Integrated catheter system for balloon angioplasty and stent delivery

Claim 1

An integrated catheter system for balloon angioplasty and stent delivery comprising: a flexible guide wire; a balloon angioplasty catheter having a distal section including an inflatable balloon having a proximal end and distal end, the distal section also having a passageway through which the guide wire can be slideably moved; a radially expandable stent; a stent catheter having a proximal section and a distal section and being generally in the form of an elongated cylinder having a passageway through which the balloon angioplasty catheter can be slideably moved, the stent catheter's distal section including a stent containment cavity into which the stent is placed; first positioning means secured to said distal section of said stent catheter; and, second positioning means mounted to said distal section of said balloon angioplasty catheter, said first positioning means being displaced responsive to a displacement of said stent catheter to a position adjacent said second positioning means while said second positioning means is maintained in a fixed location, for longitudinally centering the stent over the inflatable balloon.

Claim 14

A method for performing balloon angioplasty and placing a stent within a stenosis in an artery of a human being, the method comprising the following steps: a) placing a guide wire through a passageway in a balloon angioplasty catheter which balloon angioplasty catheter is placed coaxially through a central passageway of a stent catheter, the balloon angioplasty catheter having a distal section that includes an inflatable balloon and a radiopaque marker located just proximal to the proximal end of the balloon angioplasty catheter, the stent catheter having a distal section wherein is located a radially expandable stent and a radiopaque marker; b) advancing the guide wire, balloon angioplasty catheter and stent catheter through a vessel of the human body until the distal end of the balloon angioplasty catheter and stent catheter lies proximal to the stenosis; c) advancing the guide wire through the stenosis; d) advancing the balloon angioplasty catheter over the guide wire until an inflatable balloon is placed within the stenosis; e) inflating the inflatable balloon to a first pressure to perform pre-dilatation of the stenosis; f) deflating the inflatable balloon; g) advancing the stent catheter over the balloon angioplasty catheter until the stent is properly positioned over the inflatable balloon of the balloon angioplasty catheter; h) moving the stent catheter back in a proximal direction until the stent is completely uncovered; i) expanding the inflatable balloon to a second pressure thereby imbedding the stent into the wall of the dilated stenosis; j) deflating the inflatable balloon; and k) removing the inflatable balloon angioplasty catheter, stent catheter and guide wire from the vessel of the human body.

Claim 15

A method for performing balloon angioplasty and placing a stent within a stenosis in an artery of a human being, the method comprising the following steps: a) placing a guide wire through a passageway in a balloon angioplasty catheter which balloon angioplasty catheter is placed coaxially through a central passageway of a stent catheter, the balloon angioplasty catheter having a distal section that includes an inflatable balloon and a radiopaque marker located just proximal to the proximal end of the balloon angioplasty catheter, the stent catheter having a distal section wherein is located a radially expandable stent and a radiopaque marker; b) advancing the guide wire, balloon angioplasty catheter and stent catheter through a vessel of the human body until the distal end of the balloon angioplasty catheter and stent catheter lies proximal to the stenosis; c) advancing the guide wire through the stenosis; d) advancing the balloon angioplasty catheter over the guide wire until an inflatable balloon is placed within the stenosis; e) inflating the inflatable balloon to a first pressure to perform pre-dilatation of the stenosis; f) deflating the inflatable balloon; g) advancing the stent catheter over the balloon angioplasty catheter until the stent is properly positioned over the inflatable balloon of the balloon angioplasty catheter; h) moving the stent catheter back in a proximal direction until the stent is completely uncovered; i) expanding the inflatable balloon to a second pressure thereby imbedding the stent into the wall of the dilated stenosis; j) deflating the inflatable balloon; and k) removing the inflatable balloon angioplasty catheter, stent catheter and guide wire from the vessel of the human body.