Abstract:
A stent delivery and deployment system for placement of vascular stents. The device employs a guide wire which is threaded into position in a vein or artery of a patient. An elongated stent having a central cavity communicating therethrough also has a passageway formed axially on or integral to, the sidewall defining the central cavity. The passageway has a diameter sufficient in size to slide upon the guide wire to allow the stent to be translated to the desired position in the blood vessel with the guide wire engaged in the passage. Sliding the stent to the proper position is accomplished by insertion of a balloon angioplasty catheter engaged with the stent, or other means to translate the stent on the guide wire, and sliding the stent with the on the engaged guide wire to the desired position. Once so positioned the stent is expanded and engaged in the blood vessel and the catheter may be removed leaving the guide wire in place for subsequent placement of additional stents or removal. The device also provides for positioning of stents adjacent to each other without gaps therebetween and cooperatively engaging adjacent stents if desired.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to the field of angioplasty. More particularly, the disclosed device provides for the insertion, delivery and deployment of one or a plurality of stents into the arterial or venal system of the human body which also has unique abutment, overlapping and interlocking capabilities provided by guiding the stent to position using a single in-place guide wire. Additionally, the device provides for the addition of one or more stents with or without overlapping or interlocking capabilities adjacent to an existing implanted stent within the arterial or venal system of the human body. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The use of balloon angioplasty catheters to treat strictures, stenoses, or narrowing of the arterial or venal system within various parts of the human body is well known. In a typical procedure, for example, to dilate a blockage or stenosis in the coronary or other arteries in the body, conventionally a relatively large guiding catheter is inserted into the patients&#39; arterial system in the groin. The guiding catheter is then advanced through the arteries to a location near the patients&#39; heart by the means of a radiopaque marker system. A small guide wire is then inserted within the guiding catheter and advanced to the distal end of the guiding catheter, at which point the wire is extended from the distal end of the guiding catheter and steered to extend through the stenosis in the coronary arteries. Once the distal end of the wire is properly positioned by the surgeon, a balloon angioplasty catheter is then advanced into and through the guiding catheter and over the guide wire until the deflated balloon lays across the stenosis. A working fluid is then pumped through the balloon angioplasty catheter, thereby inflating the balloon and dilating the passage through the stenosis. 
   After such a dilatation procedure, it is often found desirable to install a stent in the area of the stenosis in order to insure patency of the lumen in the artery. Such a stent is generally delivered to the site using the same path as the prior inserted balloon catheter by insertion into, and threading through the guiding catheter, on the end of an inflatable balloon stent delivery catheter. The expandable stent is collapsed around the deflated balloon of the balloon delivery catheter and the catheter is inserted into the patients&#39; body to the location of the stenosis. When the balloon of the stent delivery catheter is inflated, the stent is plastically deformed to an expanded condition to maintain the passage through the stenosis in a dilated condition. Once the stent is expanded, the balloon is deflated, and the stent delivery catheter is withdrawn from the guiding catheter, leaving the expanded stent in place to preserve the patency of the arterial lumen. 
   Because such conventional stent delivery catheters have a guide wire lumen which extends the entire length of the catheter, they cannot be inserted to the stenosis site over the guide wire that is used to insert the balloon angioplasty catheter (such guide wires are too short). Therefore, after the stenosis has been dilated by inflation of the balloon, the balloon angioplasty catheter and guide wire must be removed from the guiding catheter and a second guide wire, or exchange guide wire, must be inserted through the guiding catheter and steered to the stenosis location. The exchange guide wire is generally more than twice as long as the stent delivery catheter because it is necessary that the guide wire protrude from the patients&#39; body by the length greater than the length of the stent delivery catheter. This allows the guide wire to be held steady with the physician&#39;s hand while the stent delivery catheter is advanced over the guide wire. Once the distal end of the stent delivery catheter has been placed within the area of the dilated stenosis, the balloon of the stent delivery catheter may be inflated, thereby plastically deforming the stent in the region of the dilated stenosis. The balloon of the stent delivery catheter is then deflated, allowing the stent delivery catheter to be withdrawn, leaving the expanded stent in place. The exchange guide wire and the guiding catheter are then withdrawn, thereby completing the operation. 
   In situations where physicians find it desirable to install a stent after the balloon angioplasty procedure, the need to replace the guide wire with an exchange guide wire is a cumbersome and undesirable requirement. This is due to the fact that it is necessary that the second guide wire be steered through the patients&#39; arterial system until it reaches the location of the original stenosis. Furthermore, the great length of the exchange guide wire that extends outside the patients&#39; body must sometimes extend beyond the sterile area of the surgical table. 
   Additionally, physicians find that some stenoses are too long for a single stent insertion and more than one stent is required to complete the procedure, requiring a gap between each stent. This gap has been found to be undesirable and a possible location where an additional stenosis may develop. Scaffolding the artery wall from inside the lumen to achieve wide and stable patency is an old concept. Several types of stents (coil, mesh, or cage type and metallic or polymer) have been invented and are in use in experimental and clinical procedures. Early application of a stent after the occurrence of occlusion and/or dissection decreases the need for emergency bypass surgery and the risk for myocardial infarction (MI). Most stents currently available for coronary artery disease or neurovascular or other blood vessel blockages are balloon expandable. Some of them require a protective sheath to avoid dislodgement of the stent from the balloon. Because of their large profile, stent/balloon combinations require larger catheters and accordingly larger adapters and sheaths. To facilitate passage of the balloon through tortuous proximal vessels, stiffer angioplasty guide wires are used. 
   The device as herein disclosed describes a new and unique stent delivery and deployment system that consists of a guide wire cavity incorporated into the conventional stent but separate from the central tubular cavity. More particularly, this device discloses the capabilities of a stent which can be made to abut, overlap, interlock or otherwise communicate with either side of a stent that has been previously inserted, without removing the guide wire and without the need for a guide wire lumen or catheter to be initially inserted. This is accomplished by removing the balloon angioplasty catheter after deflation from the patient with the initial stent in place without removing the guide wire, then by inserting the guide wire from the proximal end into the guide wire cavity of the second stent and inserting the second balloon angioplasty catheter and stent into the patient as previously described. The stents may be brought together in substantially perfect alignment by means of the guide wire not being removed from the initial stent and the second stent brought to full alignment and engagement with the guide wire captive within the guide wire cavities of both stents, with the results checked by the means of a radiopaque marker system. 
   The convenience and economy of this device can be described by the ability of maintaining the sterility of the device, not requiring the great length of the exchange guide wire that extends outside the patients&#39; body often required, and the ability of maintaining control of the device during the procedure. Having the guide wire in place, without removal until the procedure is completed, the physician has the ability to verify that the procedure has been completed correctly and negating any reinsertion of either additional guide lumens, guide wires, or balloon catheters into the patient. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,824,435 of Jerry D. Giesy et al. describes an instrument guidance system of elongated flexible elements that are guided into place within a tortuous body passage by providing the elements with annular guides adjacent their distal ends and sliding the elements over a guide wire extended through the passage. The &#39;435 patent describes a guidance system, but does not take into account the use of a stent or the delivery or deployment there of. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,642 of Thomas A. Osborne teaches of a rapid exchange stent delivery balloon catheter, which allows exchange from a balloon angioplasty catheter to a stent delivery catheter without the need to replace the angioplasty catheter guide wire with an exchange-length guide wire before exchanging the stent delivery catheter for the balloon angioplasty catheter. The stent delivery catheter of this invention includes a relatively short guide wire shaft, which is bonded to the catheter shaft only at a location distal to the inflation lumen. Although the &#39;642 patent eliminates the need for the exchange-length guide wire, it provides no means to engage a second stent without removing the angioplasty catheter guide wire and restarting the procedure. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,413,269 of Dennis Bui et al. tells of a stent delivery catheter. The catheter includes an inner tube and an outer tube, which are rotatable relative to each other. The inner catheter and the outer catheter include recesses to receive the ends of the stent, permitting pull wires to engage the stent ends without need for the pull wires to extend radially beyond the bounds of the catheter or requiring the stent ends to protrude into the lumen of the inner or outer catheter. This &#39;269 patent deals with the manipulation of the conventional stent and does not incorporate the unique feature of the guide wire passage as an integral part of the stent structure. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,810,871 of Joel F. Tuckey et al. discloses a stent delivery system comprising an inflation shaft having an expandable balloon sealingly mounted at the distal end thereof and a tubular sheath having the inflation shaft longitudinally running therethrough. The tubular sheath has an expandable sheath at the distal end thereof with the balloon longitudinally running therethrough and an expandable stent mounted on the expandable sheath. This is another patent that is designed specifically for the insertion of a single stent and if a second is required, the procedure must be repeated without the ability of joining the stents together. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,429 of Lilip Lau et al. describes a foldable stent or stent-graft, which may be per cutaneously delivered with or on a catheter, typically an endovascular catheter, to a body cavity of lumen and then expanded. The expandable stent structure utilizes torsional members that distribute bending and folding loads is such a way that the stent is not plastically deformed. The &#39;429 patent deals primarily with the structure of the segmented shapes of the stent with the ability of lacing it together prior to insertion. It does not incorporate a guide wire channel and does not describe the overlapping or interlocking capabilities. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,048,361 of Randolf Von Oepen teaches of a device for implanting into a body vessel in the region of a vessel branching has a radially expandable stent formed as a hollow cylindrical element and provided with an increased radial opening. The &#39;361 patent describes a unique design of a stent with an opening on the side to be applied at the juncture of a vessel allowing the blood to flow to the side through the opening. It does not describe a stent with the guide wire passage and the overlapping or interlocking capabilities. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,071,285 of Robert D. Lashinski describes a balloon portion of a balloon catheter for implanting a stent structure that is at least initially retained laterally to a guide wire by passing the guide wire axially along the balloon inside the stent structure but not through the interior of the balloon or any permanent guide wire lumen at the location of the balloon. The &#39;285 patent is another patent designed for the implantation of a single stent whereby if another stint is required the procedure must be repeated due to the fact that the guide wire feeds in and out of the balloon catheter lumen along with the fact that there is no adaptation for the overlapping or interlocking of additional stents. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,270,521 of Robert E. Fischell teaches of a stent delivery system for placing a stent within a stenosis in a vessel of a human body without the need for pre-dilation of the stenosis or post-dilation of the stent. This design makes it possible for the stent delivery catheter to be pushed through even very tight stenosis without requiring pre-dilation. This &#39;521 patent deals with the delivery and application of a single stent with no means of inserting a second without removal of the device and repeating the process, and no means of joining two or more stents in the same operation without removing the guide wire. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,409,754 of Scott R. Smith et al. describes a radially expandable segmented stent having plastic, i.e., permanent deformation, with connectors interlocking each segment. This patent deals with the design and segmentation of a conventional cylindrical stent, not with the incorporation of an additional guide wire cavity or the overlapping or interlocking capabilities of the herein disclosed patent. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,409,761 of G. David Jang discloses another patent with the unique patterns in the fabrication of stents endeavoring to make the stints expandable without shortening the initial length. They do not relate to the delivery system or the engagement of two or more stents together. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,423,092 of Arindam Datta tells of a biodegradable stent that is unique, but does not relate to the so-indesclosed patent. 
   Consequently there exists a need field of angioplasty, for a stent delivery and deployment system, which will allow physicians to insert a guide wire after which one or more stents with interlocking capabilities may be inserted into a stenosis in the arterial or venal system of the human body. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates to the insertion, delivery and deployment of one or more stents into the arterial or venal system of the human body. In particular, this invention relates to the incorporation of a unique guide wire passage into the structure of the conventional stent whereby the guide wire can be inserted and the stent slidably engaged on the guide wire becomes the guide means to transport one or more balloon angioplasty catheters into the area of the stenosis. Using the stent slidably engaged on the guide wire also eliminates the need for a guide wire lumen. 
   The preferred embodiment of this invention consists of a stent that when in the expanded state will form a tubular central cavity and a secondary guide wire passage as a means of transporting the stent and balloon angioplasty catheter into the desired position. The varying segmentation of the stent structure is a common practice to insure that the length of the stent does not change after it has been expanded. The so disclosed guide wire passage can be continuous or segmented latterly or transversely, it also can be wire formed or die cut, as long as it maintains the configuration that will retain the guide wire during the insertion, delivery and deployment of the stent and balloon catheter. Upon completion of the process the guide wire passage can work as a secondary cavity to the stent central cavity for the transportation of blood. The combination of both the guide wire passage and the stent central cavity becomes a strengthening member along the length of the stent. Additionally, when a stenosis is hard and difficult to expand, the guide wire passage located axially adjacent to the stents&#39; central cavity produces a point where, along the length of the stent, the pressure is concentrated to crack the stenosis in a line parallel to the vessel. 
   The principle of this invention is that there is a separate tubular guide wire passageway formed on the stent substantially parallel to the tubular stent central cavity incorporated into the design structure of the stent. This passageway provides for engagement of the stent with the pre-positioned guide wire. With the stent engaged with a catheter or other means to translate it along the guide wire, the stent becomes a means to track and guide the inserted device attached to it, such as a balloon catheter, and eliminates the need for the guiding catheter and other parts conventionally used. A preferred embodiment of the invention will have the guide wire passage in a coaxial position when the balloon angioplasty catheter and stent are in a compressed state. When the stent is in the expanded condition, the guide wire passage can be located either completely out of the stent central cavity, half in and half out of the stent central cavity, or completely within the central cavity of the stent and still be covered within the scope of this patent. Or, as those skilled in the art will see, the guide wire passage may be located any percentage in and out of the central cavity as the design and use permits and dictates and such is anticipated. 
   A secondary feature of this invention is the unique capability of the distal end of the stent being able to overlap or interlock with the proximal end of a previously implanted stent without removal of the guide wire. Overlapping of two or more stents is accomplished by the means of relieving the inner surface of material on the distal ends, and relieving the outer surface of material on the proximal ends of the stents. The means of interlocking of the stents is accomplished by under cutting the inner surface at the adjoining end of one stents, and under cutting the outer surface on the adjacent end of the adjacently placed stents. Additionally, the guide wire passage can be stepped in on the distal end of the stent and stepped out on the proximal end of the stent, adding to the exact alignment and nesting of one stent into another. 
   Markers used in the conventional proximal radiopaque marker system that are normally located as bands along the distal end of the guide lumen for locating its exact location will be located at the distal and proximal ends of the stent central cavity or the guide lumen cavity to aide in the positioning of the stents, but are not needed for alignment. 
   As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent construction insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
   The object of this stent delivery and deployment system is to create a means to translate a stent and balloon angioplasty catheter over a guide wire into a determined position to stenosis within a blood or other fluid carrying vessel of a patient by a physician or surgeon. 
   Another object of this stent delivery and deployment system is to translate one or a plurality of additional stents and balloon angioplasty catheter over the same guide wire into an extended stenosis within a vessel of a patient by a physician or surgeon without the need to remove the guide wire. 
   Yet another object of this stent delivery and deployment system is to guarantee that each additional stent inserted along the guide wire is held in substantially perfect alignment with the preceding stent. 
   A further object of this stent delivery and deployment system is to provide the ability for overlapping, interlocking, or other means to cooperatively engage two adjacent stents together. 
   Still another object of the stent delivery and deployment system is to have the ability of interlocking two or more adjacent stents either consecutively or all at once. 
   Another object of this invention is to provide a system for physicians and surgeons to be able to treat a stenosis that exceeds the length of conventional existing stents without having a gap between multiple stents and having those stents form an integral structure. 
   These together with other objects and advantages which become subsequently apparent reside in the details of the construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being made to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this invention. 
       FIG. 1  depicts a section of a body vessel with a stenosis longer than a conventional stent located on the guide wire, with the stent in the compressed state prior to its expansion. 
       FIG. 2  depicts a section of a vessel with a stenosis longer than a conventional stent, the first stent expanded in place with the guide wire still located in the guide wire passage, and the second stent and balloon catheter and stent on the same guide wire, approaching the first stent. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a conventional stent with proximal radiopaque markers with the guide wire passage and a guide wire within, and a typical balloon catheter and stiffening wire with proximal radiopaque marker bands. 
       FIG. 4  is an end view of the proposed stent with the guide wire passage on the exterior surface. 
       FIG. 5  is an end view of the proposed stent with the guide wire passage half in and half out of the stent central cavity. 
       FIG. 6  is an end view of the proposed stent with the guide wire passage completely within the stent central cavity. 
       FIG. 7  is an end view of a compressed stent so that the guide wire passage is in a coaxial position with relation to the outer diameter of the stent. 
       FIG. 8  is an end view with the outer surface of the stent forming the guide wire passage and the guide wire in a coaxial state with the outer diameter of the collapsed stent. 
       FIG. 9  is an example of the location of the guide wire when the stent does not have a guide wire passage. 
       FIG. 10  is an end view of bilateral segmentation of the guide wire passage. 
       FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a stent with a transversely segmented guide wire passage. 
       FIG. 12  is a section through the side wall of two conventional stents with the distal end on one relieved on the outside, and the proximal end on the other relieved on the inside in an overlapping position. 
       FIG. 13  is a section through the sidewall of two conventional stents with the distal end on one undercut on the outside and the proximal end of the other undercut on the inside in an interlocking position. 
       FIG. 14  is a perspective view of the guide wire passage stepped in on the distal end of one stent and the guide wire passage stepped out on the proximal end of another stent approaching a nesting position. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring now to the drawings  FIGS. 1-14 , wherein similar parts of the invention are identified by like reference numerals, there is seen in  FIG. 1  a first preferred embodiment of the stent delivery and deployment system  10 A. The device depicted consists of a stent  12  with the guide wire passage  14  formed integral to or upon a wall surface of the stent  12 . The guide wire passage  14  engages and translates the stent  12  over the guide wire  16  extending from outside the patients&#39; body at the guide wire&#39;s proximal end  18 , through the arterial or venal system of the patient, to the guide wire distal end  20 . The stent  12  is shown operatively engaged on the balloon angioplasty catheter  22  within an elongated arterial stenosis  24  within a typical blood vessel  26  such as a coronary artery, vein, or neurovascular blood vessel of a patient. The balloon angioplasty catheter  22  as shown provides a means to laterally translate stent with the guide wire  16  engaged through the guide wire passage  14  to the proper position. The balloon angioplasty catheter  22  is connected to the inflation port  28  by the means of an inflation lumen  30 . A saline solution or other inflation media, is inserted into the inflation port  28  and communicated to the interior of the distal end of the balloon angioplasty catheter  22  to expand the balloon angioplasty catheter  22  and thereby expand the first stent  12  mounted thereon. This expansion provides a means to expand the stent  12  to a fixed engagement between and exterior surface of the stent  12  and an interior surface of the blood vessel  26 . 
   It should be also noted that since the stent  12  is engaged with the guide wire  16  the stent  12  can act as the steering mechanism to a wide variety of conventional and new catheters, wires, and other flexible elongated devices. This would be accomplished by making the stent  12  cooperatively engageable with the distal end of one or a plurality of such elongated devices and attaching the proper device for the job at hand to the stent  12  intended for placement. Currently the means for cooperative engagement to the catheter providing the means for lateral translation of the stent  12  on the guide wire  16  is the enlargeable distal end of the balloon angioplasty catheter  22 . However, other means of cooperative engagement such as frictional engagement or threads or other frictional engagements are anticipated so long as the stent  12  is removably mounted to the distal end of the device used to laterally translate it on the guide wire  16  to its determined position in a blood vessel  26 . 
   A stiffening wire  32  runs the complete length of the inflation lumen  30  and the balloon angioplasty catheter  22 . The stiffening wire  32  located within the inflation lumen  30  and the balloon angioplasty catheter  22  in the current best mode of the device has a plurality of marker bands  34  located on the distal end  36  within the balloon angioplasty catheter  22  for determining the exact location of the first stent  12  and the balloon angioplasty catheter  22  using the a radiopaque marker detection system. The inflation port  28  is coupled to a bulbous unit  38  with the set of adjusting tabs  40  to be used by the physician to manipulate the stent delivery and deployment system  10  within the area of the stenosis  24 . 
     FIG. 2  depicts the second stent delivery and deployment system  10 B in a section of a blood vessel  26  with an arterial stenosis  24 , which exceeds the length of the first placed stent  12 . The stent  12  first positioned in the blood vessel  26 , having been expanded in place, still has the guide wire  16  located in the guide wire passage  14  of the stent  12 . A second stent  42  and second balloon angioplasty catheter  44  are shown with the guide wire  16  translating through the second guide wire passage  43 , and approaching the first stent  12 . The second stent delivery and deployment system  10 B is located in close proximity to the first stent  12  having been expanded by inflation from injection of an inflation media such as a saline solution in the inflation port  46 . The second balloon angioplasty catheter  44  is connected to the second inflation port  46  by the means of the second inflation lumen  48 . An inflation media is again pumped into the inflation port  46  to expand the second balloon angioplasty catheter  44  and expand the stent  42 . As the second stent  42  is expanded may be nested with the first expanded stent  12 . A second stiffening wire  50  runs the complete length of the second inflation lumen  48  and the second balloon catheter  44 . The second inflation port  46  is coupled to the second bulbous unit  52  with the second set of adjusting tabs  54  to be used by the physician to manipulate the second stent delivery and deployment system  10 B in place. 
   As shown, the stent delivery systems  10 A and  10 B both provide a means to laterally translate the stent  12  on the guide wire  16  to the proper placement in the blood vessel  26 . Of course those skilled in the art will recognize that other means to translate the stent  12  along its slidable engagement with the guide wire  16  might be used or developed, especially in light of the benefits and options provided by the device herein disclosed, and all such substitutions and modifications are anticipated. As noted, the stent  12  and guide wire  16  engagement eliminate the need for the placement of a wire guiding lumen or catheter as well as an exchange wire that is twice the length of the stent delivery catheter. This will allow for the use of the device herein disclosed in narrower blood vessels than previously possible. Further, it eliminates the concerns of the medical staff regarding the clumsy engagement of the conventional long exchange wire with stent delivery catheter and possibly violating the sterile field from the long exchange wire hitting the floor or other non-sterile areas. This is because the guide wire  16  of the disclosed device need only extend a very short distance from the patient to allow the engagement of the guide wire passage  14  over the guide wire  16  and the subsequent translation of the stent  12  and an engaged balloon angioplasty catheter  22  or other device engaged with the stent  12  on the guide wire  16  to the place of placement. Further as shown and described herein, once a first stent is placed appropriately in a blood vessel, the placement of adjacent stents  12  eliminating gaps therebetween is also achievable either by butting the second placed stent  12  against the first stent  12  or passing a smaller diameter stent  12  through the first placed stent  12  and engaging it on the distal end. Of course because the stents  12  all ride on the guide wire  16 , it would be possible to position one stent  16  in a blood vessel  26  and not enlarge it, and then place one or more adjacent stents  12  abutting them or interlocking them as placed in a daisy chain. Once all in place, a balloon catheter with an elongated balloon could expand them all at once, locking them together and creating a gapless passageway from multiple abutted stents  12 . Of course using the guide wire  16  to steer everything into place would also allow for conventional placement and enlargement one stent at a time. 
     FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a typical stent  12  with the guide wire  16  translating through the guide wire passage  14  omitting the conventional segmentation of the stent  12  for clarity, illustrating the location of marker bands  34  on the stiffening wire  36  and the markers  56  located on the stent  12 , to be used by radiopaque marker system to aide the physician in manipulating both devices into proper position by providing a means for radiopaque location of both parts. The balloon angioplasty catheter  22  is shown in the expanded state to depict the internal cavity  58  that is filled with the saline solution or other inflation media through the inflation lumen port  60  of the inflation lumen  30 . 
     FIG. 4  is an end view of a preferred embodiment of the herein disclosed stent  12 , omitting the balloon angioplasty catheter  22 , showing the guide wire passage  14  formed in a wall surface of the stent  12  on the exterior surface  62  of the stent  12 . The centerline  64  of the guide wire passage  14  is substantially parallel to the center axis  66  of the stent central cavity  68 . 
     FIG. 5  is an end view of another embodiment of the improved stent  12 , omitting the balloon angioplasty catheter  22 , showing the guide wire passage  14  formed in a sidewall of the stent  12  with half of the guide wire passage  14  protruding from the exterior of the stent  12  and half of the guide wire passage  14  protruding into the stent central cavity  68 . Of course the amount of protrusion from the exterior of the stent  12  and into the stent central cavity  68  could be adjusted depending upon the intended use of the stent  12  and such is anticipated. 
     FIG. 6  depicts an end view of an additional preferred embodiment of the stent  12  with the guide wire passage  14  for translation on the guide wire  12  formed completely within the stent central cavity  68 . 
     FIG. 7  is an end view of an additional preferred embodiment of the stent  12  which is compressed, omitting the balloon angioplasty catheter  22 , so that the guide wire  16  is located on the guide wire passage  14  and is in a coaxial position with relation to the outer diameter of the stent  12 . With the guide wire  16  in such a coaxial position, the stint  12  is more universally flexible in all directions, rather than when the guide wire passage  14  is on the outer edge of the stent  12 , creating more resistance in one direction of bending than another. 
     FIG. 8  is an end view with the outer surface of the an alternate stent  70  embodiment omitting the balloon angioplasty catheter  22 , and forming a guide wire passage  72  for translation on the guide wire  16  in a coaxial state. This embodiment of the device would form a guide wire passage  72  by flooding the sidewall forming the alternate stent  70  infernally into the stent central cavity  68 . When this alternate stent  70  is expanded by the balloon angioplasty catheter  22 , as shown in an expanded state in  FIG. 9 , the guide wire  16  becomes relocated to the outside surface of the alternate stent  70  with no guide wire passage  72 . 
     FIG. 10  is an end view of bilateral external and internal segmentation  74  and  76  of the guide wire passage  14  with the external segmentation  74  and formed on the sidewall on the exterior surface  62  and the internal segmentation  76  opening into the stent central cavity  68 . This embodiment could also be formed with a single external or internal segmentation  74  or  76  of the guide wire passage  14 . 
     FIG. 11  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosed stent  12  with a transversely segmented  78 , guide wire passage  14 . 
     FIG. 12  illustrates a means for engagement of adjacently placed stents  12  to eliminate gaps therebetween. As shown, a section through the sidewall overlapping of the internally relieved proximal end  80  of one stent  12  mates with and engages over the externally relieved sidewall of the distal end  82  of and adjacent second stent  42 . Of course other means for engagement of the proximal end of one stent placed in a blood vessel with the distal end of an adjacently placed stent to eliminate gaps therebetween might be used, and such is anticipated; however in the current best mode of the device, an external relief on one stent  12  engaging an internal relief on the adjacent stent works best. 
   A means to lock two adjacent stents  12  placed in a blood vessel which would be an option in the current best embodiment of the device, is best depicted in  FIG. 13 . As shown, in a section through the sidewall of two adjacent stents  12 , an interlocking between the two is achieved using the aforementioned relief engagement with the addition of engagement of the internally undercut  84  of the proximal end  80  of the first stent  12 , with the externally undercut  86  of the distal end  82  of the second stent  42 . Once expended, the second stent to be placed in the vessel would achieve a locked engagement with the first placed stent as well as a continuous sidewall that prevents any gap between the two adjacent stents. Of course, the guide wire passage  14  formed on or integral with the sidewall of the stent  12  would also be relieved to allow for the adjacent engagement of one or a plurality of stents  12  and alleviating gaps therebetween. This is best shown in  FIG. 14  which is a perspective view of the guide wire passage  14  stepped in  88  on the distal end  82  of the second stent  42  and the guide wire passage  14  stepped out  90  on the proximal end  80  of the first stent  12  approaching a nesting position. This would allow for the gapless engagement between adjacent stents  12  as described as well as the lock engagement thereof is desired. 
   While all of the fundamental characteristics and features of the present invention have been described herein, with reference to particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modification, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure and it will be apparent that in some instances, some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth. It should be understood that such substitutions, modifications, and variations may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Consequently, all such modifications and variations are included within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.