Medical implant deployment tool

Abstract

A medical implant deployment tool and deployment method are disclosed. One aspect of the invention provides an implant system including an implant adapted for endovascular delivery and deployment; and a deployment tool adapted to deploy the implant, with the deployment tool having an actuation controller; a plurality of actuation elements adapted to apply forces to one or more implant deployment mechanisms and each adapted to extend along an actuation element path within a patient's vasculature; and an actuation element compensation mechanism adapted to compensate for differences in length between the actuation element paths.

1 . (copied from  claim 1  of US 2007/0055340) A catheter system for treating a vascular condition, comprising: a catheter; a catheter center member; a catheter sheath having a plurality of pullwire lumens evenly spaced about a central axis of the catheter; a plurality of pullwires received within the pullwire lumens; and a pivoting connector operably attached to proximal portions of the pullwires; a pull member connected to said pivoting connector which is fixed to said center member to facilitate relative motion between said center member and said pivoting connection. 
     
     
         2 . (copied from  claim 2  of US 2007/0055340) The system of  claim 1  wherein the connector is a wheel having at least one groove formed in an outer surface of the wheel. 
     
     
         3 . (copied from  claim 3  of US 2007/0055340) The system of  claim 1  wherein the connector is a narrow, elongated member. 
     
     
         4 . (copied from  claim 4  of US 2007/0055340) The system of  claim 1  wherein the connector is a substantially flat, triangular plate. 
     
     
         5 . (copied from  claim 5  of US 2007/0055340) The system of  claim 1  wherein the connector is a hemisphere. 
     
     
         6 . (copied from  claim 6  of US 2007/0055340) The system of  claim 1  further comprising: a master pullwire operably attached to the connector. 
     
     
         7 . (copied from  claim 7  of US 2007/0055340) The system of  claim 1  wherein the catheter includes a central guidewire lumen. 
     
     
         8 . (copied from  claim 8  of US 2007/0055340) The system of  claim 7  further comprising: a guidewire. 
     
     
         9 . (copied from  claim 9  of US 2007/0055340) The system of  claim 1  further comprising: a flexible conduit enclosing a proximal portion of each pullwire. 
     
     
         10 . (copied from  claim 10  of US 2007/0055340) A stent delivery system, comprising: a catheter having a plurality of pullwire lumens evenly spaced about a central axis of the catheter; a stent mounted on a distal portion of the catheter; a retractable sheath enclosing the stent; and a plurality of pullwires received within the pullwire lumens, the pullwires attached to the retractable sheath. 
     
     
         11 . (copied from  claim 11  of US 2007/0055340) The system of  claim 10  further comprising: a pivoting connector operably attached to proximal portions of the pullwires. 
     
     
         12 . (copied from  claim 12  of US 2007/0055340) The system of  claim 11  further comprising: a master pullwire operably attached to the connector. 
     
     
         13 . (copied from  claim 13  of US 2007/0055340) The system of  claim 10  wherein the pullwires are attached to a mid-portion of the retractable sheath. 
     
     
         14 . (copied from  claim 14  of US 2007/0055340) The system of  claim 10  wherein the catheter includes a central guidewire lumen. 
     
     
         15 . (copied from  claim 15  of US 2007/0055340) The system of  claim 14  further comprising: a guidewire. 
     
     
         16 . (copied from  claim 16  of US 2007/0055340) A stent delivery system, comprising: an inner member; a stent mounted on the inner member; a catheter enclosing at least a portion of the stent, the catheter including a plurality of pullwire lumens evenly spaced about a central axis of the catheter; and a plurality of pullwires received within the pullwire lumens. 
     
     
         17 . (copied from  claim 17  of US 2007/0055340) The system of  claim 16  further comprising: a pivoting connector operably attached to proximal portions of the pullwires. 
     
     
         18 . (copied from  claim 18  of US 2007/0055340) The system of  claim 17  further comprising: a master pullwire operably attached to the connector. 
     
     
         19 . (copied from  claim 19  of US 2007/0055340) The system of  claim 16  further comprising: a retractable sheath enclosing a distal portion of the stent, wherein distal portions of the pullwires are attached to the retractable sheath. 
     
     
         20 . (copied from  claim 20  of US 2007/0055340) The system of  claim 19  wherein the retractable sheath encloses a distal portion of the catheter. 
     
     
         21 . (copied from  claim 21  of US 2007/0055340) The system of  claim 16  wherein the inner member includes a central guidewire lumen. 
     
     
         22 . (copied from  claim 22  of US 2007/0055340) The system of  claim 21  further comprising: a guidewire.