Stent delivery system

Claim 2

A stent delivery system comprising: a catheter comprising an expandable distal portion, having an outer diameter, constructed and arranged for expanding the outer diameter of said expandable distal portion from a contracted state to an expanded state; a stent positioned around said distal portion of said catheter, said stent having a contracted condition and being expandable to an expanded condition, and being sized in said contracted condition to closely surround said catheter in the contracted state, said stent having a first end and a second end, wherein at least a portion of the stent is lying over said expandable portion of said catheter; a sleeve in the region of said distal portion of said catheter and positioned around said catheter, the sleeve having a first end anchored to said catheter, and a second end lying over said first end of said stent; a ring attached to said second end of said sleeve and positioned around said stent first end; said sleeve and ring securing said first end of said stent on said catheter when said catheter is in the contracted state, said catheter and stent cooperatively constructed and arranged for expansion of said catheter from said contracted state to said expanded state and to cause said sleeve and ring to simultaneously slide relatively axially from over said stent, thereby releasing said first end of the stent from said catheter.

Claim 3

The stent delivery system of claim 1 wherein said expansible distal portion comprises a balloon mounted on a shaft of the catheter.

Claim 4

The stent delivery system of claim 2 wherein said stent is expanded by expansion of said balloon.

Claim 5

The stent delivery system of claim 1, said sleeve being formed from polyurethane.

Claim 6

The stent delivery system of claim 1, said sleeve being formed from any elastomer able to be expanded with a balloon angioplasty catheter, and formable into a thin-walled tube.

Claim 7

The stent delivery system of claim 1, said end of said first end of the stent being a distal end, wherein said sleeve fixes said stent at the distal end of said stent.

Claim 8

The stent delivery system of claim 1, said sleeve being formed in the shape of a cylinder.

Claim 9

The stent delivery system of claim 1, said ring being formed in the shape of a coil.

Claim 10

The stent delivery system of claim 8 wherein said ring is plastic.

Claim 11

The stent delivery system of claim 8 wherein the coil is metal.

Claim 12

The stent delivery system of claim 1 wherein the ring is metal.

Claim 13

The stent delivery system of claim 1 wherein the ring is plastic.

Claim 14

A stent delivery system comprising: a catheter comprising an expansible distal portion constructed and arranged for expanding the outer diameter of said catheter from a contracted state to an expanded state; a stent positioned around said distal portion of said catheter, said stent having a contracted condition and being expandable to an expanded condition, and being sized in said contracted condition to closely surround said catheter in the contracted state, said stent having a first and second end portion lying over said expandable portion of said catheter; first and second sleeves in the region of said distal portion of said catheter positioned around said catheter, each having a first end anchored to said catheter and a second end lying over said first and second ends of said stent; first and second rings, each being respectively attached to said second ends of said first and second sleeves and positioned around said ends of said stent; said first sleeve and first ring and said second sleeve and second ring separately engaging said stent at said first end and said second end respectively; said first and second sleeves and rings securing said ends of said stent on said catheter when said catheter is in the contracted state, said catheter and stent cooperatively constructed or arranged for expansion of said catheter from said contracted state to said expanded state to cause expansion of said stent, including said first and second ends of said stent, from said contracted condition to said expanded condition, and thereby causing said first sleeve and first ring to simultaneously slide relatively axially from over the first end of the stent and said second sleeve and second ring to simultaneously slide relatively axially from over the second end of said stent, thereby releasing said ends of the stent from said catheter.

Claim 15

A stent delivery system comprising: a catheter comprising an expansible distal portion constructed and arranged for expanding the outer diameter of said catheter from a contracted state to an expanded state; a stent positioned around said distal portion of said catheter, said stent having a contracted condition and being expandable to an expanded condition, and being sized in said contracted condition to closely surround said catheter in the contracted state, said stent having a first and second end portion lying over said expandable portion of said catheter; first and second sleeves in the region of said distal portion of said catheter positioned around said catheter, each having a first end anchored to said catheter and a second end lying over said first and second ends of said stent; first and second rings, each being respectively attached to said second ends of said first and second sleeves and positioned around said ends of said stent; said first sleeve and first ring and said second sleeve and second ring separately engaging said stent at said first end and said second end respectively; said first and second sleeves and rings securing said ends of said stent on said catheter when said catheter is in the contracted state, said catheter and stent cooperatively constructed or arranged for expansion of said catheter from said contracted state to said expanded state to cause expansion of said stent, including said first and second ends of said stent, from said contracted condition to said expanded condition, and thereby causing said first sleeve and first ring to simultaneously slide relatively axially from over the first end of the stent and said second sleeve and second ring to simultaneously slide relatively axially from over the second end of said stent, thereby releasing said ends of the stent from said catheter.

Claim 16

The stent delivery system of claim 13 wherein said expansible distal portion comprises a balloon mounted on a shaft of the catheter.

Claim 17

The stent delivery system of claim 14 wherein said stent is expanded by expansion of said balloon.

Claim 18

The stent delivery system of claim 13, said first and second sleeves, being formed from polyurethane.

Claim 19

The stent delivery system of claim 13, said sleeve being formed from any elastomer able to be expanded with a balloon angioplasty catheter, and formable into a thin-walled tube.

Claim 20

The stent delivery system of claim 13, said first end of said stent being a distal end, wherein said first sleeve fixes said stent at the distal end of said stent.

Claim 21

The stent delivery system of claim 13, said first and second sleeves, being formed in the shape of a cylinder.

Claim 22

The stent delivery system of claim 13, said rings being formed in the shape of a coil.

Claim 23

The stent delivery system of claim 13 wherein first and second rings are metal.

Claim 24

The stent delivery system of claim 13 wherein the ring is plastic.

Claim 25

The stent delivery system of claim 13 wherein said coil is plastic.

Claim 26

The stent delivery system of claim 13 wherein the coil is metal.

Claim 27

A stent delivery system comprising: a catheter comprising an expansible distal portion constructed and arranged for expanding the outer diameter of said catheter from a contracted state to an expanded state; a stent positioned around said distal portion of said catheter, said stent having a contracted condition and being expansible to an expanded condition, and being sized in said contracted condition to closely surround said catheter in the contracted state, said stent having at least an end portion defining a margin lying over said expandable portion of said catheter; a coil in the region of said distal portion of said catheter and positioned around said catheter, having a first end anchored to said catheter, and a second end defining a margin lying over said end portion of said stent; and a ring attached to said second end of said coil, the ring being within the coil and overlying said stent; said coil and ring securing said end of said stent on said catheter when said catheter is in the contracted state, said catheter and stent cooperatively constructed and arranged to cause expansion of said catheter from said contracted state to said expanded state and to cause expansion of said stent, including said end of said stent, from said contracted condition to said expanded condition, thereby causing said coil and ring to simultaneously slide relatively axially from over the margin of said stent, thereby releasing said end of the stent from said catheter.

Claim 28

A stent delivery system comprising: a catheter comprising an expansible distal portion constructed and arranged for expanding the outer diameter of said catheter from a contracted state to an expanded state; a stent positioned around said distal portion of said catheter, said stent having a contracted condition and being expansible to an expanded condition, and being sized in said contracted condition to closely surround said catheter in the contracted state, said stent having at least an end portion defining a margin lying over said expandable portion of said catheter; a coil in the region of said distal portion of said catheter and positioned around said catheter, having a first end anchored to said catheter, and a second end defining a margin lying over said end portion of said stent; and a ring attached to said second end of said coil, the ring being within the coil and overlying said stent; said coil and ring securing said end of said stent on said catheter when said catheter is in the contracted state, said catheter and stent cooperatively constructed and arranged to cause expansion of said catheter from said contracted state to said expanded state and to cause expansion of said stent, including said end of said stent, from said contracted condition to said expanded condition, thereby causing said coil and ring to simultaneously slide relatively axially from over the margin of said stent, thereby releasing said end of the stent from said catheter.

Claim 29

The stent delivery system of claim 25 wherein said coil is plastic.

Claim 30

The stent delivery system of claim 25 wherein said coil is metal.

Claim 31

The stent delivery system of claim 25 wherein said coil is rounded in cross-section.

Claim 32

The stent delivery system of claim 25 wherein said coil is flat ribbon-like in cross-section.

Claim 33

The stent delivery system of claim 26, wherein said expansible distal portion comprises a balloon mounted on a shaft of the catheter.

Claim 34

The stent delivery system of claim 30, wherein said stent is expanded by expansion of said balloon.

Claim 35

A stent delivery system comprising: a catheter comprising an expansible distal portion constructed and arranged for expanding the outer diameter of said catheter from a contracted state to an expanded state; a stent positioned around said distal portion of said catheter, said stent having a contracted condition and being expandable to an expanded condition, and being sized in said contracted condition to closely surround said catheter in the contracted state, said stent having a first and second end portion lying over said expandable portion of said catheter; a first and second coil in the region of said distal portion of said catheter positioned around said catheter, each having a first end anchored to said catheter and a second end lying over a said end of said stent; said first coil and said second coil separately engaging said stent at said first end and said second end respectively; and a first and second ring attached to said second ends of said coils, the rings overlying the stent; said first and second coils and rings securing said ends of said stent on said catheter when said catheter is in the contracted state, said catheter and stent cooperatively constructed or arranged for expansion of said catheter from said contracted state to said expanded state to cause said first coil and ring to simultaneously slide relatively axially from over the margin of said stent first end and said second coil and ring to simultaneously slide relatively axially from over the margin of the stent second end, thereby releasing said ends of the stent from said catheter.

Claim 36

A stent delivery system comprising: a catheter comprising an expansible distal portion constructed and arranged for expanding the outer diameter of said catheter from a contracted state to an expanded state; a stent positioned around said distal portion of said catheter, said stent having a contracted condition and being expandable to an expanded condition, and being sized in said contracted condition to closely surround said catheter in the contracted state, said stent having a first and second end portion lying over said expandable portion of said catheter; a first and second coil in the region of said distal portion of said catheter positioned around said catheter, each having a first end anchored to said catheter and a second end lying over a said end of said stent; said first coil and said second coil separately engaging said stent at said first end and said second end respectively; and a first and second ring attached to said second ends of said coils, the rings overlying the stent; said first and second coils and rings securing said ends of said stent on said catheter when said catheter is in the contracted state, said catheter and stent cooperatively constructed or arranged for expansion of said catheter from said contracted state to said expanded state to cause said first coil and ring to simultaneously slide relatively axially from over the margin of said stent first end and said second coil and ring to simultaneously slide relatively axially from over the margin of the stent second end, thereby releasing said ends of the stent from said catheter.

Claim 37

The stent delivery system of claim 32, wherein said expansible distal portion comprises a balloon mounted on a shaft of the catheter.

Claim 38

The stent delivery system of claim 33, wherein said stent is expanded by expansion of said balloon.

Claim 39

The stent delivery system of claim 32 wherein said first and second coils are plastic.

Claim 40

The stent delivery system of claim 32 wherein said first and second coils are metal.

Claim 41

The stent delivery system of claim 32 wherein said first and second coils are rounded in cross-section.

Claim 42

The stent delivery system of claim 33 wherein said first and second coils are flat ribbon-like in cross-section.