Patent ID: 9603734
Date: 2017-03-28
CPC Classifications: A61F

Claim:
1. An introducer in combination with a branched stent graft for delivering the branched stent graft to a body vessel, the introducer comprising: a proximal end; a distal end; a distal region intended to remain outside a patient in use; a proximal region to be introduced into a patient in use; a tapered nose cone dilator at the proximal end of the introducer, the tapered nose cone dilator having, a tip, an external surface and a groove in the external surface; a handle in the distal region; a guide wire catheter attached to the tapered nose cone dilator and extending from the tapered nose cone dilator to the distal end of the introducer, the guide wire catheter having a guide wire lumen configured to receive a first guide wire; an introducer catheter having an introducer lumen and disposed at least partially over the guide wire catheter, the introducer catheter having a distal end in the distal region, a proximal end disposed distally of the tapered nose cone dilator, and a proximal opening; a stent graft retention region between the tapered nose cone dilator and the proximal end of the introducer catheter; a branched stent graft disposed over the guide wire catheter in the stent graft retention region, the branched stent graft comprising: a retractable sheath disposed over the branched stent graft and constraining the branched stent graft, the retractable sheath operatively connected to the handle; an indwelling catheter having a lumen, configured to receive a second guide wire, the indwelling catheter at least partially disposed within the introducer lumen alongside the guide wire catheter; and an arrangement to retain the distal end of the branched stent graft to the introducer device, the arrangement including a loop at least partially attached to the distal end of the branched stent graft and a wire engaged with the loop; wherein the indwelling catheter extends from the distal region of the introducer through the introducer catheter lumen to the proximal end of the introducer catheter, out of the introducer catheter lumen at the proximal opening of the introducer catheter, then extends partially along an exterior length of the main body of the branched stent graft, then enters the branch open distal end, then extends through the main lumen of the branched stent graft, then exits the proximal end of the branch stent graft, and then extends into the groove in the tapered nose cone dilator.