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US 9,308,106 B2Granted
Stent crimping methods
AssigneeAbbott Cardiovascular Systems Inc.
InventorsBoyd V. Knott, Samit Kadakia, Leopoldo Ortega
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process for crimping stents includes a multi-stage process producing a desired stent retention and crimped profile in a reduced amount of time. The process achieves results by utilizing particular combinations of heat and pressure during the crimping process, which was found to produce the desired results.
Claims13
A method for crimping a stent, comprising:
- (a) loading the stent on a mandrel;
- (b) placing the stent in a crimper;
- (c) reducing the stent profile to a first diameter;
- (d) loading the stent onto a balloon of a catheter delivery system after step (c);
- (e) placing the stent and the balloon back into the crimper;
- (f) pressurizing the balloon and heating a distal end of the catheter delivery system within the crimper to cause pillowing of the balloon between struts of the stent;
- and
- (g) after step (f), moving the crimper between a second and third diameter to reduce the stent diameter to a final diameter, to reduce stent recoil and/or increase a mechanical interaction between the balloon and the stent;
- wherein after step (g), further including performing a leak test, wherein
- the stent has the final diameter during the leak test, and
- the final diameter is less than the second diameter and greater than the third diameter.
8 more elements
A method for crimping a stent, comprising:
- (a) loading the stent on a mandrel;
- (b) placing the stent in a crimper;
- (c) reducing the stent profile to a first outer diameter;
- (d) loading the stent onto a balloon of a catheter delivery system after step (c);
- (e) placing the stent and the balloon back into the crimper;
- (f) pressurizing the balloon and heating a distal end of the catheter delivery system within the crimper to cause pillowing of the balloon between struts of the stent;
- and
- (g) after step (f), moving the crimper between a second and third outer diameter to reduce the stent diameter to a final outer diameter, to reduce stent recoil and/or increase a mechanical interaction between the balloon and the stent;
- wherein prior to step (f), further including placing the stent within a sheath having an inner diameter that is about 25% greater than the first diameter.
6 more elements
A method for crimping a stent, comprising:
- (a) loading the stent on a mandrel;
- (b) placing the stent in a crimper;
- (c) reducing the stent profile to a first outer diameter;
- (d) loading the stent onto a balloon of a catheter delivery system after step (c);
- (e) placing the stent and the balloon back into the crimper;
- (f) placing the stent within a sheath having an inner diameter between 15% to 30% greater than the first diameter;
- (g) after step (f), pressurizing the balloon and heating a distal end of the catheter delivery system within the crimper to cause pillowing of the balloon between struts of the stent;
- and
- (h) after step (g), moving the crimper between a second and third diameter to reduce the stent diameter to a final outer diameter, to reduce stent recoil and/or increase a mechanical interaction between the balloon and the stent.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.