Guidewire loaded stent for delivery through a catheter

Abstract

A method of delivering a stent comprising providing an elongate guide having a stent coaxially supported on the guide for placement and movement by the guide, providing a tubular sheath member, advancing the elongate guide into the body to provide initial access to a preselected treatment site within the body and to carry and deliver the stent to position the stent at the treatment site, and exposing the stent from the tubular sheath member to enable the stent to move from a first reduced diameter position to a second expanded position.

1 - 22 . (canceled)  
   
   
       23 . A method of delivering a stent within a body comprising: 
 providing an elongate guide having a proximal end, a distal end, a length therebetween, and a radially expandable stent coaxially supported on the elongate guide for placement and movement by the elongate guide;    providing a tubular sheath member;    advancing the elongate guide into the body to provide initial access to a preselected treatment site within the body and to carry and deliver the stent to position the stent at the treatment site, the tubular sheath member covering at least part of the stent during advancement through the body; and    exposing the stent from the tubular sheath member to enable the stent to move from a first reduced diameter position to a second expanded position.    
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the step of advancing the elongate guide includes the step of advancing the elongate guide into a lumen of a catheter.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising the step of providing radiopaque marker bands on the elongate guide to visually aid placement of the stent.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the step of exposing the stent comprises retracting the tubular sheath over the stent as an internal diameter of the sheath accommodates an external diameter of the stent.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the step of providing an elongate guide having a stent includes providing the stent on a reduced diameter portion of the elongate guide to reduce the overall profile of the stent delivery assembly.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the elongate guide includes first and second stops, and wherein in the step of advancing the elongate guide, stent movement is restricted by the first and second stops and the stent is movable between the stops.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the guide has a diameter ranging from 0.007 to 0.014 inches and the step of advancing the elongate guide into the body includes the step of advancing the guide into the intracranial vasculature.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the step of providing an elongate guide further comprises the step of providing the elongate guide with proximal and distal stop for maintaining the stent on the elongate guide.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the step of exposing the stent comprises retracting the tubular sheath.  
   
   
       32 . A method of delivering a stent within a hollow body organ comprising: 
 providing a stent delivery assembly including an elongate guide in the form of a wire or hypotube, a stent mounted on the elongate guide proximal of a distalmost tip of the guide, and a tubular sheath for covering a least a portion of the stent during advancement of the elongate guide through the body;    inserting the elongate guide, stent and tubular sheath into the body;    initially advancing the elongate guide into the body to provide initial access to an area of stenosis or aneurysm;    further advancing the elongate guide without passage over a guidewire to cross the stenosis or aneurysm to enable positioning of the stent at the stenosis or aneurysm, the tubular sheath covering at least part of the stent during advancement through the body; and    exposing the stent from the tubular sheath to enable the stent to move from a first reduced diameter position to a second expanded position to treat the stenosis or aneurysm.    
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the step of exposing the stent comprises retracting the tubular sheath.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the elongate guide includes first and second stops, and wherein in the step of advancing the elongate guide, stent movement is restricted by the first and second stops and the stent is movable between the stops.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the step of providing a stent delivery assembly comprises providing the stent on a reduced diameter portion of the elongate guide to provide a reduced profile of the stent delivery assembly.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising the step of withdrawing the elongate guide and tubular sheath after movement of the stent to the second expanded position.