Integrated catheter for balloon angioplasty and stent delivery

Claim 1

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 center in the form of an elongated tubular member having a proximal end and a distal end and having a non-extensible inflatable balloon and longitudinal length of decreased diameter forming 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 being operational to automatically 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; a slideable outer sheath coaxially placed over the elongated tubular member and 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 in a proximal direction to a proximal position so as to uncover the stent containment cavity thus allowing the stent to expand radially outward against the vessel wall, whereby when the sheath is displaced for deployment of said stent a distal end of said slideable outer sheath is positioned proximal said stent; and, a radiopaque marker band having a proximal surface is located at a stent containment cavity distal end, said proximal surface defining the distal end of said stent containment cavity.

Claim 16

A method for performing balloon angioplasty followed by stent placement within a vessel of a human body, the method comprising the following steps: (a) inserting an integrated catheter including an elongated tubular member, said integrated catheter further including a distal end and which has an inflatable balloon and a stent containment cavity both located near the catheter's distal end into the vessel of a human body, the stent containment cavity containing a self-expanding stent and having a distal end and a proximal end and a radiopaque marker band situated at the stent containment cavity's distal end, wherein an outer sheath is coaxially placed on said elongated tubular member; (b) performing balloon angioplasty at a site in the vessel; (c) deflating the balloon and advancing the catheter until the stent containment cavity's distal end lies just distal to the site of the dilatation; and (d) pulling back the outer sheath thus allowing the self-expanding stent to automatically deploy at the site of the dilatation.

Claim 17

A method for performing balloon angioplasty followed by stent placement within a vessel of a human body, the method comprising the following steps: (a) inserting an integrated catheter including an elongated tubular member, said integrated catheter further including a distal end and which has an inflatable balloon and a stent containment cavity both located near the catheter's distal end into the vessel of a human body, the stent containment cavity containing a self-expanding stent and having a distal end and a proximal end and a radiopaque marker band situated at the stent containment cavity's distal end, wherein an outer sheath is coaxially placed on said elongated tubular member; (b) performing balloon angioplasty at a site in the vessel; (c) deflating the balloon and advancing the catheter until the stent containment cavity's distal end lies just distal to the site of the dilatation; and (d) pulling back the outer sheath thus allowing the self-expanding stent to automatically deploy at the site of the dilatation.