Patent ID: 6379365
Filing Date: 2002-04-30
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
A stent deployment system having a reduced diameter shaft, comprising:a balloon catheter with an elongated flexible shaft having proximal and distal ends, and an inflatable balloon affixed to the shaft near the shaft distal end; wherein the shaft has an inflation tube defining an inflation lunen providing fluid communication of an inflation fluid between the shaft proximal end and the balloon, and a guidewire tube defining a guidewire lumen for slidably receiving a guidewire; the guidewire tube having proximal and distal ends and defining proximal and distal guidewire ports respectively; such that the balloon is adapted for selective inflation from a deflated state to an inflated state, as well as later deflation; wherein a proximal end of the balloon, the guidewire tube proximal end, and a distal end of the inflation tube are all mutually affixed at a transition seal; and wherein a distal end of the balloon is affixed to the guidewire tube distal end; an expandable tubular stent mounted around the deflated balloon and crimped to an initial crimped outer diameter; a flexible introducer tip affixed to the distal end of the guidewire tube, the introducer tip defining a conical surface; and a tubular sheath surrounding at least a portion of the balloon catheter shaft, the sheath having a proximal hub and a tubular heath member, the tubular sheath member having a distal sheath portion with an inner diameter slightly greater than the crimped outer diameter of the stent and being adapted to cover the stent in its initial state, and a proximal sheath portion having a diameter less than said distal sheath portion, the sheath being partially retractable in a proximal direction to uncover the stent and e able the balloon to be inflated to expand the stent; and wherein an outer surface of the inflation tube has a crescent shape defining a longitudinal groove in the outer surface of the inflation tube for partially receiving a portion of a guidewire, allowing the proximal sheath portion to have a reduced inner and outer diameter.