Abstract: Devices and methods are provided for controlling and indicating the deployed length of an interventional element on an interventional catheter. The interventional element may be a stent or series of stents, a balloon, or any other interventional element for which length control is necessary or desirable. Devices for controlling the length of the interventional element include gear driven actuators, motors, and other mechanisms. Devices for indicating length of an interventional element to the user include sensors, detents, visual displays and other mechanisms providing visual, audible, and tangible indications of length to the user. The control and indication devices preferably work in tandem to enable highly precise adjustment of interventional element length.

Abstract: Stent delivery devices include at least one implantable stent carrier and/or membrane for carrying multiple stents or stent segments over an expandable member. At least a portion of the implantable carrier is expandable by the expandable member to deploy the portion of the carrier and one or more stent segments disposed thereon. A sheath may be retracted to expose and expand a distal portion of the expandable member to expand and deploy a distal portion of the carrier and the stent segment(s) disposed thereon. Stent delivery devices and methods provide enhanced delivery of multiple stents or stent segments by delivering the segments while coupled with one or more implantable carriers and/or membranes that are typically flexible and dividable.

Abstract: Stent delivery devices and methods include a shuttle for carrying multiple stent segments, to avoid direct contact between the stent segments and an expandable member. A sheath is disposed over the expandable member such that when it is withdrawn, a distal portion of the expandable member is exposed to expand against the shuttle, thus expanding the shuttle and expanding and deploying a selected number of stent segments. To deploy a second selected number of stent segments, the sheath may be withdrawn further to expose more of the expandable member. Thus, one or more custom length stents may be deployed with a reduced risk of damage to the expandable member and the stent segments and enhanced ease and accuracy of stent placement at a treatment location.

Abstract: Stent delivery devices and methods include multiple stents or stent segments mounted at fixed positions on an expandable member of the stent delivery catheter. One or more of the fixed-position stents may be selectively deployed in a body lumen such as a blood vessel by positioning one or more sheaths to constrain some stents while exposing other for deployment. Some embodiments include two axially movable sheaths for serially deploying stents while containing a portion of the expandable balloon from which stents have been deployed. Other embodiments include inner and outer balloon shafts to allow the balloon to be retracted into the delivery catheter as stents are deployed. Devices and methods of the invention provide enhanced serial deployment of multiple stents or stent segments while reducing the risk of damage to an expandable deployment member.

Abstract: Blood vessels and other body lumens are expanded using an evertible braided prosthesis. The braided prosthesis is delivered to the blood vessel in a radially collapsed configuration. A leading edge of the braided prosthesis is then everted so that it expands as it is advanced through the blood vessel. Optionally, the prosthesis can be provided with a biologically active substance in order to inhibit hyperplasia or have other desired biological effects.

Abstract: Apparatus for delivering stents to body lumens include a flexible catheter shaft, an expandable member, a tubular prosthesis selectively movable in an axial direction over the expandable member, and a stop member disposed on the catheter shaft near the distal end of the catheter shaft for stopping the prosthesis at a deployment position on the expandable member. A variety of different stop members are provided according to various embodiments, such as stop members disposed outside the expandable member, stop members disposed inside the expandable member, movable stop members, and the like. Methods of delivering stents are also provided.

Abstract: A stent deployment system includes a catheter shaft, an expandable member mounted to the catheter shaft, and one or more stents or stent segments slidably positioned on the expandable member. The stent deployment system is adapted for deployment of stents or stent segments in very long lesions and in tapered and curved vessels. The stent deployment system facilitates slidable movement of a stent in a distal direction relative to the expandable member while inhibiting slidable movement in a proximal direction relative to the expandable member.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for delivering stents to bifurcated vessels involve delivering a first stent in a main branch of a vessel using a stent delivery catheter and delivering a second stent in a side branch of a vessel, without removing the stent delivery catheter from the patient. In various embodiments, multiple stents may be placed in either or both of the main and side branches. In some embodiments, stents in main and side branches are separate and do not touch, while in other embodiments a side branch stent may extend through a sidewall opening in a main branch stent. Stent length may optionally be adjusted in situ, and some embodiments provide for predilatation of one or more lesions.

Abstract: Blood vessels and other body lumens are stented using multiple, discreet stent structures, or continuous coiled or mesh stent structures. Stent structures may be balloon expandable or self-expanding and are delivered by a delivery catheter which is repositioned to spaced-apart delivery sights. By coating the stents with particular biologically active substances, hyperplasia within and between the implanted stents can be inhibited. An exemplary delivery catheter comprises a catheter body having a deployment mechanism for deploying one or more stents of selectable length into the vessel.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for stent delivery provide for dilatation at a treatment site as well as stent delivery, using the same stent delivery apparatus. Apparatus generally include a catheter having at least one expandable member, at least one stent positionable thereon, and a sheath disposed over the expandable member and the stent. Some embodiments include separate expandable members for dilatation of a lesion and for stent expansion, while other embodiments use the same expandable member for both. In some embodiments a stent includes multiple separable stent segments. In various embodiments, self-expanding stents may be used. Methods involve positioning a stent delivery device at a treatment site, expanding an expandable member to dilate at least a portion of a lesion at the treatment site, and expanding (or allowing to expand) a stent at the treatment site.

Abstract: Blood vessels and other body lumens are stented using stent structures comprising a plurality of radially expansible rings where at least some of the rings comprise axially extending elements which interleave with axially extending elements on adjacent unconnected rings. The ring structures may be open cell structures or closed cell structures, and the axially extending elements will typically be formed as part of the open cell or closed cell structure.

Abstract: Apparatus for delivering stents to body lumens include one or more tubular prostheses carried at the distal end of a catheter shaft, a sheath slidably disposed over the prostheses, and a guidewire tube extending from within the sheath to the exterior of the sheath through an exit port in a sidewall thereof. A guidewire extends slidably through the guidewire tube. The sheath can be moved relative to the catheter shaft and the guidewire tube to expose the prostheses for deployment. Methods of delivering stents are also provided.

Abstract: Delivery catheters and systems are adapted for delivering multiple discreet prostheses in body lumens. An exemplary delivery catheter comprises a sheath, a pusher for moving the prostheses relative to the sheath, and a valve member for selectively retaining the prostheses in the sheath. For balloon expandable stents, an elongated shaft and an expandable member are slidably disposed in the sheath, and the prostheses are positionable on the expandable member for deployment in the body lumen. The valve member allows a selected number of prostheses to be deployed from the sheath while retaining other prostheses within the sheath.

Abstract: Blood vessels and other body lumens are expanded using an evertible braided prosthesis. The braided prosthesis is delivered to the blood vessel in a radially collapsed configuration. A leading edge of the braided prosthesis is then everted so that it expands as it is advanced through the blood vessel. Optionally, the prosthesis can be provided with a biologically active substance in order to inhibit hyperplasia or have other desired biological effects.

Abstract: Blood vessels and other body lumens are stented using multiple, discreet stent structures. Stent structures may be balloon expandable or self-expanding and are delivered by a delivery catheter which is repositioned to spaced-apart delivery sights. By coating the stents with particular biologically active substances, hyperplasia within and between the implanted stents can be inhibited. An exemplary delivery catheter comprises a catheter body having both a pusher rod for advancing the stents relative to a sheath and a reciprocatable delivery catheter for implanting the stents.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for delivering prostheses to body lumens, such as stents and grafts to blood vessels, utilize a delivery device which carries one or more linearized elements. The linearized elements assume non-linear configurations, particularly helical configurations, when advanced and released from the delivery device. By selectively controlling the length and/or number of elements delivered from the delivery device, extended and disseminated disease within the body lumens may be effectively treated.