Self-aligning stent graft delivery system, kit, and method

A delivery system for endovascularly aligning and delivering a prosthesis along a guidewire to an implantation site having a curved shape, the delivery system comprising:

• a proximal control handle having,
• a handle body including a proximal handle end and distal handle end, the handle body including a major longitudinal axis,
• a prosthesis movement control assembly movably disposed along the major longitudinal axis of the handle body, the prosthesis movement control assembly including a proximal handle that is restrained from rotation about the handle body, and
• a distal handle at the distal handle end that is rotationally coupled to the handle body, the distal handle being restrained from axial movement along the handle body;
• a hollow catheter having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end connected to the distal handle, whereby the hollow catheter rotates about the major longitudinal axis of the handle body by rotation of the distal handle about the major longitudinal axis of the handle body, and whereby the prosthesis movement control assembly is rotatable within the hollow catheter by rotation of the proximal handle relative to the distal handle, said catheter defining an interior cavity therein;
• a hollow prosthesis delivery assembly movably disposed in said interior cavity and linked to the prosthesis movement control assembly,
• said delivery assembly having at least one hollow guidewire lumen for slidably receiving therein the guidewire;
• said guidewire lumen having a pre-curved distal end with a curved shape for orienting said prosthesis delivery assembly when passing through a curved portion of a vessel, whereby advancement of the prosthesis movement control assembly along the handle body relative to the distal handle will cause rotational alignment of the hollow prosthesis delivery assembly within the vessel to align the curved distal end of the guidewire lumen with the curved portion of the vessel
• said pre-curved distal end having:
• when disposed entirely in said catheter, a shape substantially corresponding to a shape of a surrounding portion of said catheter;
• when disposed partly in said catheter and partly out of said catheter, a shape substantially corresponding to:
• a first shape of a surrounding portion of said catheter for a first portion of said pre-curved distal end disposed in said catheter;
• and
• a second curved shape for a second portion of said pre-curved distal end disposed outside said catheter;
• and
• when said pre-curved distal end is disposed entirely out of said catheter, one of:
• said curved shape;
• and
• a shape substantially corresponding to the curved shape of the implantation site.

An endovascular prosthesis delivery kit for endovascularly aligning and delivering a prosthesis along a guidewire to an implantation site, the delivery kit comprising:

• a proximal control handle having,
• a handle body including a proximal handle end and distal handle end, the handle body including a major longitudinal axis,
• a prosthesis movement control assembly movably disposed along the major longitudinal axis of the handle body, the prosthesis movement control assembly including a proximal handle that is restrained from rotation about the handle body, and
• a distal handle at the distal end of the handle body, that is rotationally coupled to the handle body, the distal handle being restrained from axial movement along the handle body;
• a hollow catheter having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end connected to the distal handle, whereby the hollow catheter rotates about the major longitudinal axis of the handle body by rotation of the distal handle about the major longitudinal axis of the handle body, and whereby the prosthesis movement control assembly is rotatable within the hollow catheter by rotation of the proximal handle relative to the distal handle, said catheter defining an interior cavity therein;
• and
• a hollow prosthesis delivery assembly movably disposed in said interior cavity and linked to the prosthesis movement control assembly, said prosthesis delivery assembly having at least one hollow guidewire lumen for slidably receiving therein the guidewire, said guidewire lumen having a distal end for orienting said prosthesis delivery assembly when passing through a portion of a vessel, whereby advancement or rotation of the prosthesis movement control assembly and the handle body relative to the distal handle can cause rotational alignment of the hollow prosthesis delivery assembly within the vessel to align the distal end of the guidewire lumen with the portion of the vessel.

A delivery system for endovascularly aligning and delivering a prosthesis along a guidewire to an implantation site having a curved shape, the delivery system comprising:

• a proximal control handle having,
• a handle body including a proximal handle end and a distal handle end, the handle body including a major longitudinal axis,
• a prosthesis movement control assembly movably disposed along the major longitudinal axis of the handle body, the prosthesis movement control assembly including a proximal handle that is restrained from rotation about the handle body, and
• a distal handle at the distal handle end that is rotationally coupled to the handle body, the distal handle being restrained from axial movement along the handle body;
• a hollow catheter having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end connected to the distal handle, whereby the hollow catheter rotates about the major longitudinal axis of the handle body by rotation of the distal handle about the major longitudinal axis of the handle body and whereby the prosthesis movement control assembly is rotatable within the hollow catheter by rotation of the proximal handle relative to the distal handle, said catheter defining an interior cavity therein;
• and
• a hollow prosthesis delivery assembly movably disposed in the interior cavity and linked to the prosthesis movement control assembly, the prosthesis delivery assembly having at least one hollow guidewire lumen for slidably receiving therein the guidewire, the guidewire lumen having a curved distal end for orienting said prosthesis delivery assembly when passing through a curved portion of a vessel, whereby advancement of the prosthesis movement control assembly along the handle body relative to the distal handle will cause rotational alignment of the hollow prosthesis delivery assembly within the vessel to align the curved distal end of the guidewire lumen with the curved portion of the vessel.