Medical device delivery catheter

Apparatus for delivering a medical device to a location in a patient's body, the apparatus comprising:

• an elongate catheter body having a proximal end and a distal end;
• a pod coupled with the distal end of the catheter body and adapted to house the medical device during delivery to the location and to open to release the medical device;
• and
• at least one distal actuator coupled with at least one of the pod and the medical device, the distal actuator adapted to promote opening of the pod,
• wherein the pod comprises a material disposed over the medical device, the material adapted to tear or peel to open the pod, and
• wherein the material includes a plurality of apertures disposed along opposite ends, the apparatus further comprising a cord for passing through the apertures to maintain the material over the medical device, wherein removing the cord causes the pod to open.

Apparatus for delivering a medical device to a location in a patient's body, the apparatus comprising:

• an elongate catheter body having a proximal end and a distal end;
• a pod coupled with the distal end of the catheter body and adapted to house the medical device during delivery to the location and to open to release the medical device;
• and
• at least one distal actuator coupled with at least one of the pod and the medical device, the distal actuator adapted to promote opening of the pod,
• wherein the pod comprises a material disposed over the medical device, the material adapted to tear or peel to open the pod, and
• wherein the distal actuator comprises a pressure input member for introducing positive pressure into the pod to cause the material to burst.

Apparatus for delivering a medical device to a location in a patient's body, the apparatus comprising:

• an elongate catheter body having a proximal end and a distal end;
• a pod coupled with the distal end of the catheter body and adapted to house the medical device during delivery to the location and to open to release the medical device;
• and at least one distal actuator coupled with at least one of the pod and the medical device, the distal actuator adapted to promote opening of the pod,
• wherein the pod comprises a material disposed over the medical device, the material adapted to tear or peel to open the pod, and
• wherein the distal actuator comprises an inflation device coupled with the medical device for inflating the medical device to cause the device to expand and rupture the material.

Apparatus for delivering a medical device to a location in a patient's body, the apparatus comprising:

• an elongate catheter body having a proximal end and a distal end;
• a pod coupled with the distal end of the catheter body and adapted to house the medical device during delivery to the location and to open to release the medical device;
• and
• at least one distal actuator coupled with at least one of the pod and the medical device, the distal actuator adapted to promote opening of the pod,
• further comprising a retractable inner shaft extending axially through the housing, wherein the medical device includes at least one lumen to allow the medical device to reside over the inner shaft during delivery, and wherein retracting the inner shaft releases at least part of the medical device,
• wherein the retractable shaft extends beyond a distal end of the pod,
• wherein retracting the shaft releases a distal portion of the medical device, and
• wherein opening the pod releases a proximal portion of the medical device.

Apparatus for delivering a medical device to a location in a patient's body, the apparatus comprising:

• an elongate catheter body having a proximal end and a distal end;
• a pod coupled with the distal end of the catheter body and adapted to house the medical device during delivery to the location and to open to release the medical device;
• and
• at least one distal actuator coupled with at least one of the pod and the medical device, the distal actuator adapted to promote opening of the pod,
• wherein the pod comprises:
• at least two opposed housing members for releasably housing the medical device;
• and
• at least one hinge for movably coupling the housing members, wherein the housing members are adapted to move about the hinge(s) to cause the pod to open.

Apparatus for delivering a medical device to a location in a patient's body, the apparatus comprising:

• an elongate catheter body having a proximal end and a distal end;
• a pod coupled with the distal end of the catheter body and adapted to house the medical device during delivery to the location and to open to release the medical device;
• and
• at least one distal actuator coupled with at least one of the pod and the medical device, the distal actuator adapted to promote opening of the pod,
• wherein the pod includes an open distal end, and
• wherein a distal end of the medical device extends out of the open distal end of the pod to form a flexible tip.

Apparatus for delivering a medical device to a location in a patient's body, the apparatus comprising:

• an elongate catheter body having a proximal end and a distal end;
• a pod coupled with the distal end of the catheter body and adapted to house the medical device during delivery to the location and to open to release the medical device;
• and
• at least one distal actuator coupled with at least one of the pod and the medical device, the distal actuator adapted to promote opening of the pod,
• wherein the pod comprises a distal tip, and
• wherein the tip comprises a rigid, pointed tip adapted to pierce through tissue.

Apparatus for delivering a medical device to a location in a patient's body, the apparatus comprising:

• an elongate catheter body having a proximal end and a distal end;
• a pod coupled with the distal end of the catheter body and adapted to house the medical device during delivery to the location and to open to release the medical device;
• and
• at least one distal actuator coupled with at least one of the pod and the medical device, the distal actuator adapted to promote opening of the pod,
• wherein the pod comprises a distal tip, and
• wherein the tip comprises a flexible nose having at least one aperture or lumen for accepting a guidewire.

Apparatus for delivering a medical device to a location in a patient's body, the apparatus comprising:

• an elongate catheter body having a proximal end and a distal end;
• a pod coupled with the distal end of the catheter body and adapted to house the medical device during delivery to the location and to open to release the medical device;
• and
• at least one distal actuator coupled with at least one of the pod and the medical device, the distal actuator adapted to promote opening of the pod,
• further comprising at least one support member disposed along at least part of a length of the pod for reducing bending of the pod,
• wherein the at least one support member comprises multiple support members disposed along an inner surface of the pod.

Apparatus for delivering a medical device to a location in a patient's body, the apparatus comprising:

• an elongate catheter body having a proximal end and a distal end;
• and
• a pod coupled with the distal end of the catheter body and adapted to house the medical device during delivery to the location and to open to release the medical device,
• wherein the pod is adapted to automatically open after being positioned in the location,
• wherein the pod comprises a material disposed over the medical device, and
• wherein at least part of the material is biodegradable.