Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
292 words
A pre-deployment configuration for a primary stenting system for placing a stent within a stenosis of a vessel in a human body, the system comprising: a flexible guide wire; a balloon angioplasty catheter having a distal portion, the balloon angioplasty catheter having an inflatable balloon located at its distal portion, the inflatable balloon having a proximal end and a distal end, the balloon angioplasty catheter also having a flexible, gradually tapered distal tip having a distal end and a proximal end and also having a lumen through which the guide wire can be slideably moved, the gradually tapered distal tip having a tapered proximal portion and a tapered distal portion, both proximal and distal portions of the gradually tapered distal tip having a gradual taper; and a stent coaxially mounted around the inflatable balloon of the balloon angioplasty catheter; a sheath generally in the form of an elongated cylinder that is coaxially located around the balloon angioplasty catheter, the sheath having a proximal section and an ultra-thin distal section, the proximal section of the sheath having a proximal end and a distal end, the ultra-thin distal section of the sheath having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the ultra-thin distal section of the sheath being fixedly attached to the distal end of the proximal section of the sheath, at least a portion of the ultra-thin distal section being shrunk onto the stent and also onto the tapered proximal portion of the gradually tapered distal tip, the sheath being adapted to be slideably retracted in a proximal direction so that the distal end of the ultra-thin section of the sheath can be placed proximal to the balloon so as to allow balloon expansion for radial expansion of stent.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
292 words
A pre-deployment configuration for a primary stenting system for placing a stent within a stenosis of a vessel in a human body, the system comprising: a flexible guide wire; a balloon angioplasty catheter having a distal portion, the balloon angioplasty catheter having an inflatable balloon located at its distal portion, the inflatable balloon having a proximal end and a distal end, the balloon angioplasty catheter also having a flexible, gradually tapered distal tip having a distal end and a proximal end and also having a lumen through which the guide wire can be slideably moved, the gradually tapered distal tip having a tapered proximal portion and a tapered distal portion, both proximal and distal portions of the gradually tapered distal tip having a gradual taper; and a stent coaxially mounted around the inflatable balloon of the balloon angioplasty catheter; a sheath generally in the form of an elongated cylinder that is coaxially located around the balloon angioplasty catheter, the sheath having a proximal section and an ultra-thin distal section, the proximal section of the sheath having a proximal end and a distal end, the ultra-thin distal section of the sheath having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the ultra-thin distal section of the sheath being fixedly attached to the distal end of the proximal section of the sheath, at least a portion of the ultra-thin distal section being shrunk onto the stent and also onto the tapered proximal portion of the gradually tapered distal tip, the sheath being adapted to be slideably retracted in a proximal direction so that the distal end of the ultra-thin section of the sheath can be placed proximal to the balloon so as to allow balloon expansion for radial expansion of stent.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the wall thickness of the proximal section of the sheath is greater than the wall thickness of the ultra-thin distal section.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the wall thickness of the ultra-thin distal section of the sheath is less than 0.05 mm.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the wall thickness of the ultra-thin distal section of the sheath is less than 0.025 mm.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the ultra-thin distal section of the sheath is heat shrinkable.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the ultra-thin distal section is made of nylon.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 1 herein the ultra-thin distal section of the sheath is made from a solvent swellable material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the ultra-thin distal section of the sheath is lubricity coated.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the gradually tapered distal tip is lubricity coated.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the ultra-thin distal section of the sheath is lubricity coated.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
16 words
The system of claim wherein the gradually tapered distal tip is more than 10 mm long.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the gradually tapered distal tip is more than 20 mm long.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the tapered proximal portion of the gradually tapered distal tip has a length that is at least 25% of the length of the gradually tapered distal tip.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the gradually tapered distal tip has a taper of less than 4 degrees from its distal end to its proximal end.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
46 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the balloon angioplasty catheter has a coaxially mounted proximal elastomer band over the portion of the angioplasty balloon that lies proximal to the stent, the proximal elastomer band being adapted to prevent the stent from sliding in a proximal direction.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 15 wherein the proximal elastomer band includes a high density material for increased radiopacity.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
77 words
The system of claim 15 herein the balloon angioplasty catheter also has a coaxially mounted distal elastomer band over the portion of the angioplasty balloon distal to the stent, the distal elastomer band being adapted to prevent the stent from sliding in a distal direction, the ultra-thin distal section of the sheath being shrunk down over the distal elastomer band, the proximal elastomer band, the stent and the tapered proximal portion of the gradually tapered distal tip.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 17 herein the proximal elastomer band and distal elastomer band each include a high density material for increased radiopacity.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
46 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the balloon angioplasty catheter has a coaxially mounted distal elastomer band over the portion of the angioplasty balloon that lies distal to the stent, the distal elastomer band being adapted to prevent the stent from sliding in a distal direction.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 19 wherein the distal elastomer band includes a high density material for increased radiopacity.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
58 words
The system of claim 1 further comprising an elastomer securing tube having a proximal section and a distal section, the distal section being fixedly attached to the tapered distal portion of the tapered distal tip and the proximal section of the elastomer securing tube being placed snugly over the distal end of the ultra-thin section of the sheath.