Patent ID: 6964676
Filing Date: 2005-11-15
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
1. A stent delivery system comprising: a stent delivery catheter, the stent delivery catheter having a stent mounting region; a stent disposed about the stent mounting region, the stent having an unexpanded position and an expanded position and a first end and a second end; and a stent retaining sleeve anchored to the stent delivery catheter and disposed about at least a portion of the stent in the unexpanded position, at least a portion of the stent retaining sleeve being further characterized as having a plurality of through-holes, the plurality of through-holes being spaced in the stent retaining sleeve such that the stent retaining sleeve resists tearing when the stent is expanded to its expanded position and that the plurality of through-holes remain formed in the stent retaining sleeve and the stent retaining sleeve remains untorn after the stent has been expanded to its expanded position, the stent retaining sleeve further comprising a first stent retaining sleeve and a second stent retaining sleeve, the first and second stent retaining sleeves each having a stent retaining portion and an anchored portion, the stent retaining portion of the first stent retaining sleeve at least partially disposed about the first end of the stent in the unexpanded position, the anchored portion of the first stent retaining sleeve retained about the stent delivery catheter, the stent retaining portion of the second stent retaining sleeve at least partially disposed about the second end of the stent in the unexpanded position, the anchored portion of the second stent retaining sleeve retained about the stent delivery catheter.