Carrier balloon for a stent assembly with radiation-shielding capabilities

Claim 2

A stent carrier assembly for inserting a stent into a blood vessel comprising: a dilation catheter having an inflatable balloon affixed to a distal end thereof, a stent disposed on said inflatable balloon, the stent including an expandable sleeve formed from a radiation-curable material, a fiber-optic conduit disposed in said catheter and extending to said distal end thereof for conducting radiation to said stent for curing it in place after expansion, the distal end of said balloon having a radiation shielding disposed in association therewith to substantially prevent the transmission of radiation out of said balloon along a longitudinal axis of said assembly, said radiation shielding being generally hemispherical in configuration.

Claim 3

The stent carrier assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said radiation shielding is formed from a radiation-reflecting material.

Claim 4

The stent carrier assembly as claims in claim 1, wherein said radiation shielding is formed from a radiation-absorbing material.

Claim 5

The stent carrier assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said radiation shielding is in the form of a coating disposed on an interior surface of said balloon.

Claim 6

The stent carrier assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said radiation shielding forms a concave radiation barrier which reflects radiation emitted from said fiber optic conduit rearwardly along the interior of said balloon.

Claim 7

The stent carrier assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fiber optic conduit has a radiation-emitting portion which extends for at least one-half of the length of said expandable stent.

Claim 8

The stent carrier assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said radiation-curable material is an acrylate.

Claim 9

The stent carrier assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said balloon is substantially transparent.

Claim 10

The stent carrier assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said balloon has a front end portion projecting past an end of said sleeve and said radiation shielding said balloon projecting portion.

Claim 11

A catheter assembly for inserting a stent into a blood vessel by expanding the stent against the walls of the blood vessel and subjecting the stent to radiation to cure it so that it adopts its expanded position within said blood vessel, the catheter assembly comprising: an elongated catheter with a dilation balloon disposed on the catheter at its distal end, the balloon having a given working length at which the balloon expands against said blood vessel walls under pressure from an inflation media, a stent in the form of an expandable sleeve having a length no greater than said balloon working length so that when said balloon is expanded, opposing forward and rearward ends of said balloon generally project out from opposing ends of said sleeve, said sleeve having a layer of radiation-curable material which hardens when exposed to radiation, a fiber-optic cable extending through said catheter into said balloon for conveying light radiation to said catheter distal end, the fiber-optic cable having an emission end which emits light through portions of its outer surface and its distal end, the emission end having a length no greater than said balloon working length, and said balloon having a radiation shielding layer incorporated therein substantially providing a radiation shield for said forward end of said balloon which prevents radiation emitted from said fiber-optic cable from exiting said balloon into said blood vessel, said radiation shielding layer extending from said balloon forward edges to just rearward of said sleeve formed end.

Claim 12

A catheter assembly for inserting a stent into a blood vessel by expanding the stent against the walls of the blood vessel and subjecting the stent to radiation to cure it so that it adopts its expanded position within said blood vessel, the catheter assembly comprising: an elongated catheter with a dilation balloon disposed on the catheter at its distal end, the balloon having a given working length at which the balloon expands against said blood vessel walls under pressure from an inflation media, a stent in the form of an expandable sleeve having a length no greater than said balloon working length so that when said balloon is expanded, opposing forward and rearward ends of said balloon generally project out from opposing ends of said sleeve, said sleeve having a layer of radiation-curable material which hardens when exposed to radiation, a fiber-optic cable extending through said catheter into said balloon for conveying light radiation to said catheter distal end, the fiber-optic cable having an emission end which emits light through portions of its outer surface and its distal end, the emission end having a length no greater than said balloon working length, and said balloon having a radiation shielding layer incorporated therein substantially providing a radiation shield for said forward end of said balloon which prevents radiation emitted from said fiber-optic cable from exiting said balloon into said blood vessel, said radiation shielding layer extending from said balloon forward edges to just rearward of said sleeve formed end.

Claim 13

The catheter assembly of claim 10, wherein said radiation-curable material is an acrylate.

Claim 14

The catheter assembly of claim 10, wherein said radiation shielding layer is disposed on an interior surface of said balloon.

Claim 15

The catheter assembly of claim 10, wherein said balloon is formed from a substantially transparent material.

Claim 16

The catheter assembly of claim 10, wherein said radiation shielding layer is formed from a radiation-reflective material.

Claim 17

The catheter assembly of claim 10, wherein said radiation shielding layer is in the form of a coating disposed on said balloon forward end.

Claim 18

An intraluminal delivery assembly for an expandable stent, comprising: a catheter, an inflatable balloon disposed at a distal end of the catheter, an expandable stent formed from a radiation-curable material disposed on said balloon, means for emitting radiation through said balloon to said radiation-curable material when said stent is expanded by inflation of said balloon, said radiation-emitting means including a fiber-optic cable extending within said balloon and within said stent, said assembly further including a radiation shield formed on said balloon at a forward face thereof, the radiation shield extending coterminous with that portion of said balloon which extends out forwardly from within said stent when said balloon is inflated, said radiation shield preventing radiation emitted from said fiber-optic cable from entering the area surrounding said stent.

Claim 19

An intraluminal delivery assembly for an expandable stent, comprising: a catheter, an inflatable balloon disposed at a distal end of the catheter, an expandable stent formed from a radiation-curable material disposed on said balloon, means for emitting radiation through said balloon to said radiation-curable material when said stent is expanded by inflation of said balloon, said radiation-emitting means including a fiber-optic cable extending within said balloon and within said stent, said assembly further including a radiation shield formed on said balloon at a forward face thereof, the radiation shield extending coterminous with that portion of said balloon which extends out forwardly from within said stent when said balloon is inflated, said radiation shield preventing radiation emitted from said fiber-optic cable from entering the area surrounding said stent.

Claim 20

The intraluminal stent delivery assembly as claimed in claim 16, wherein said radiation shield is located along an interior surface of said balloon.

Claim 21

The intraluminal stent delivery assembly as claimed in claim 16, wherein said radiation shield includes a layer of reflective material which reflects radiation rearwardly within said balloon and along said stent.

Claim 22

A stent carrier assembly for inserting a stent into a blood vessel comprising: a dilation catheter having an inflatable balloon affixed to a distal end thereof, a stent disposed on said inflatable balloon, the stent including an expandable sleeve formed from a radiation-curable material, a fiber-optic conduit disposed in said catheter and extending to said distal end thereof for conducting radiation to said stent for curing it in place after expansion, the distal end of said balloon having a radiation shielding disposed on an interior surface of said balloon to substantially prevent the transmission of radiation out of said balloon along a longitudinal axis of said assembly.

Claim 23

A stent carrier assembly for inserting a stent into a blood vessel comprising: a dilation catheter having an inflatable balloon affixed to a distal end thereof, a stent disposed on said inflatable balloon, the stent including an expandable sleeve formed from a radiation-curable material, a fiber-optic conduit disposed in said catheter and extending to said distal end thereof for conducting radiation to said stent for curing it in place after expansion, the distal end of said balloon having a radiation shielding disposed on an interior surface of said balloon to substantially prevent the transmission of radiation out of said balloon along a longitudinal axis of said assembly.

Claim 24

A stent carrier assembly for inserting a stent into a blood vessel comprising: a dilation catheter having an inflatable balloon affixed to a distal end thereof, a stent disposed on said inflatable balloon, the stent including an expandable sleeve formed from a radiation-curable material, a fiber-optic conduit disposed in said catheter and extending to said distal end thereof for conducting radiation to said stent for curing it in place after expansion, the distal end of said balloon having a radiation shielding disposed in association therewith and extending along a portion of said balloon to substantially prevent the transmission of radiation out of said balloon along a longitudinal axis of said stent carrier assembly.

Claim 25

A stent carrier assembly for inserting a stent into a blood vessel comprising: a dilation catheter having an inflatable balloon affixed to a distal end thereof, a stent disposed on said inflatable balloon, the stent including an expandable sleeve formed from a radiation-curable material, a fiber-optic conduit disposed in said catheter and extending to said distal end thereof for conducting radiation to said stent for curing it in place after expansion, the distal end of said balloon having a radiation shielding disposed in association therewith and extending along a portion of said balloon to substantially prevent the transmission of radiation out of said balloon along a longitudinal axis of said stent carrier assembly.