Conformable vascular prosthesis delivery system

Abstract

Novel approaches for a conformable vascular prosthesis delivery system are provided which overcome the limitations of existing high pressure balloons for delivering intravascular prostheses to the site of high-risk plaques. One embodiment involves a short balloon segment which is inflated at one end of the prosthesis and then pulled to traverse the length of the prosthesis, dilating the surrounding prosthesis and securing it to the vessel wall as it traverses the length of the prosthesis. The short balloon segment causes less local trauma to the vessel relative to a full length balloon. Another embodiment involves use of a self-expandable mesh to expand the surrounding prosthesis and secure it to the vessel wall. The self expandable mesh is less traumatic than a typical angioplasty balloon because of the lower radial forces applied and the relatively higher transverse flexibility of the mesh.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1-3 show various aspects of a direct balloon pullback delivery system embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 4-5 show various aspects of a balloon-in-a-balloon pullback delivery system embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 6-16 show various aspects of a captive prosthesis with balloon pullback delivery system embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 17-23 show various aspects of a captive prosthesis with balloon push delivery system embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 24 shows an expandable mesh-based prosthesis delivery system embodiment of the invention.

Claims

1. A method for deploying a radially expandable intravascular prosthesis in a blood vessel, comprising the steps of: providing a radially expandable intravascular prosthesis having an axial length, two opposite ends and a lumen;providing an inflatable deployment balloon having an axial length smaller than the axial length of the prosthesis;expanding the balloon within the lumen of the prosthesis at or near an end of the prosthesis to expand the prosthesis at or near the end; andmoving the expanded balloon toward the opposite end of the prosthesis to progressively expand the prosthesis along its axial length.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of moving the expanded balloon toward the opposite end of the prosthesis to progressively expand the prosthesis along its axial length is performed without cycles of deflating and inflating the balloon.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of moving the expanded balloon toward the opposite end of the prosthesis to progressively expand the prosthesis along its axial length is performed in a continuous motion without deflating the balloon.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the axial length of the inflatable deployment balloon is no more than 30% of the axial length of the prosthesis.

5. A method for deploying a radially expandable intravascular prosthesis in a blood vessel, comprising the steps of: providing an intravascular catheter having a proximal end and a distal insertion end and comprising at or near its distal insertion end: a self-expanding deployment mesh attached to the catheter;a radially expandable intravascular prosthesis surrounding the self-expanding mesh; anda retractable retaining sheath enclosing and constraining the self-expanding deployment mesh and the radially expandable intravascular prosthesis;inserting the catheter into a blood vessel; andretracting the retractable retaining sheath to permit the self-expanding mesh to expand, thereby radially expanding the radially expandable intravascular to radially expand in the blood vessel.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of: after the radially expandable intravascular radially expands in the blood vessel, withdrawing the self-expanding mesh into the catheter; andwithdrawing the catheter from the blood vessel.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of after the radially expandable intravascular radially expands in the blood vessel withdrawing the self-expanding mesh into the catheter comprises moving the retractable retaining sheath back toward an unretracted position.

8. An intravascular catheter for deploying a radially expandable vascular prosthesis, comprising: a proximal end and a distal insertion end and comprising at or near its distal insertion end: a self-expanding deployment mesh attached to the catheter;a radially expandable intravascular prosthesis surrounding the self-expanding mesh, said prosthesis being at least substantially reliant on expansion of the self-expanding deployment mesh for its radial expansion; anda retractable retaining sheath enclosing and constraining the self-expanding deployment mesh and the radially expandable intravascular prosthesis.