Improved stent delivery apparatus and method

Abstract

Abstract A delivery system (10) for implantation of a self-expanding stent (17) in a vessel that consists of an elongate flexible catheter (12) for delivering a self-expanding stent (17) to a predetermined location in a vessel. The stent (17) surrounds the flexible catheter (12) near its distal end and is held in a delivery configuration where the stent has a reduced radius along its entire axial length by a stent retaining and release system. The stent retaining and release system is either one or more slipping sleeves which either contain the stent (17) themselves or form a waterproof chamber with the stent being contained by water soluble bands or swelling bands. The stent retaining and release system can also be a pair of sleeves connected to hydraulic pistons, or a pair of sleeves connected to push/pull wires.

Inventors

• 👤 Charles L. Euteneuer
• 👤 Phlayne M. Fraser
• 👤 Paul H. Burmeister
• 👤 Dean A. Peterson
• 👤 Andrew W. Buirge
• 👤 Susan M. Shoemaker

Bibliographic Details