Stent with self-deployable portion having wings of different lengths

Abstract

The present invention provides methods and devices for placement of a stent in a bifurcation or ostial lesion. The stent comprises a main body and a flaring portion. The main body is designed to expand and support a main vessel of the bifurcation and defines a main body axis. The flaring portion is disposed on a side of the main body and is adapted to flare radially and offset the main body axis in response to expansion of the main body. The flaring portion comprises at least one distal wing and at least one proximal wing. Each wing is aligned along the main body axis. The at least one proximal wing is longer than the at least one distal wing, providing greater coverage of the proximal side of the side vessel than on the distal surface of the side vessel.

1 . A method for deploying a stent at a vascular bifurcation having a side vessel branching from a main vessel, said method comprising:
 positioning a main body of the stent in the main vessel at the bifurcation;   opening a distal wing and a proximal wing from the main body into the side vessel, wherein the distal wing is shorter than the proximal wing so that there is greater coverage on a proximal surface of the side vessel by the proximal wing than on the distal surface of the side vessel by the distal wing.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the side branch branches from the main vessel at an acute angle in a distal direction. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the vascular bifurcation defines a proximal intersection angle between the main vessel and the side vessel, and wherein opening the proximal wing comprises opening the proximal wing to an angle corresponding to the proximal intersection angle. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the vascular bifurcation defines a transition zone between the main vessel and the side vessel, the transition zone having a distal radius of curvature, and wherein opening the distal wing comprises opening the distal wing to an angle corresponding to the distal radius of curvature. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 positioning a side branch stent at the side vessel, wherein the side branch stent has a proximal end and a distal end and wherein the proximal end of the side branch stent is positioned adjacent the bifurcation;   expanding the side branch stent, wherein the greater coverage on the proximal side of the side vessel by the proximal wing than on the distal side of the side vessel of by the distal wing minimizes the gap between the proximal end of the side branch stent and the proximal and distal wings of the main body.