Patent ID: 6547813
Filing Date: 2003-04-15
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
A stent delivery catheter comprising:a catheter shaft having proximal and distal ends and an inflation lumen therein; a tubular balloon having proximal and distal ends, the balloon being mounted on and wrapped around the catheter shaft adjacent the distal end thereof and in communication with the inflation lumen; an elastic tubular sleeve having proximal and distal ends and a premounted length, the sleeve being mounted snugly around the balloon with a sleeve mounted length that is shorter than the premounted length such that excess sleeve material develops during the mounting of the sleeve on the catheter, the sleeve proximal and distal ends being fixed to the catheter shaft adjacent the proximal and distal ends of the balloon respectively; an expandable stent having first and second ends and being shorter in length than the balloon, the stent being crimped about the sleeve and the balloon; and wherein the excess sleeve material is gathered and formed into a first circumferential fold lying over the first end of the stent.