Patent ID: 6579306
Filing Date: 2003-06-17
Classification: A61B,A61F

Abstract:
An expansion catheter for bypass surgery of a blood vessel (22) having a circumferential wall (21) comprising a flexible catheter tube (11) and a reversibly expandable stent (13) adapted to be positioned at a distal end (14) of said catheter tube (11), the stent (13) having in its expanded condition at least two expansion zones (16, 18) spaced apart from each and an intermediate constriction (17) therebetween, said stent (13) being provided with a tube-shaped envelope (25) over at least a portion of its length; the stent (13), in its position at said distal end (14), extending in the longitudinal direction of the catheter tube (11) beyond the catheter tube distal end (14) and ending at a distal end (19) of a terminal one (18) of said expansion zones (16, 18) most remote from said catheter tube distal end (14); said intermediate constriction (17) including a longitudinally extending channel (17) having a length which is at least three times greater than the diameter of at least one of the expansion zones (16, 18) in the expanded condition thereof, said channel (17) being substantially smaller in diameter than the expansion zones (16, 18) so that said channel (17) forms within the blood vessel an annular space (26) of substantial volume extending between said expansion zones (16, 18) along which the channel (17) is substantially radially spaced from the wall (21) of the blood vessel (22), said stent distal end (19) defining a diverging opening of said terminal expansion zone (18), and the other terminal expansion zone (16) defining a converging opening (29).