Noncylindrical Drug Eluting Stent for Treating Vascular Bifurcations
A device and method for treating pathological narrowing of fluid-carrying conduits of the human body (such as blood vessels) in an area of a bifurcation is disclosed. In particular, a stent delivery system configured to carry one or more of a pair of dissimilar stents. At least one of the stents is particularly suited for treating a widened portion of a blood vessel immediately proximal to a bifurcation. The stent delivery system can also include a handpiece adapted to selectively deliver the stents.
This is divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/435,096, filed May 9, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,344,556, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/292,385, filed Nov. 11, 2002, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/225,484, filed Aug. 20, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,238,197, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/580,597, filed May 30, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,666,883, the disclosures of which are all incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.
BACKGROUND1. Scope of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus permitting the treatment of bodily conduits, typically blood vessels, in an area of a bifurcation, e.g. in an area where a principal conduit separates into two secondary conduits. It also relates to equipment for positioning this apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known to treat narrowing of a rectilinear blood vessel by means of a radially expandable tubular device, commonly referred to as a stent. This stent is introduced in the unexpanded state into the internal lumen of the vessel, in particular by the percutaneous route, as far as the area of narrowing. Once in place, the stent is expanded in such a way as to support the vessel wall and thus re-establish the appropriate cross section of the vessel.
Stent devices can be made of a non-elastic material, in which case the stent is expanded by an inflatable balloon on which it is engaged. Alternatively, the stent can be self-expanding, e.g. made of an elastic material. A self-expanding stent typically expands spontaneously when withdrawn from a sheath which holds it in a contracted state.
For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,733,065 and 4,806,062 illustrate existing stent devices and corresponding positioning techniques.
A conventional stent is not entirely suitable for the treatment of a narrowing situated in the area of a bifurcation, since its engagement both in the principal conduit and in one of the secondary conduits can cause immediate or delayed occlusion of the other secondary conduit.
It is known to reinforce a vascular bifurcation by means of a stent comprising first and second elements, each formed by helical winding of a metal filament. The first of the two elements has a first part having a diameter corresponding to the diameter of the principal vessel, and a second part having a diameter corresponding to the diameter of a first one of the secondary vessels. The first element is intended to be engaged in the principal vessel and the second element is intended to be engaged in the first secondary vessel. The second element has a diameter corresponding to the diameter of the second secondary vessel. After the first element has been put into place, the second element is then coupled to the first element by engaging one or more of its turns in the turns of the first element.
This equipment permits reinforcement of the bifurcation but appears unsuitable for treating a vascular narrowing or an occlusive lesion, in view of its structure and of the low possibility of radial expansion of its two constituent elements.
Moreover, the shape of the first element does not correspond to the shape of a bifurcation, which has a widened transitional zone between the end of the principal vessel and the ends of the secondary vessels. Thus, this equipment does not make it possible to fully support this wall or to treat a dissection in the area of this wall. Additionally, the separate positioning of these two elements is quite difficult.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThere is provided in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a method of treating a vascular bifurcation of a main vessel into first and second branch vessels. The method comprises the steps of providing a delivery catheter having a stent thereon, the stent having a proximal end and a distal end and being self expandable to a configuration in which the proximal end has a smaller diameter than the distal end. The catheter is positioned such that the stent is at a treatment site within the main vessel, with the distal end adjacent the bifurcation. The stent is deployed in the main vessel such that the distal end communicates with both the first and the second branch vessels. A drug is eluted from the stent at the treatment site.
In one implementation of the invention, the eluting a drug step includes eluting a smooth muscle cell proliferation inhibitor. In one aspect, the muscle cell proliferation inhibitor includes rapamycin. The eluting a drug step may comprise eluting angiopeptin, a platelet aggregation inhibitor, an anti-inflammatory agent, or an antibiotic agent. In another aspect, the eluting a drug step includes eluting paclitaxel. The deploying step may comprise removing a restraint from the stent and permitting the stent to self expand. The method may additionally comprise the step of deploying a second stent in one of the first and second branch vessels.
In one implementation of the invention, the distal end of the stent expands to a diameter that is at least about 105% of the diameter of the proximal end of the stent. In certain applications, the distal end of the stent expands to a diameter that is at least about 110% of the diameter of the proximal end of the stent.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a deployment system for treating a bifurcation of a main vessel into first and second branch vessels. The deployment system comprises an elongate flexible body, having a proximal end and a distal end. A first stent is carried by the distal end of the body. A drug is releasably carried by the stent. A releasable restraint for restraining the stent is also carried on the body. The distal end of the stent is larger in diameter than the proximal end of the stent in an unconstrained expanded configuration.
The deployment system may additionally comprise a guidewire lumen extending axially through at least a portion of the flexible body. The guidewire lumen has a proximal access port and a distal access port. In one implementation, the proximal access port is positioned along the flexible body, spaced distally apart from the proximal end. In another implementation, the proximal access port is positioned at the proximal end of the body.
The releasable restraint may comprise an axially moveable control element extending along the length of the flexible body. The releasable restraint may comprise a tubular sheath for restraining the stent. The releasable restraint may include an axially moveable pull wire or a dissolvable media. In one aspect, the deployment system further includes a second stent that is carried by the distal end of the body. The first and second stents may have different expanded geometries from each other. In another aspect, the second stent has a substantially cylindrical unconstrained expanded configuration, having a proximal end, a distal end, and a substantially constant radius throughout.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, the expanded diameter of the first stent tapers radially outwardly in the distal direction. In another aspect, the first and second stents are carried by the catheter such that release of the stents from the catheter causes the distal end of the first stent and the proximal end of the second stent, as implanted, to be separated by a distance of no more than about 4 mm.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of treating a vascular bifurcation of a main vessel into first and second branch vessels. The method comprises the steps of deploying a substantially cylindrical stent in a first branch vessel which is distal to the bifurcation, and deploying a tapered stent in the main vessel, proximal to the bifurcation. The tapered stent tapers in a distal direction from a smaller proximal diameter to a larger distal diameter which faces the bifurcation. An active agent is delivered from at least one of the stents.
In one aspect, the active agent comprises paclitaxel, rapamycin, or a smooth muscle cell proliferation inhibitor. In another aspect, the active agent comprises a platelet aggregation inhibitor, an anti-inflammatory agent, or an antibiotic agent. The active agent may include a calcium entry blocker, or an antimicrobial agent.
All of these embodiments are intended to be within the scope of the present invention herein disclosed. These and other embodiments of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments having reference to the attached figures, the invention not being limited to any particular embodiment(s) disclosed.
Having thus summarized the general nature of the invention, certain preferred embodiments and modifications thereof will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description herein having reference to the attached figures, of which:
As described above, the attached Figures illustrate a stent system and corresponding delivery system for use in treating vessels (e.g. conduits) within the human body at areas of bifurcations.
According to the illustrated embodiment, the stents 12, 14 generally comprise an expandable mesh structure which includes a plurality of mesh cells 36. The mesh cells 36 of these segments are in one embodiment elongated in the longitudinal direction of the stents 12, 14 and have in each case a substantially hexagonal shape in the embodiment shown. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the mesh used to form the stent segments 22, 24, 26, and 28 may comprise a variety of other shapes known to be suitable for use in stents. For example a suitable stent may comprise mesh with repeating quadrilateral shapes, octagonal shapes, a series of curvatures, or any variety of shapes such that the stent is expandable to substantially hold a vessel or conduit at an enlarged inner diameter.
The first stent 12 may be divided into two segments 22 and 24 which may be identical to each other and typically have a tubular shape with a diameter which is substantially greater than the diameter of one of the secondary branch conduits 34. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the first stent may comprise a variety of shapes such that it functions as described herein. The first stent 12 may be expandable to a substantially cylindrical shape having a constant diameter along its length. The first stent 12 may comprise a range of lengths depending on the specific desired location of placement. For example, the length of the first stent 12 will typically be between about 1 and about 4 centimeters as desired.
The second stent 14 is preferably adapted to be deployed in close proximity to the first stent 12, and may also be divided into upper 26 and lower 28 segments. The lower segment 28 of the second stent 14 typically has a tubular cross-sectional shape and has an expanded diameter which is substantially greater than the diameter of the principal conduit 32 (
In its expanded state, as shown in
In the embodiment shown, this increase in the width of the mesh cells 36 results from an increase in the length of the edges 48 of the mesh cells 36 disposed longitudinally, as well as an increase in the angle formed between two facing edges 48.
This segment 26 thus may have a truncated shape with an axis which is oblique in relation to the longitudinal axis of the first stent 12 when expanded. This shape, for example, corresponds to the shape of the bifurcation shown in the area of the widened transitional zone 46 (
In the embodiment shown in
In addition, in other embodiments, the bridges 18 could be integral with one of the connected segments and separately connected, such as by welding, to the other connected segment. For example, the bridge 18 which connects the first and second stents 12, 14 could be integral with the upper segment 26 of the second stent 14 and connected to lower segment 24 of the first segment 26. Alternatively, the bridge 18 could be integral with the lower segment 24 of the first stent 12 and connected to the upper segment 26 of the second stent 14.
In yet other embodiments, bridges 18 could be separate pieces of materials which are separately connected to segments 22, 24, 26, 28 such as by welding, adhesion, or other bonding method. In all of these embodiments, the first stent 12 can be made from different pieces of material than the second stent 14. A tube from which the first stent 12 may be made (e.g. by laser cutting techniques) may comprise a smaller diameter than a tube from which the second stent 14 may be made. The respective tubes may or may not be made of the same material. Alternatively, the first and second stent may be formed from a single piece of material.
When the segments 26 and 28 of the second stent 14 are made from tubes of a smaller diameter than the segments 22 and 24 of the first stent 12, the radial force of the first stent segments 22 and 24 is larger than the radial force of the second stent segments 26 and 28, especially at larger cross sections.
Accordingly, bridges 18 can be made from one of these tubes, and thus be integral with segments 22 and 24 or segments 26 and 28. Alternatively, the bridges 18 can be separate pieces of material.
In further embodiments, bridges 18 are omitted such that the individual segments are spaced as desired during installation and use. These individual segments are still delivered and implanted in the same core and sheath assembly.
The bridges 18 between two consecutive segments could be greater or smaller in number than six, and they could have a shape other than an omega shape, permitting their multidirectional elasticity, and in particular a V shape or W shape.
For example,
Thus, the stent system 10 of
Alternatively, the lower segment 24 of the first stent 12 could itself have, in the expanded state, a widened shape similar to that of the second stent and corresponding to the shape of the widened connecting zone (increasing diameter in the proximal direction) by which, in certain bifurcations, the secondary conduits 34 are connected to the widened transition zone 46. Thus, the lower segment 24 of the first stent 12, or the entire first stent 12 may have a first diameter at its distal end, and a second, larger diameter at its proximal end with a linear or progressive curve (flared) taper in between. According to this embodiment, this segment 24 would thus have a shape corresponding to the shape of this widened connecting zone, and would ensure perfect support thereof.
One method of making a self-expanding stent is by appropriate cutting of a sheet of nickel/titanium alloy (for example, an alloy known by the name NITINOL may appropriately be used) into a basic shape, then rolling the resulting blank into a tubular form. The blank may be held in a cylindrical or frustoconical form by welding the opposing edges of this blank which come into proximity with each other. The stent(s) may also be formed by laser cutting from metal tube stock as is known in the art. Alternatively, a stent may be formed by selectively bending and forming a suitable cylindrical or noncylindrical tubular shape from a single or multiple wires, or thin strip of a suitable elastic material. Those skilled in the art will understand that many methods and materials are available for forming stents, only some of which are described herein.
Some Nickel Titanium alloys are malleable at a temperature of the order of 10° C. but can recover a neutral shape at a temperature substantially corresponding to that of the human body.
In one embodiment, the contraction of a stent may cause the mesh cell edges 48 to pivot in relation to the transverse edges 49 of the mesh cells 36 in such a way that the mesh cells 36 have, in this state of contraction, a substantially rectangular shape. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other materials and methods of manufacturing may be employed to create a suitable self-expanding stent.
Alternatively, the stents used may be manually expandable by use of an inflatable dilatation balloon with or without perfusion as will be discussed further below. Many methods of making balloon-expandable stents are known to those skilled in the art. Balloon expandable stents may be made of a variety of bio-compatible materials having desirable mechanical properties such as stainless steel and titanium alloys. Balloon-expandable stents preferably have sufficient radial stiffness in their expanded state that they will hold the vessel wall at the desired diameter. In the case of a balloon-expandable second stent 14, the balloon on which the second stent 14 is disposed may be specifically adapted to conform to the desired shape of the second stent 14. Specifically, such a balloon will preferably have a larger diameter at a distal end than at a proximal end.
The present discussion thus provides a pair of dissimilar stents permitting the treatment of a pathological condition in the area of a bifurcation 30. This system has the many advantages indicated above, in particular those of ensuring a perfect support of the vessel wall and of being relatively simple to position.
For the sake of simplification, the segment which has, in the unconstrained expanded state, a cross section substantially greater than the cross section of one of the secondary conduits will be referred to hereinafter as the “secondary segment”, while the segment which has, in the expanded state, a truncated shape will be referred to hereinafter as the “truncated segment.”
The secondary segment is intended to be introduced into the secondary conduit in the contracted state and when expanded will preferably bear against the wall of the conduit. This expansion not only makes it possible to treat a narrowing or a dissection situated in the area of the conduit, but also to ensure perfect immobilization of the apparatus in the conduit.
In this position, the truncated segment bears against the wall of the conduit delimiting the widened transitional zone of the bifurcation, which it is able to support fully. A narrowing or a dissection occurring at this site can thus be treated by means of this apparatus, with uniform support of the vascular wall, and thus without risk of this wall being damaged.
The two segments may be adapted to orient themselves suitably in relation to each other upon their expansion.
Advantageously, at least the truncated segment may be covered by a membrane (for example, Dacron® or ePTFE) which gives it impermeability in a radial direction. This membrane makes it possible to trap between it and the wall of the conduit, the particles which may originate from the lesion being treated, such as arteriosclerotic particles or cellular agglomerates, thus avoiding the migration of these particles in the body. Thus, the apparatus can additionally permit treatment of an aneurysm by guiding the liquid through the bifurcation and thereby preventing stressing of the wall forming the aneurysm.
The segments can be made from tubes of material of a different diameter, as discussed above, with the tube for the truncated segment having a larger diameter than the tube for the secondary segment. The tubes may be made from the same material. The use of tubes of different diameters can result in the truncated segment having a larger radial force, especially at larger diameters.
The apparatus can comprise several secondary segments, placed one after the other, to ensure supplementary support of the wall of the secondary conduit and, if need be, to increase the anchoring force of the stent in the bifurcation. To this same end, the apparatus can comprise, on that side of the truncated segment directed toward the principal conduit, at least one radially expandable segment having, in the expanded state, a cross section which is substantially greater than the cross section of the principal conduit.
These various supplementary segments may or may not be connected to each other and to the two aforementioned segments by means of flexible links, such as those indicated above.
The flexible links can be integral with one of the segments and separately connected to the other segment, or the flexible links can be separate pieces of material separately connected to both segments, such as by welding.
Preferably, the flexible link between two consecutive segments is made up of one or more bridges of material connecting the two adjacent ends of these two segments. Said bridge or bridges are advantageously made of the same material as that forming the segments.
Each segment may have a meshwork structure, the meshes being elongated in the longitudinal direction of the stent, and each one having a substantially hexagonal shape; the meshes of the truncated segment may have a width which increases progressively in the longitudinal sense of the stent, in the direction of the end of this segment having the greatest cross section in the expanded state.
This increase in the width of the meshes is the result of an increase in the length of the edges of the meshes disposed longitudinally and/or an increase in the angle formed between two facing edges of the same mesh.
In addition, the truncated segment can have an axis not coincident with the longitudinal axis of the secondary segment, but oblique in relation to this axis, in order to be adapted optimally to the anatomy of the bifurcation which is to be treated. In this case, the widths of the meshes of the truncated segment also increase progressively, in the transverse sense of the stent, in the direction of a generatrix diametrically opposite that located in the continuation of the bridge connecting this segment to the adjacent segment.
The apparatus can be made of a metal with shape memory, which becomes malleable, without elasticity, at a temperature markedly lower than that of the human body, in order to permit retraction of the apparatus upon itself, and to allow it to recover its neutral shape at a temperature substantially corresponding to that of the human body. This metal may be a nickel/titanium alloy known by the name NITINOL.
The deployment catheter for positioning the stent or stents comprises means for positioning the stents and means for permitting the expansion of the stents when the latter are in place. These means can comprise a catheter having a removable sheath in which the stent is placed in the contracted state, when this stent is made of an elastic material, or a support core comprising an inflatable balloon on which the stent is placed, when this stent is made of a nonelastic material.
In either case, this equipment comprises, according to the invention, means with which it is possible to identify and access, through the body of the patient, the longitudinal location of the truncated segment, so that the latter can be correctly positioned in the area of the widened zone of the bifurcation.
In the case where the expansion of this same segment is not uniform in relation to the axis of the stent, the equipment additionally comprises means with which it is possible to identify, through the body of the patient, the angular orientation of the stent in relation to the bifurcation to be treated, so that the part of this segment having the greatest expansion can be placed in a suitable manner in relation to the bifurcation.
Referring to
The elongate delivery catheter 100 generally includes a proximal end assembly 102, a proximal shaft section 110 including a tubular body 111, a distal shaft section 120 including a distal tubular body 113, and a distal end assembly 107. The proximal end 102 may include a handpiece 140, having one or more hemostatic valves and/or access ports 106, such as for the infusion of drugs, contrast media or inflation media in a balloon expandable stent embodiment, as will be understood by those of skill in the art. In addition, a proximal guidewire port 172 may be provided on the handpiece 140 in an over the wire embodiment (see
The length of the catheter depends upon the desired application. For example, lengths in the area of about 120 cm to about 140 cm are typical for use in coronary applications reached from a femoral artery access. Intracranial or lower carotid artery applications may call for a different catheter shaft length depending upon the vascular access site, as will be apparent to those of skill in the art.
The catheter 100 preferably has as small an outside diameter as possible to minimize the overall outside diameter (e.g. crossing profile) of the delivery catheter, while at the same time providing sufficient column strength to permit distal transluminal advancement of the tapered tip 122. The catheter 100 also preferably has sufficient column strength to allow an outer, axially moveable sheath 114 to be proximally retracted relative to the central core 112 in order to expose the stents 118. The delivery catheter 100 may be provided in either “over-the-wire” or “rapid exchange” types as will be discussed further below, and as will generally be understood by those skilled in the art.
In a catheter intended for peripheral vascular applications, the outer sheath 114 will typically have an outside diameter within the range of from about 0.065 inches to about 0.092 inches. In coronary vascular applications, the outer sheath 114 may have an outside diameter with the range of from about 0.039 inches to about 0.065. Diameters outside of the preferred ranges may also be used, provided that the functional consequences of the diameter are acceptable for the intended purpose of the catheter. For example, the lower limit of the diameter for any portion of catheter 100 in a given application will be a function of the number of guidewire, pullwire or other functional lumen contained in the catheter, together with the acceptable minimum flow rate of dilatation fluid, contrast media or drugs to be delivered through the catheter and minimum contracted stent diameter.
The ability of the catheter 100 to transmit torque may also be desirable, such as to avoid kinking upon rotation, to assist in steering, and in embodiments having an asymmetrical distal end on the proximal stent 14. The catheter 100 may be provided with any of a variety of torque and/or column strength enhancing structures, for example, axially extending stiffening wires, spiral wrapped support layers, or braided or woven reinforcement filaments which may be built into or layered on the catheter 100. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,891,114 to Chien, et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated in its entirety herein by reference.
Referring to
At the distal end 107, the catheter is adapted to retain and deploy one or more stents within a conduit of a human body. With reference to
The outer sheath 114 may extend over a substantial length of the catheter 100, or may comprise a relatively short length, distal to the proximal guidewire access port 172 as will be discussed. In general, the outer sheath 114 is between about 5 and about 25 cm long.
Referring to
The outer sheath 114 and inner core 112 may be produced in accordance with any of a variety of known techniques for manufacturing rapid exchange or over the wire catheter bodies, such as by extrusion of appropriate biocompatible polymeric materials. Known materials for this application include high and medium density polyethylenes, polytetrafluoroethylene, nylons, PEBAX, PEEK, and a variety of others such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,973 to Saab, the disclosure of which is incorporated in its entirety herein by reference. Alternatively, at least a proximal portion or all of the length of central core 112 and/or outer sheath 114 may comprise a metal or polymeric spring coil, solid walled hypodermic needle tubing, or braided reinforced wall, as is understood in the catheter and guidewire arts.
The distal portion 117 of outer sheath 114 is positioned concentrically over the stents 118 in order to hold them in their contracted state. As such, the distal portion 117 of the outer sheath 114 is one form of a releasable restraint. The releasable restraint preferably comprises sufficient radial strength that it can resist deformation under the radial outward bias of a self-expanding stent. The distal portion 117 of the outer sheath 114 may comprise a variety of structures, including a spring coil, solid walled hypodermic needle tubing, banded, or braided reinforced wall to add radial strength as well as column strength to that portion of the outer sheath 114. Alternatively, the releasable restraint may comprise other elements such as water soluble adhesives or other materials such that once the stents are exposed to the fluid environment and/or the temperature of the blood stream, the restraint material will dissolve, thus releasing the self-expandable stents. A wide variety of biomaterials which are absorbable in an aqueous environment over different time intervals are known including a variety of compounds in the polyglycolic acid family, as will be understood by those of skill in the art. In yet another embodiment, a releasable restraint may comprise a plurality of longitudinal axial members disposed about the circumference of the stents. According to this embodiment anywhere from one to ten or more axial members may be used to provide a releasable restraint. The axial members may comprise cylindrical rods, flat or curved bars, or any other shape determined to be suitable.
In some situations, self expanding stents will tend to embed themselves in the inner wall of the outer sheath 114 over time. As illustrated in
The inner surface of the outer sheath 114, and/or the outer surface of the central core 112 may be further provided with a lubricious coating or lining such as Paralene, Teflon, silicone, polyimide-polytetrafluoroethylene composite materials or others known in the art and suitable depending upon the material of the outer sheath 114 and/or central core 112.
The pull wire slot 224 is preferably of sufficient length to allow the sheath 114 to be fully retracted. Thus, the pull wire slot 224 is preferably at least as long as the distance from the distal end of the stent stop 218 to the distal end of the sheath 114 as shown in
In yet another embodiment illustrated for example in
The pull wire 222 may comprise a variety of suitable profiles known to those skilled in the art, such as round, flat straight, or tapered. The diameter of a straight round pull wire 222 may be between about 0.008″ and about 0.018″ and in one embodiment is about 0.009″. In another embodiment, the pull wire 222 has a multiple tapered profile with diameters of 0.015″, 0.012″, and 0.009″ and a distal flat profile of 0.006″×0.012″. The pull wire 222 may be made from any of a variety of suitable materials known to those skilled in the art, such as stainless steel or nitinol, and may be braided or single strand and may be coated with a variety of suitable materials such as Teflon, Paralene, etc. The wire 222 has sufficient tensile strength to allow the sheath 114 to be retracted proximally relative to the core 112. In some embodiments, the wire 222 may have sufficient column strength to allow the sheath 114 to be advanced distally relative to the core 112 and stents 12, 14. For example, if the distal stent 12 has been partially deployed, and the clinician determines that the stent 12 should be re-positioned, the sheath 114 may be advanced distally relative to the stent 12 thereby re-contracting and capturing that stent on the core.
In general, the tensile strength or compressibility of the pull wire 222 may also be varied depending upon the desired mode of action of the outer sheath 114. For example, as an alternative to the embodiment described above, the outer sheath 114 may be distally advanced by axially distally advancing the pull wire 222, to release the stent 118. In a hybrid embodiment, the outer sheath 114 is split into a proximal portion and a distal portion. A pull wire is connected to the proximal portion, to allow proximal retraction to release the proximal stent. A push wire is attached to the distal portion, to allow distal advance, thereby releasing the distal stent. These construction details of the catheter 100 and nature of the wire 222 may be varied to suit the needs of each of these embodiments, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the disclosure herein.
The stents 118 are carried on the central support core 112, and are contracted radially thereon. By virtue of this contraction, the stents 118 have a cross section which is smaller than that of the conduits 32 and 34, and they can be introduced into these as will be described below. The stents 118 are preferably disposed on a radially inwardly recessed distal portion 129 of the central core 112 having a smaller diameter than the adjacent portions of the core 112. See
Proximal movement of the stents 118 relative to the core 112 is prevented when the stents are in the radially contracted configuration by a proximal abutment surface such as annular shoulder 125. The distal abutment 124 and proximal abutment 125 may be in the form of annular end faces formed by the axial ends of annular recess 129 in the core 112, for receiving the compressed stents 118. See
The deployment device 100 typically has a soft tapered tip 122 secured to the distal end of inner core 112, and usually has a guidewire exit port 126 as is known in the art. The tapered distal tip 122 facilitates insertion and atraumatic navigation of the vasculature for positioning the stent system 118 in the area of the bifurcation to be treated. The distal tip 122 can be made from any of a variety of polymeric materials well known in the medical device arts, such as polyethylene, nylon, PTFE, and PEBAX. In the embodiment shown in
The distal tip 122 tapers in one embodiment from an outside diameter which is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the outer sheath 114 at the proximal end 128 of the tip 122 to an outside diameter at its distal end 130 of slightly larger than the outside diameter of a guidewire. The overall length of the distal tip 122 in one embodiment of the delivery catheter 100 is about 3 mm to about 12 mm, and in one embodiment the distal tip is about 8 mm long. The length and rate of taper of the distal tip 122 can be varied depending upon the desired trackability and flexibility characteristics. The tip 122 may taper in a linear, curved or any other manner known to be suitable.
With reference to
In the construction shown in cross-section in
In one embodiment, the proximal shaft tube 111 comprises a stainless steel hypodermic needle tubing having an outside diameter of about 0.025″ and a wall thickness of about 0.003″. The distal end 123 of the hypotube is cut or ground into a tapered configuration. The axial length of the tapered zone may be varied widely, depending upon the desired flexibility characteristics of the catheter 100. In general, the axial length of the taper is within the range of from about 1 cm to about 5 cm, and, in one embodiment, is about 2.5 cm. Tapering the distal end of the hypotube at the transition with the distal portion of the catheter provides a smooth transition of the flexibility characteristics along the length of the catheter, from a relatively less flexible proximal section to a relatively more flexible distal section as will be understood by those of skill in the art.
Referring to
As shown in
The inflatable balloon 116, if present, may be positioned beneath one or both stents, such as stent 14 as illustrated in
As seen in
The illustrated control 150 is preferably moveable from a first position to a second position for partial deployment of the first stent 12, and a third position for complete deployment of the first stent 12. A fourth and a fifth positions are also provided to accomplish partial and complete deployment of the second stent 14. The control 150 may include indicia 160 adapted to indicate the amount of each stent 12 or 14 which has been exposed as the sheath 114 is retracted relative to the core 112. The indicia 160 may include dents, notches, or other markings to visually indicate the deployment progress. The control 150 may also or alternatively provide audible and/or tactile feedback using any of a variety of notches or other temporary catches to cause the slider to “click” into positions corresponding to partial and full deployment of the stents 12, 14. Alignable points of electrical contact may also be used. Those skilled in the art will recognize that many methods and structures are available for providing a control 150 as desired.
The catheter 100 may include a plurality of radiopaque markers 250 (seen best in
With reference to
A central marker 252 makes it possible to visualize, with the aid of a suitable radiography apparatus, the position of a bridge 18 separating the two stents 12, 14. Thus allowing a specialist to visualize the location of the second stent 14 so that it can be correctly positioned in relation to the widened zone 46. The end markers 250A allow a specialist to ensure that the stents 12, 14 are correctly positioned, respectively, in the main/principal conduit 32 and the secondary/branch conduit 34.
A diamond-shaped marker 252 as shown in
Methods of positioning and deploying a pair of dissimilar stents in an area of a bifurcation will now be discussed with reference to
A method of delivering a stent system as described above generally and illustrated in
The delivery catheter 100 may be constructed according to any of the embodiments described above such that the stents 12, 14 may be selectively deployed by axially displacing the outer sheath 114 along the delivery catheter, thereby selectively exposing the stent system 10. This may be accomplished by holding the sheath 114 fixed relative to the bifurcation, and selectively distally advancing the central core 112. Thus, the present invention contemplates deploying one or more stents by distally advancing the central core (inner sheath) rather than proximally retracting the outer sheath as a mode of stent deployment. The stent system may alternatively be deployed by holding the central core fixed relative to the bifurcation and selectively proximally retracting the sheath 114. The catheter may also be adapted to allow the sheath to be advanced distally, thereby re-contracting the partially deployed stents on the central core 112 to allow repositioning or removal.
In order to visualize the position of a partially-deployed stent with a suitable radiographic apparatus, a contrast media may be introduced through the catheter to the region of the stent placement. Many suitable contrast media are known to those skilled in the art. The contrast media may be introduced at any stage of the deployment of the stent system 10. For example, a contrast media may be introduced after partially deploying the first stent 12, after fully deploying the first stent 12, after partially deploying the second stent 14, or after fully deploying the second stent 14.
The degree of deployment of the stent system 10 is preferably made apparent by the indicators on the handpiece 140 as described above. The handpiece 140 and outer sheath are preferably adapted such that a motion of a control on the handpiece 140 results in proximal motion of the outer sheath 114 relative to the distal tip 122 and the stents 12, 14. The handpiece 140 and sheath 114 may also be adapted such that the sheath may be advanced distally relative to the stents 12, 14, thus possibly re-contracting one of the stents 12, 14 on the core 112. This may be accomplished by providing a pull wire 222 having a distal end 223 attached to a portion of the outer sheath 114, and a proximal end adapted to be attached to the handpiece 140. Alternatively, the handpiece 140 may be omitted, and the retraction wire 222 may be directly operated by the clinician.
In an alternative embodiment, indicated by
In a preferred embodiment, the second stent 14 is placed in close proximity to the first stent 12. For example, the distal end 38 of the second stent 14 may be placed within a distance of about 4 mm of the proximal end 42 of the first stent 12, more preferably this distance is less than about 2 mm, and most preferably the first and second stents 12, 14 are placed within 1 mm of one another. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the relative positioning of the first and second stents 12, 14 will at least partially depend on the presence or absence of a bridge 18 as discussed above. The axial flexibility of any bridge 18 will also affect the degree of mobility of one of the stents relative to the other. Thus, a stent system 10 will preferably be chosen to best suit the particular bifurcation to be treated.
As mentioned above, the stents 12, 14 may be self-expanding or balloon-expandable (e.g. made of a substantially non-elastic material). Thus the steps of partially deploying the first and/or the second stent may include introducing an inflation fluid into a balloon on which a stent is disposed, or alternatively the stent may be allowed to self-expand. In the case of a balloon-expandable second stent 14, the balloon 116 (
After complete expansion of the stents 12, 14, the distal end of the delivery catheter 100 including the core 112 and the guidewire 170 may be withdrawn from the conduits and the vasculature of the patient. Alternatively, additional stents may also be provided on a delivery catheter, which may also be positioned and deployed in one or both branches of the bifurcation. For example, after deploying the second stent 14 as shown in
Referring to
As will be clear to those skilled in the art, the stent system 10 and stent delivery system 100 described herein is useful in treating a number of pathological conditions commonly found in vascular systems and other fluid conduit systems of human patients. Treatment with the apparatus can include re-establishing the appropriate diameter of a bifurcation in cases of arteriosclerosis or internal cell proliferation, or in rectifying a localized or nonlocalized dissection in the wall of the conduit, or in re-creating a bifurcation of normal diameter while eliminating the aneurysmal pouch in cases of aneurysm.
One or more of the stents deployed in accordance with the present invention may be coated with or otherwise carry a drug to be eluted over time at the bifurcation site. Any of a variety of therapeutically useful agents may be used, including but not limited to, for example, agents for inhibiting restenosis, inhibiting platelet aggregation, or encouraging endothelialization. Some of the suitable agents may include smooth muscle cell proliferation inhibitors such as rapamycin, angiopeptin, and monoclonal antibodies capable of blocking smooth muscle cell proliferation; anti-inflammatory agents such as dexamethasone, prednisolone, corticosterone, budesonide, estrogen, sulfasalazine, acetyl salicylic acid, and mesalamine, lipoxygenase inhibitors; calcium entry blockers such as verapamil, diltiazem and nifedipine; antineoplastic/antiproliferative/anti-mitotic agents such as paclitaxel, 5-fluorouracil, methotrexate, doxorubicin, daunorubicin, cyclosporine, cisplatin, vinblastine, vincristine, colchicine, epothilones, endostatin, angiostatin, Squalamine, and thymidine kinase inhibitors; L-arginine; antimicrobials such astriclosan, cephalosporins, aminoglycosides, and nitorfurantoin; anesthetic agents such as lidocaine, bupivacaine, and ropivacaine; nitric oxide (NO) donors such as lisidomine, molsidomine, NO-protein adducts, NO-polysaccharide adducts, polymeric or oligomeric NO adducts or chemical complexes; anti-coagulants such as D-Phe-Pro-Arg chloromethyl ketone, an RGD peptide-containing compound, heparin, antithrombin compounds, platelet receptor antagonists, anti-thrombin antibodies, anti-platelet receptor antibodies, enoxaparin, hirudin, Warafin sodium, Dicumarol, aspirin, prostaglandin inhibitors, platelet inhibitors and tick antiplatelet factors; interleukins, interferons, and free radical scavengers; vascular cell growth promoters such as growth factors, growth factor receptor antagonists, transcriptional activators, and translational promotors; vascular cell growth inhibitors such as growth factor inhibitors (e.g., PDGF inhibitor—Trapidil), growth factor receptor antagonists, transcriptional repressors, translational repressors, replication inhibitors, inhibitory antibodies, antibodies directed against growth factors, bifunctional molecules consisting of a growth factor and a cytotoxin, bifunctional molecules consisting of an antibody and a cytotoxin; Tyrosine kinase inhibitors, chymase inhibitors, e.g., Tranilast, ACE inhibitors, e.g., Enalapril, MMP inhibitors, (e.g., Ilomastat, Metastat), GP IIb/IIIa inhibitors (e.g., Intergrilin, abciximab), seratonin antagnonist, and 5-HT uptake inhibitors; cholesterol-lowering agents; vasodilating agents; and agents which interfere with endogeneus vascoactive mechanisms. Polynucleotide sequences may also function as anti-restenosis agents, such as p15, p16, p18, p19, p21, p27, p53, p57, Rb, nFkB and E2F decoys, thymidine kinase (“TK”) and combinations thereof and other agents useful for interfering with cell proliferation. The selection of an active agent can be made taking into account the desired clinical result and the nature of a particular patient's condition and contraindications. With or without the inclusion of a drug, any of the stents disclosed herein can be made from a bioabsorbable material.
The bifurcation 30 shown in
As shown in
In some embodiments, each of the first (cylindrical) stent 12 and second (tapered) stent 14 can be provided on its own individual delivery catheter. With reference to
A delivery system adapted for use with a single stent will often be sized differently from the two-stent delivery system described above as will be apparent to those of skill in the art in view of the disclosure herein. For example, the axial length of the stent receiving recess 129 in a single stent delivery catheter will often be somewhat shorter than a dual-stent catheter. In general, the axial length of the stent receiving recess 129 in a single, tapered stent system for use in a bifurcation of the coronary artery will be within the range of from about 8 mm to about 18 mm, and often within the range of from about 10 mm to about 13 mm. The tapered stent for use in coronary applications is generally at least 10 mm in axial length, for example, 10 mm, 11 mm, 12 mm, and 13 mm can be used. For coronary applications, the proximal expanded diameter is typically in the range of from about 3 mm, to about 6 mm, and often from about 3.5 mm to about 5.5 mm, and in one embodiment the proximal expanded diameter is about 4.5 mm. The distal expanded diameter is typically in the range of from about 5 mm, to about 8 mm, and often from about 5.5 mm to about 7.5 mm. In one embodiment of a tapered stent for use in coronary applications, the distal expanded diameter is about 6.5 mm. In one embodiment, the outer sheath 114 and the inner lumen of a single stent catheter can be about 11 mm shorter than the corresponding parts in a two-stent system.
A tapered stent for use in carotid or biliary applications generally has an axial length in the range of about 15 mm up to about 20 mm, and often between about 17 mm and about 19 mm. In one particular embodiment a tapered stent for use in carotid or biliary applications has an axial length of about 18 mm. For carotid or biliary applications, the proximal expanded diameter is typically in the range of from about 8 mm, to about 12 mm, and often from about 9 mm to about 11 mm, and in one embodiment the proximal expanded diameter is about 10 mm. The distal expanded diameter is typically in the range of from about 11 mm, to about 15 mm, and often from about 12 mm to about 14 mm. In one embodiment of a tapered stent for use in coronary applications, the distal expanded diameter is about 13 mm. In general, the distal expanded diameter is generally at least about 40% of the axial length, and often the distal expanded diameter is more than 50% of the axial length.
The stent system described may be adapted as mentioned above to treat any of a number of bifurcations within a human patient. For example, bifurcations of both the left and right coronary arteries, the bifurcation of the circumflex artery, the carotid, femoral, iliac, popliteal, renal or other coronary bifurcations. Alternatively this apparatus may be used for nonvascular bifurcations, such as tracheal or biliary bifurcations, for example between the common bile and cystic ducts, or in the area of the bifurcation of the principal bile tract.
Although certain preferred embodiments and examples have been described herein, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present inventive subject matter extends beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments to other alternative embodiments and/or uses of the invention and obvious modifications and equivalents thereof. Thus, it is intended that the scope of the present inventive subject matter herein disclosed should not be limited by the particular disclosed embodiments described above, but should be determined only by a fair reading of the claims that follow.
Claims
1. A deployment system for treating a bifurcation of a main vessel and a first and second branch vessels, comprising:
- an elongate, flexible body, having an end and a downstream end;
- a first stent carried by the downstream end of the body;
- a drug, releasably carried by the stent;
- a releasable restraint, for retaining the stent on the flexible body;
- wherein the downstream end of the stent is larger in diameter than the upstream end of the stent in an unconstrained expanded configuration.
2. A deployment system as in claim 1, further comprising a guidewire lumen extending axially through at least a portion of the flexible body.
3. A deployment system as in claim 2, wherein the guidewire lumen has a proximal access port and a distal access port, and the proximal access port is positioned along the flexible body, spaced distally apart from the proximal end of the flexible body.
4. A deployment system as in claim 2, wherein the guidewire lumen has a proximal access port and a distal access port, and the proximal access port is positioned at the proximal end of the flexible body.
5. A deployment system as in claim 1, wherein the releasable restraint comprises an axially movable control element extending along the length of the flexible body.
6. A deployment system as in claim 1, wherein the releasable restraint comprises a tubular sheath.
7. A deployment system as in claim 1, wherein the releasable restraint comprises a pull wire.
8. A deployment system as in claim 1, wherein the releasable restraint comprises a dissolvable media.
9. A deployment system as in claim 1, wherein the releasable restraint comprises a plurality of expansion limiting bands.
10. A deployment system as in claim 1, further comprising a second stent carried by the distal end of the flexible body.
11. A deployment system as in claim 10, wherein the first and second stents have different expanded geometries from each other.
12. A deployment system as in claim 11, wherein the second stent has a substantially cylindrical unconstrained expanded configuration.
13. A deployment system as in claim 10, wherein the first and second stents are carried by the catheter such that release of the stents from the catheter causes the downstream end of the first stent and an upstream end of the second stent, as implanted, to be separated by a distance of no more than about 4 mm.
14. A deployment system as in claim 1, wherein the expanded diameter of the first stent tapers radially outwardly in the distal direction.
15. A deployment system as in claim 1, further comprising at least one marker on the downstream end.
16. A deployment system as in claim 1, wherein the stent is configured for delivery to a bifurcation of the main coronary vessel such that the downstream end, when delivered, communicates with both the first and second branch vessels.
17. A deployment system as in claim 1, wherein the stent is self expandable.
18. A deployment system as in claim 1, wherein the stent has a single central lumen.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 17, 2008
Publication Date: Jul 3, 2008
Inventors: Jacques Sequin (Old Windsor), Robert John Elicker (Santa Margarita, CA), Jean-Claude Laborde (Vielle-Toulouse)
Application Number: 12/050,068
International Classification: A61F 2/84 (20060101);