Prosthesis delivery systems and methods

#This application claims the benefit of United States Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/488,753, filed Jul. 21, 2003, and entitled “Endoprosthesis Deliveiy Systems and Methods.”

#The invention relates generally to the delivery of a prosthesis to a targeted site within the body, e.g., for the repair of diseased and/or damaged sections of a hollow body organ and/or blood vessel.

#The weakening of a vessel wall from damage or disease can lead to vessel dilatation and the formation of an aneurysm. Left untreated, an aneurysm can grow in size and may eventually rupture.

#The invention will be understood from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

#FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a prosthesis delivery catheter embodies features of the invention.

#FIG. 1B is an enlarged perspective view, with portions broken away and in section, of the distal end of the prosthesis delivery catheter shown in FIG. 1A.

#I. Prosthesis Delivery Catheter

#FIGS. 1A and 1B show a prosthesis delivery catheter 10. The purpose of the catheter 10 is to (i) contain and/or restrain a prosthesis 14 prior to its deployment (see FIG. 1B), (ii) deliver the prosthesis 14 through the vasculature to a desired location within the body, e.g., a hollow body organ or a blood vessel (see FIG. 2), and (iii) controllably deploy the prosthesis 14 in the desired location (see FIG. 3).

#In the illustrated arrangement (see FIG. 3), the prosthesis 14 takes the form of an endovascular, self-expanding stent prosthesis. In this respect, the prosthesis or prostheses 14 may have a wide variety of conventional configurations. It can typically comprise a fabric or some other blood semi-impermeable flexible barrier which is supported by a structure formed by stents 48. The stent structure can have any conventional stent configuration, such as zigzag, serpentine, expanding diamond, or combinations thereof. The stent structure may extend the entire length of the prosthesis, and in some instances can be longer than the fabric components of the prosthesis. Alternatively, the stent structure can cover only a small portion of the prosthesis, e.g., being present at the ends. The stent structure may have three or more ends when it is configured to treat bifurcated vascular regions, such as the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms, when the stent prosthesis extends into the iliac arteries. In certain instances, the stent structures can be spaced apart along the entire length, or at least a major portion of the entire length, of the stent-prosthesis, where individual stent structures are not connected to each other directly, but rather connected to the fabric or other flexible component of the prosthesis. Still, it is contemplated that the stent structures could be attached to one another at discrete locations, e.g., in the proximal neck region. Such stent structures could comprise individual stents that are connected together when incorporated into the prosthesis, or stents that are manufactured in a joined condition prior to incorporation into the prosthesis.