US20020029077A1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Implant deployment apparatus
Assignee: W.L. Gore and Associates Inc
•
Filing: 2001-11-05
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Granted: —
•
Expires: 2021-11-05
Abstract
Abstract A delivery system including a restraining member maintains a collapsed implant in its collapsed state for delivery through a small passageway to a desired site in a mammalian body. Once the implant is positioned at the desired site, the restraining member is released so that the stent may expand or be expanded to its expanded state. In a preferred embodiment, the restraining member comprises a sheet of material that surrounds at least a portion of the collapsed stent. Portions of the restraining member are releasably coupled to one another with a low profile thread-like member or suture.
Inventors
- 👤 Eric Leopold
- 👤 Joseph Trautman
- 👤 Troy Thornton
- 👤 Randy Chan
- 👤 Suresh Pai
- 👤 Thomas Breton
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 04:08
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/04; A61F2/06; A61F2/07; A61F2/82; A61F2/86; A61F2/88; A61F2/90; A61F2/95; A61F2/9522; A61F2/9525; A61F2/954; A61F2/962; A61F2/97; A61F2/848; A61F2/89; A61F2002/065; A61F2002/067; A61F2002/075; A61F2002/8486; A61F2002/9505; A61F2002/9511; A61F2220/00; A61F2220/0008; A61F2220/0016; A61F2220/0025; A61F2220/005; A61F2220/0075; A61F2230/00; A61F2230/0002; A61F2230/0004; A61F2230/001; A61F2250/00; A61F2250/0058; A61F2250/0059
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 54
Claim 1
Independent Claim
73 words
1 . A delivery system for temporarily restraining an expandable implant in a collapsed state for delivery to a deployment site, said system comprising a sheet of material adapted and configured for wrapping around an expandable implant to maintain said implant in a collapsed state during delivery through a mammalian body lumen, and a coupling member for coupling portions of the sheet to one another to maintain said implant in said collapsed state.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
73 words
1 . A delivery system for temporarily restraining an expandable implant in a collapsed state for delivery to a deployment site, said system comprising a sheet of material adapted and configured for wrapping around an expandable implant to maintain said implant in a collapsed state during delivery through a mammalian body lumen, and a coupling member for coupling portions of the sheet to one another to maintain said implant in said collapsed state.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
2 . The system of claim 1 wherein said sheet of material has a length and a width, said width being less than about 40 mm.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
3 . The system of claim 1 wherein said sheet includes ends, side margins extending between said ends, and an eyelet disposed along each of said side margins.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
4 . The system of claim 3 wherein said eyelet is formed by a hole formed in said sheet.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
5 . The system of claim 3 including a loop coupled to said sheet, said loop forming said eyelet.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
6 . The system of claim 3 further including a reinforcing member, said reinforcing member being disposed between one of said eyelets and the outer perimeter of the side margin in which said eyelet is disposed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
7 . The system of claim 1 wherein said coupling member comprises a thread adapted for threading through said eyelets.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
8 . The system of claim 7 wherein at least one of said side margins comprises overlapping portions of said sheet, said reinforcing member being positioned between said overlapping portions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
9 . The system of claim 1 wherein said implant comprises a stent.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
81 words
10 . An assembly comprising a stent and a restraining member coupled to said stent, said stent having a collapsed and an expanded state, said restraining member comprising a sheet of material adapted to be wrapped around at least a portion of the stent when said stent is in said collapsed state, and portions of said sheet being adapted for coupling to one another to maintain said sheet wrapped around at least or portion of said stent in its collapsed state.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
81 words
10 . An assembly comprising a stent and a restraining member coupled to said stent, said stent having a collapsed and an expanded state, said restraining member comprising a sheet of material adapted to be wrapped around at least a portion of the stent when said stent is in said collapsed state, and portions of said sheet being adapted for coupling to one another to maintain said sheet wrapped around at least or portion of said stent in its collapsed state.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
11 . The assembly of claim 10 wherein said restraining member is fixedly secured to said stent.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
12 . The assembly of claim 10 wherein said restraining member is fixedly secured to said stent such that relative movement therebetween is substantially prevented.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
13 . The assembly of claim 10 wherein said sheet has a length, width and thickness, said width being less than the diameter of a portion of said stent when said stent is in said expanded state.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
14 . The assembly of claim 10 wherein said sheet has a width that is less than about 40 mm.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
37 words
15 . The assembly of claim 10 wherein the length of said restraining member, measured along the longitudinal axis thereof, is less than or equal to the length of said stent, measured along the longitudinal axis thereof.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
16 . The assembly of claim 10 further including a discrete member releasably coupling said portions to one another.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
17 . The assembly of claim 10 wherein said sheet includes ends and side margins extending between said ends, said side margins being releasably coupled to one another.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
18 . The assembly of claim 17 further including means for releasing the coupling between said side margins.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
19 words
19 . The assembly of claim 17 further including means for multidirectionally releasing the coupling between said side margins.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
30 words
20 . The assembly of claim 10 wherein said sheet includes ends, side margins extending between said ends, and at least one eyelet disposed along each of said side margins.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
19 words
21 . The assembly of claim 20 wherein said eyelet is formed by a hole formed in said sheet.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
17 words
22 . The assembly of claim 20 wherein said eyelet comprises a loop coupled to said sheet.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
18 words
23 . The assembly of claim 20 further including a member releasably coupling said eyelets to one another.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
24 words
24 . The assembly of claim 20 wherein each side margin includes multiple eyelets, said device further including a thread passing through said eyelets.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
14 words
25 . The assembly of claim 24 including multiple threads passing through said eyelets.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
24 words
26 . The assembly of claim 20 wherein each side margin includes multiple eyelets, said device further including a wire passing through said eyelets.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
14 words
27 . The assembly of claim 26 including multiple wires passing through said eyelets.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
38 words
28 . The assembly of claim 20 further including a reinforcing member, said reinforcing member being disposed between at least one of said eyelets and the outer perimeter of the side margin in which said eyelet is disposed.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
30 words
29 . The assembly of claim 28 wherein at least one of said side margins comprises overlapping portions of said sheet, said reinforcing member being positioned between said overlapping portions.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
34 words
30 . The assembly of claim 20 wherein the distance, measured along said sheet between said side margins, is less than the diameter of said stent when said stent is in said expanded state.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
14 words
31 . The assembly of claim 10 including multiple ones of said restraining member.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
18 words
32 . The assembly of claim 10 wherein said stent is generally cylindrical when in said expanded state.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
19 words
33 . The assembly of claim 10 wherein said stent has a bifurcated configuration when in said expanded state.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
20 words
34 . The assembly of claim 10 wherein said sheet of material is adapted for implantation within a human patient.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
63 words
35 . An assembly comprising a stent and a sheet of material, said stent having a collapsed state and an expanded state, said stent being in said collapsed state and having said sheet of material wrapped around at least a portion thereof, said sheet having ends and marginal side portions extending between said ends, said marginal side portions being coupled to one another.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
63 words
35 . An assembly comprising a stent and a sheet of material, said stent having a collapsed state and an expanded state, said stent being in said collapsed state and having said sheet of material wrapped around at least a portion thereof, said sheet having ends and marginal side portions extending between said ends, said marginal side portions being coupled to one another.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
24 words
36 . The assembly of claim 35 further including a discrete coupling member, said coupling member coupling said marginal side portions to one another.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
24 words
37 . The assembly of claim 35 wherein said sheet is arranged in generally tubular form to maintain said stent in said collapsed state.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
20 words
38 . The assembly of claim 35 wherein said sheet of material is adapted for implantation within a human patient.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
133 words
39 . An assembly comprising a stent and a restraining member coupled to said stent, said stent having a collapsed and an expanded state, said stent having first and second portions that move relative to one another when said stent moves between said collapsed and expanded states, said restraining member comprising a sheet of material adapted to be wrapped around at least a portion of the stent when said stent is in said collapsed state, and portions of said sheet being adapted for coupling to one another to maintain said sheet wrapped around at least or portion of said stent in its collapsed state, said assembly further including a member having a first portion coupled to said restraining member and a second portion coupled to one of said stent first and second portions.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
133 words
39 . An assembly comprising a stent and a restraining member coupled to said stent, said stent having a collapsed and an expanded state, said stent having first and second portions that move relative to one another when said stent moves between said collapsed and expanded states, said restraining member comprising a sheet of material adapted to be wrapped around at least a portion of the stent when said stent is in said collapsed state, and portions of said sheet being adapted for coupling to one another to maintain said sheet wrapped around at least or portion of said stent in its collapsed state, said assembly further including a member having a first portion coupled to said restraining member and a second portion coupled to one of said stent first and second portions.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
30 words
40 . The assembly of claim 39 wherein the relative circumferential position of said first and second stent portions changes when said stent moves between said collapsed to expanded state.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
33 words
41 . The assembly of claim 40 wherein the axial position of said first and second stent portions axially changes when said stent when said stent moves between said collapsed and expanded states.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
61 words
42 . A method for delivering an expandable stent to a desired endolumenal site in a mammalian body comprising the steps of: (a) positioning an expandable stent which is restrained in a collapsed state by a restraining member in a lumen having a wall, (b) releasing said restraining member, and (c) urging said restraining member into a position against said wall.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
61 words
42 . A method for delivering an expandable stent to a desired endolumenal site in a mammalian body comprising the steps of: (a) positioning an expandable stent which is restrained in a collapsed state by a restraining member in a lumen having a wall, (b) releasing said restraining member, and (c) urging said restraining member into a position against said wall.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
31 words
43 . The method of claim 42 wherein the stent is a self-expanding stent and it is allowed to self-expand to urge the restraining member into a positions against said wall.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
42 words
44 . A method of preparing a stent for delivery to a desired site in a mammalian body comprising the steps of: restraining a collapsed stent in a sheet of material having side margins; and coupling said side margins to each other.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
42 words
44 . A method of preparing a stent for delivery to a desired site in a mammalian body comprising the steps of: restraining a collapsed stent in a sheet of material having side margins; and coupling said side margins to each other.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
34 words
45 . The method of claim 44 wherein said coupling step comprises coupling said side margins with multiple elements such that multiple portions of the coupling between said side margins may be released simultaneously.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
44 words
46 . A method for collapsing an expandable stent into a generally tubular restraining member comprising the steps of: (a) pulling an expandable stent through a tapered construct which radially collapses the stent, and (b) pulling the stent into a generally tubular restraining member.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
44 words
46 . A method for collapsing an expandable stent into a generally tubular restraining member comprising the steps of: (a) pulling an expandable stent through a tapered construct which radially collapses the stent, and (b) pulling the stent into a generally tubular restraining member.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
18 words
47 . The method of claim 46 wherein a portion of said stent is folded before step (a).
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