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US 6,676,692 B2Granted
Apparatus for delivering, repositioning and/or retrieving self-expanding stents
AssigneeInTek Technology L.L.C.
InventorsDmitry Rabkin, Eyal Morag, Ophir Perelson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus for delivering and deploying a stent formed of a shape memory alloy to a desired position in a tubular area of the body, and/or for repositioning and/or retrieving a stent formed of a two-way shape memory alloy. An arrangement is provided by which the temperature of the stent is locally adjusted during delivery, repositioning and/or retrieval in a safe and controlled manner by engagement with an expandable and collapsible thermal transfer member situated on a catheter assembly.
Claims25
Apparatus for deploying and/or retrieving and/or repositioning a stent having a shape memory, comprising:
- an elongate catheter assembly having a proximal end region and a distal end region;
- a thermal transfer device situated on said catheter assembly at said distal end region thereof defining a chamber having a thermal transfer wall, said thermal transfer device comprising an expandable member structured and arranged to expand and collapse between an expanded condition and a collapsed condition and a frame assembly coupled to said expandable member selectively actuatable from said proximal end region of said catheter assembly for expanding and collapsing said expandable member, said frame assembly including a plurality of flexible elongate frame members, each elongate frame member coupled to both said expandable member and said catheter assembly at said distal end region thereof;
- and
- means for providing an inflow of thermal transfer fluid into said chamber from said proximal end region of said catheter assembly for transferring thermal energy to said stent through said thermal transfer wall, to adjust the temperature of the stent.
1 more element
Apparatus for deploying, retrieving and/or repositioning a stent having a shape memory, comprising:
- an elongate catheter assembly having proximal and distal end regions;
- a thermal transfer device including a balloon member operatively connected to said catheter assembly defining a chamber having a thermal transfer wall, at least a part of which constitutes a thermal transfer material;
- a stent capturing device including at least one elongate member coupled to said catheter assembly at said distal end region thereof, said at least one elongate member having a free end portion situated proximate to said balloon member for releasably holding a stent situated on said balloon member during deployment, and for releasably grasping said stent during retrieval and/or repositioning;
- and
- circulation means for providing an inflow of thermal transfer fluid into the interior of said chamber for transferring thermal energy to a stent through said outer thermal transfer wall to adjust the temperature of the stent, and for providing an outflow of thermal transfer fluid from the interior of said chamber to said proximal end region of said catheter assembly.
2 more elements
Apparatus for deploying, retrieving and/or repositioning a stent having a shape memory, comprising:
- an elongate catheter assembly having proximal and distal end regions;
- a thermal transfer device comprising an expandable member situated on said catheter assembly defining a chamber having a thermal transfer wall, at least a portion of which constitutes a heat transfer material, said expandable member being expandable and collapsible between expanded and collapsed conditions;
- circulation means for providing an inflow of thermal transfer fluid from the proximal end region of said catheter assembly into the interior of said chamber and for providing an outflow of thermal transfer fluid from the interior of said chamber to the proximal end region of said catheter assembly;
- and
- a stent capturing device including at least one elongate member coupled to said catheter assembly at said distal end region thereof, said at least one elongate member having a free end portion situated proximate to said expandable member for releasably holding a stent situated on said expandable member during deployment, and/or for releasably grasping said stent during retrieval and/or repositioning.
2 more elements
Apparatus for deploying, repositioning and/or retrieving a stent, comprising:
- a catheter assembly having a proximal end region and a distal end region;
- a thermal transfer device comprising an expandable member comprising a chamber which in its expanded condition has a circular disk shape transverse cross-section, said expandable member having an outer wall formed at least in part of heat transfer material;
- means for selectively expanding and collapsing said expandable member, said means including at least one member affixed to said expandable member and said distal end region of said catheter assembly, said means being operable from said proximal end region of said catheter assembly;
- thermal fluid circulating means for circulating a thermal transfer fluid from the proximal end region of said catheter assembly into said chamber of said expandable member and back to said proximal end region of said catheter assembly;
- and
- stent-capturing means situated at said distal end region of said catheter assembly for releasably capturing said stent during deployment, retrieval and/or repositioning.
3 more elements
Apparatus for deploying, retrieving and/or repositioning a stent, comprising:
- an elongate catheter assembly having proximal and distal end regions;
- a thermal transfer device operatively connected to said catheter assembly, said thermal transfer device comprising a collapsible balloon comprising a chamber which in its expanded condition comprises an outer chamber portion having an outer wall formed at least in part of heat transfer material, and an inner chamber portion in fluid communication with said outer chamber portion;
- means for selectively expanding and collapsing said balloon, said means including at least one member affixed to said balloon and said distal end region of said catheter assembly, said means being operable from said proximal end region of said catheter assembly;
- thermal fluid circulating means for circulating a thermal fluid from the proximal end of said catheter assembly into said outer chamber portion of said balloon and back to said proximal end region of said catheter assembly from said inner chamber portion of said balloon;
- and
- stent-capturing means situated at said distal end region of said catheter assembly for releasably capturing said stent during deployment, retrieval and/or repositioning.
3 more elements
Apparatus for deploying and/or retrieving and/or repositioning a stent having a shape memory, comprising
- an elongate catheter assembly having a proximal end region and a distal end region;
- and
- a thermal transfer device operatively associated with said catheter assembly, said thermal transfer device comprising an expandable member for effecting local heat transfer with a stent being deployed, retrieved and/or repositioned by said apparatus to control the temperature of the stent;
- and
- means operable from said proximal end region of said catheter assembly including at least one member affixed to said expandable member and said catheter assembly for selectively expanding and collapsing said expandable member.
2 more elements
Apparatus as recited in clam 22 wherein said thermal transfer device includes a thermal transfer surface, and means for positioning said thermal transfer surface in local thermal transfer relationship with a stent during its deployment, retrieval and/or repositioning.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.