Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
254 words
An integrated catheter (10) for performing a dilatation procedure within a vessel of a human body and for placement of a stent (60) within that region of the vessel that underwent dilatation, the catheter comprising: a balloon angioplasty catheter in the form of an elongated tubular member having a proximal end and a distal end and having an inflatable balloon (50) and a stent containment cavity (70) both located near the tubular member's distal end; a self-expanding stent initially located within the stent containment cavity, the stent being adapted to expand radially outward at the normal temperature of the human body, the stent containment cavity having a proximal end and a distal end and the balloon having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end and proximal end of the stent containment cavity each being defined by a surface that extends generally radially outward from the surface of the elongated tubular member; and a slideable outer sheath (20) adapted to retain the self-expanding stent in its unexpanded state when the outer sheath is advanced to a forward, distal position thus forming a cover over the stent containment cavity, the outer sheath extending distally at least to the radially outward extending surface that defines the stent containment cavity's distal end, and the outer sheath having a proximal pullback means lying outside the human body for pulling the sheath back to a proximal position so as to uncover the stent containment cavity thus allowing the stent to expand radially outward against the vessel wall.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
22 words
The catheter of claim 1 wherein the stent containment cavity is situated just proximal to the proximal end of the inflatable balloon.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
The catheter of claim 1 wherein the stent containment cavity is situated near the tubular member's distal end and the inflatable balloon is situated just proximal to the proximal end of the stent containment cavity.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
The catheter of claim 1 wherein a radiopaque marker band (81) having a proximal surface is located at the stent containment cavity's distal end, the surface defining the distal end of the stent containment cavity being the proximal surface of the radiopaque marker band.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
The catheter of claim 1 wherein the integrated catheter has a central lumen (43) throughout its entire length through which a flexible guide wire (90) can be slideably advanced, that is, the balloon angioplasty catheter is of the "over-the-wire" design.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
The catheter of claim 1 wherein the integrated catheter is of a "rapid exchange" design that allows the guide wire to exit from the elongated tubular member within the distal half-length of the elongated tubular member.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The catheter of claim 1 wherein the balloon angioplasty catheter is a "fixed wire" design.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The catheter of claim 1 wherein the self-expanding stent is made from a shape memory alloy.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
12 words
The catheter of claim 7 wherein the shape memory alloy is Nitinol.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
The catheter of claim 1 wherein the proximal pullback means is a Tuohy-Borst fitting (24).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The catheter of claim 1 wherein the integrated catheter has three separate lumens (22, 35, 43), each lumen being accessible for flushing from the catheter's proximal end.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The catheter of claim 10 wherein two of the lumens are annular passageways (22, 35) and the central lumen (43) is generally of a cylindrical geometry.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
42 words
The catheter of claim 1 wherein one radiopaque marker band (82) is used to indicate the proximal end of the stent containment cavity, and a second radiopaque marker band (81) is used to indicate the distal end of the stent containment cavity.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
265 words
An integrated catheter for performing a dilatation procedure within a vessel of a human body and for placement of a stent within that region of the vessel that underwent dilatation, the catheter comprising: a balloon angioplasty catheter in the form of an elongated tubular member having a proximal end and a distal end and having an inflatable balloon and a stent containment cavity both located near the tubular member's distal end; a self-expanding stent initially located within the stent containment cavity, the stent containment cavity having a proximal end and a distal end and the balloon having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end and proximal end of the stent containment cavity each being defined by a surface that extends elongated radially outward from the surface of the generally tubular member; and a slideable outer sheath adapted to retain the self-expanding stent in its unexpanded state when the outer sheath is advanced to a forward, distal position thus forming a cover over the stent containment cavity, the outer sheath extending distally at least to the radially outward extending surface that defines the stent containment cavity's distal end, the outer sheath having a proximal pullback means lying outside the human body for pulling the sheath back to a proximal position so as to uncover the stent containment cavity thus allowing the stent to expand radially outward against the vessel wall, and the outer sheath also having a side opening situated just proximal to the proximal end of the stent containment cavity, the side opening being adapted to pass a flexible guide wire therethrough.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
The catheter of claim 14 wherein the stent containment cavity is situated just proximal to the proximal end of the inflatable balloon.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
35 words
The catheter of claim 14 wherein the stent containment cavity is situated near the tubular member's distal end and the inflatable balloon is situated just proximal to the proximal end of the stent containment cavity.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
43 words
The catheter of claim 14 wherein a radiopaque marker band having a proximal surface is located at the stent containment cavity's distal end, the surface defining the distal end of the stent containment cavity being the proximal surface of the radiopaque marker band.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
40 words
The catheter of claim 14 wherein one radiopaque marker band is used to indicate the proximal end of the stent containment cavity, and a second radiopaque marker band is used to indicate the distal end of the stent containment cavity.