Stents and stent delivery system

Abstract

According to an aspect of the invention there is provided an apparatus for delivering a medical stent to a treatment site for forming a conduit between a blood vessel and a heart chamber. The apparatus comprises a hollow cylindrical body having a proximal end and a distal end, the stent being positioned within the body; and an actuator for expelling the stent from the body to form the conduit.

1 . An apparatus for delivering a medical stent to a treatment site for forming a conduit between a blood vessel and a heart chamber, the apparatus comprising: 
 a hollow cylindrical body having a proximal end and a distal end, the stent being positioned within said body; and    an actuator for expelling the stent from said body to form the conduit.    
     
     
         2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said actuator is a plunger.  
     
     
         3 . An apparatus according to  claim 2  wherein said plunger is manually activated.  
     
     
         4 . An apparatus according to  claim 2  wherein said plunger is hydraulically activated.  
     
     
         5 . An apparatus according to  claim 2  further comprising a first premature device deployed proximate the distal end of said body  
     
     
         6 . An apparatus according to  claim 5  wherein said first puncture device is plastic.  
     
     
         7 . An apparatus according to  claim 5  wherein said body is substantially straight.  
     
     
         8 . An apparatus according to  claim 5  wherein said body is substantially curved.  
     
     
         9 . An apparatus according to  claim 9  wherein said body comprises a substantially elbow-shaped curve.  
     
     
         10 . An apparatus according to  claim 10  further comprising an opening in said body proximate said elbow-shaped curve through which the stent is deployed.  
     
     
         11 . An apparatus according to  claim 11  wherein said body is s-shaped.  
     
     
         12 . An apparatus according to  claim 11  further comprising a second puncture device deployed proximate a proximal end of the stent.  
     
     
         13 . An apparatus according to  claim 13  wherein said actuator is a push-pull wire.  
     
     
         14 . An apparatus according to  claim 14  wherein said push-pull wire has a substantially flat profile.  
     
     
         15 . An apparatus according to  claim 14  wherein said push-pull wire has a u-shaped profile and resides adjacent an internal wall of said body.  
     
     
         16 . An apparatus according to  claim 14  wherein said push-pull wire is spring steel.  
     
     
         17 . An apparatus according for forming a conduit between a blood vessel and a heart chamber, the apparatus comprising: 
 a hollow cylindrical body having a proximal end and a distal end;    a stent positioned within said body; and    an actuator positioned at least partially within said body for expelling said stent to form said conduit.    
     
     
         18 . An apparatus according to  claim 18  wherein said actuator is a plunger.  
     
     
         19 . An apparatus according to  claim 19  further comprising a first puncture device deployed proximate the distal end of said body.  
     
     
         20 . An apparatus according to  claim 20  wherein said body is substantially straight.  
     
     
         21 . An apparatus according to  claim 20  wherein said body is substantially curved  
     
     
         22 . An apparatus according to  claim 22  wherein said body comprises a substantially elbow-shaped curve.  
     
     
         23 . An apparatus according to  claim 23  further comprising an opening in said body proximate said elbow-shaped curve through which the stent is deployed.  
     
     
         24 . An apparatus according to  claim 24  wherein said body is s-shaped.  
     
     
         25 . An apparatus according to  claim 24  further comprising a second puncture device deployed proximate a proximal end of the stent.  
     
     
         26 . An apparatus according to  claim 26  wherein said actuator is a push-pull wire.  
     
     
         27 . An apparatus according to  claim 20  wherein said stent is radially expandable.  
     
     
         28 . An apparatus according to  claim 28  wherein said stent is self-expanding  
     
     
         29 . An apparatus according to  claim 20  wherein said stent comprises: 
 a hollow cylindrical section having a proximal end and a distal end; and    a first and second anchoring sections proximate the proximal and distal ends respectively of said hollow cylindrical section.    
     
     
         30 . An apparatus according to  claim 30  wherein said first and second anchoring sections comprise first and second flared ends respectively.  
     
     
         31 . An apparatus according to  claim 31  wherein said first and second anchoring sections comprise first and second flanges respectively.  
     
     
         32 . An apparatus according to  claim 20  wherein said stent is a tapered cylinder having a first diameter at a first end thereof and having a second larger diameter at a second end thereof.  
     
     
         33 . An apparatus according to  claim 20  wherein said stent comprises: 
 a hollow cylindrical section having a first diameter; and    a hollow tapered section having a first end of said first diameter coupled to said hollow cylindrical section and having a second end of a second diameter larger than said first diameter.    
     
     
         34 . An apparatus according to  claim 20  wherein said stent comprises: 
 a hollow central section having a first diameter;    a first hollow tapered section having a first end coupled to said central section and having a second end of a second diameter smaller than said first diameter; and    a second hollow tapered section having a third end coupled to said central section and having a fourth end of a third diameter smaller than said first diameter.    
     
     
         35 . An apparatus according to  claim 20  wherein said stent comprises: 
 a hollow cylindrical section having a first end and a second end; and    a curved tubular section coupled to said first end.    
     
     
         36 . An apparatus according to  claim 20  wherein said stent comprises: 
 a hallow cylindrical section having a first sealed end; and    a channel through a sidewall of said first cylindrical section proximate said first sealed end.    
     
     
         37 . An apparatus according to  claim 20  wherein said stent comprises: 
 a first hollow cylindrical section;    a second hollow cylindrical section; and    a flexible intermediate section coupled between said first and second hollow cylindrical sections.    
     
     
         38 . An apparatus according to  claim 38  wherein said section is helical.  
     
     
         39 . An apparatus according to  claim 38  wherein said flexible intermediate section is configured as a bellows.