Patent ID: 6997943

Claim:
A catheter system for balloon angioplasty and the delivery out a stent within the vessel of a patient comprising: (a) a catheter having a sidewall, a proximal end and a distal end, said catheter, said sidewall having an aperture in communication with the vessel of the patient, said catheter having a wire receiving passageway disposed in said sidewall intermediate said proximal end and said distal end and including: (i) a first passageway having a first proximal portion and a second distal portion, said distal portion of said first passageway communicating with said wire receiving passageway disposed in said sidewall of the catheter; (ii) a second passageway spaced-apart from said first passageway, said second passageway having an inlet and an outlet; (iii) a third passageway spaced-apart from said first passageway, said third passageway having an inlet and an outlet; (b) a guide wire extending through said wire-receiving passageway, said guide wire having a proximal end and a distal end, said guide wire being movable within said distal portion of said first passageway; (c) a radially expandable stent mounted on said cannula proximate said outlet of said second passageway; (d) an angioplasty balloon mounted on said cannula proximate said distal end thereof, said angioplasty balloon being in communication with said outlet of said third passageway; and (e) an aspirating pump in communication with said first passageway for aspirating material from the vessel of the patient via the aperture provided in said catheter wall.