Stent Delivery System And Method

Abstract

A stent, a stent delivery system, and a method of delivering a stent are described that allow the porosity of the stent to be changed dynamically during a delivery procedure. Unlike prior stents and procedures that are configured to deploy with a predetermined porosity, the physician can create a region of high stent porosity over certain vessel features, a low stent porosity over other vessel features, and can create these porosity changes with at least one stent or stent layer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A catheter system, comprising:
 a guide catheter;   a delivery catheter sized to fit within a lumen of the guide catheter;   a pusher sized to fit within a lumen of the delivery catheter; and   wherein the delivery catheter includes a first plurality of measurement indicia along at least a portion of its length so as to illustrate movement of the delivery catheter relative to the guide catheter; and   wherein the pusher includes a second plurality of measurement indicia along at least a portion of its length so as to illustrate movement of the pusher relative to the delivery catheter.   
     
     
         2 . The catheter system of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of measurement indicia are positioned along at least a proximal portion of the delivery catheter. 
     
     
         3 . The catheter system of  claim 1 , wherein the second plurality of measurement indicia are positioned along at least a proximal portion of the pusher. 
     
     
         4 . The catheter system of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of measurement indicia comprise a plurality of lines. 
     
     
         5 . The catheter system of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of lines are each oriented perpendicular to the length of the delivery catheter. 
     
     
         6 . The catheter system of  claim 1 , wherein the second plurality of indicia comprise a plurality of lines. 
     
     
         7 . The catheter system of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of lines are each oriented perpendicular to the length of the pusher. 
     
     
         8 . The catheter system of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of indicia comprise a first plurality of lines and wherein the second plurality of indicia comprise a second plurality of lines. 
     
     
         9 . The catheter system of  claim 8 , wherein the first plurality of lines are oriented perpendicular to the length of the delivery catheter and wherein the second plurality of lines are oriented perpendicular to the length of the pusher. 
     
     
         10 . The catheter system of  claim 1 , further comprising a handle for adjusting the pusher with respect to the delivery catheter. 
     
     
         11 . The catheter system of  claim 10 , wherein the handle is connected to a proximal portion of the pusher. 
     
     
         12 . The catheter system of  claim 10 , wherein the handle includes a thumbwheel. 
     
     
         13 . The catheter system of  claim 12 , wherein the thumbwheel includes a plurality of rotational detents that indicate movement of the pusher a specific distance. 
     
     
         14 . The catheter system of  claim 1 , further comprising a handle for moving the pusher and the delivery catheter. 
     
     
         15 . The catheter system of  claim 14 , wherein the handle includes a tube that is positioned around the pusher. 
     
     
         16 . The catheter system of  claim 15 , wherein the tube is connected to a proximal end of the delivery catheter. 
     
     
         17 . The catheter system of  claim 1 , further comprising a first handle for moving the pusher and a second handle for moving the delivery catheter. 
     
     
         18 . A catheter system, comprising:
 a guide catheter;   a delivery catheter sized to fit within a lumen of the guide catheter;   a pusher sized to fit within a lumen of the delivery catheter;   a handle connected to the pusher for adjusting the pusher with respect to the delivery catheter; and   wherein the delivery catheter includes a first plurality of measurement indicia along at least a portion of its length so as to illustrate movement of the delivery catheter relative to the guide catheter; and   wherein the pusher includes a second plurality of measurement indicia along at least a portion of its length so as to illustrate movement of the pusher relative to the delivery catheter.   
     
     
         19 . The catheter system of  claim 18 , wherein the handle includes a thumbwheel. 
     
     
         20 . The catheter system of  claim 18 , further comprising a second handle connected to the delivery catheter for adjusting the delivery catheter.