means to said lumen for inflating said balloon from its uninflated state to its inflated state;
• mounting a radially-expandable stent having two end sections and a midsection therebetween in an unexpanded state over the midsection of said balloon between said balloon end sections;
• folding said ends of said balloon in its uninflated state over said end sections of said stent in its unexpanded state such that said stent end sections lie between said balloon end sections and said balloon midsection and are covered by said balloon end sections;
• inserting said balloon-bearing catheter distally into a patient's body vessel or organ so that said stent is positioned at a desired location, whereby said ends of said stent do not contact said body vessel or organ during movement of said catheter through said body vessel or organ;
• causing said balloon to be inflated and said stent to be expanded;
• causing said balloon to be deflated, said stent remaining in said expanded position at said desired location;
• and
• withdrawing said balloon-bearing catheter from said patient.

A balloon expandable stent delivery apparatus for implanting a stent within a corporeal vessel or organ, said apparatus comprising:

• a catheter having an elongated tubular member with an outer surface, proximal and distal ends, and at least one lumen extending therethrough,
• an inflatable balloon attached to the outer surface of said catheter and having two end sections and a midsection therebetween, said end sections and said midsection being inflatable, said balloon being in fluid communication with said at least one lumen in said catheter for inflation of said balloon;
• a radially expandable stent having two end sections and a midsection therebetween mounted in an unexpanded state over the midsection of said balloon between said balloon end sections;
• and
• inflation means connected to said inflation lumen for inflating said balloon from its uninflated state wherein said stent is unexpanded to its inflated state wherein said stent is expanded,
• wherein said ends of said balloon in its uninflated state are folded over said end sections of said stent in its unexpanded state such that said stent end sections lie between said balloon ends sections and said balloon midsection and are covered by said balloon end sections and whereby, upon inflation of said balloon, said ends sections of said balloon inflate such that said balloon is not between said stent in its expanded state and the corporeal vessel.