Short sleeve stent delivery catheter and methods

Abstract

A stent delivery catheter comprises a catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a guidewire lumen extending from the distal end to at least part way between the proximal end and the distal end. A balloon is disposed over the catheter body near the distal end, and a stent is positioned over the balloon. The stent has a proximal end, a distal end, and a side opening between the proximal end and the distal end. A side sheath is coupled to the catheter body and has a proximal end, a distal end, and a guidewire lumen extending between the proximal end and the distal end. The proximal end of the side sheath is located between the proximal end of the catheter body and the balloon, and the side sheath exits out of the side opening of the stent.

1 . A method for placing a stent having a side hole into a main vessel such that the side hole is aligned with an ostium of a branch vessel that extends from the main vessel, the method comprising:
 (a) providing a delivery catheter that comprises a catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a guidewire lumen extending from the distal end to at least part way between the proximal end and the distal end;
 i. a balloon disposed over the catheter body near the distal end; a stent positioned over the balloon, the stent having a proximal end, a distal end, and a side opening between the proximal end and the distal end; and 
 ii. a side sheath coupled to the catheter body, the side sheath having a proximal end, a distal end, and a guidewire lumen extending between the proximal end and the distal end, wherein the proximal end of the side sheath is located between the proximal end of the catheter body and the balloon, and wherein the side sheath exits out of the side opening of the stent; 
   (b) introducing a main vessel guidewire into the main vessel until a distal end of the main vessel guidewire passes beyond the branch vessel;   (c) introducing a branch vessel guidewire into the main vessel until a distal end of the branch vessel guidewire passes into the branch vessel;   (d) inserting the catheter over the branch vessel guidewire and the main vessel guidewire such that the main vessel guidewire passes through the guidewire lumen of the catheter body and the branch vessel guidewire passes through the side sheath;   (e) advancing the catheter over the main vessel guidewire and the branch vessel guidewire until the side sheath is within the branch vessel and the side opening of the stent is aligned with an ostium of the branch vessel; and   (f) inflating the balloon to deploy the stent.   
   
   
       2 . A method as in  claim 1 , further comprising deflating the balloon and withdrawing the catheter from the main vessel and the branch vessel. 
   
   
       3 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein the catheter body includes at least one marker and the side sheath includes at least one marker, and further comprising observing separation of the markers to indicate that the catheter body has passed beyond the ostium and the side member extends into the branch vessel using angiographic imaging. 
   
   
       4 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein the catheter body guidewire lumen terminates in a side port within the catheter body at a location within about 1 cm to about 150 cm of the distal end, and further comprising routing the main vessel guidewire through the guidewire lumen in the catheter body until exiting through the side port. 
   
   
       5 . A method for placing a stent at a vessel bifurcation using a delivery catheter, the delivery catheter including a catheter body, a balloon, a stent, and a side sheath, the catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a guidewire lumen, the balloon being disposed over the catheter body near the distal end, the stent being positioned over the balloon, the stent having a proximal end, a distal end, and a side opening between the proximal end and the distal end, the side sheath being coupled to the catheter body, the side sheath having a proximal end, a distal end, and a guidewire lumen extending between the proximal end and the distal end, wherein the proximal end of the side sheath is located between the proximal end of the catheter body and the balloon, and wherein the side sheath exits out of the side opening of the stent, the method comprising:
 (a) introducing a main vessel guidewire into the main vessel until a distal end of the main vessel guidewire passes beyond the branch vessel;   (b) introducing a branch vessel guidewire into the main vessel until a distal end of the branch vessel guidewire passes into the branch vessel;   (c) advancing the catheter over the main vessel guidewire and the branch vessel guidewire until the side sheath is within the branch vessel and the side opening of the stent is aligned with an ostium of the branch vessel; and   (d) inflating the balloon to deploy the stent.   
   
   
       6 . A method as in  claim 5 , further comprising deflating the balloon and withdrawing the catheter from the main vessel and the branch vessel. 
   
   
       7 . A method as in  claim 5 , wherein the catheter body includes at least one marker and the side sheath includes at least one marker, and further comprising observing separation of the markers to indicate that the catheter body has passed beyond the ostium and the side member extends into the branch vessel. 
   
   
       8 . A method as in  claim 5 , wherein the catheter body guidewire lumen terminates in a side port within the catheter body at a location within about 1 cm to about 150 cm of the distal end, and further comprising routing the main vessel guidewire through the guidewire lumen in the catheter body until exiting through the side port.