Patent ID: 7771462

Claim:
A catheter system for stent delivery to a vessel bifurcation, the vessel bifurcation having a main vessel and a branch vessel, comprising: a catheter extending between a distal end and a proximal end, the catheter including a main vessel guidewire lumen that is adapted to receive a main vessel guidewire; a stent being disposed over the catheter, the stent having a side hole through a wall thereof; a first catheter radiopaque marker arranged on the catheter distal of the stent; a second catheter radiopaque marker arranged on the catheter at a proximal end of the stent; a third catheter radiopaque marker arranged on the catheter aligned with the side hole of the stent; a side member disposed adjacent the catheter, the side member extending between a free distal end and a proximal end, the side member including a branch vessel guidewire lumen that is adapted to receive a branch vessel guidewire, the side member being fixedly attached to the catheter at a location proximal the stent, the free distal end of the side member arranged to extend through the side hole in the stent to a position distal of the side hole in the stent; a first side member radiopaque marker positioned on the side member at the free distal end of the side member; a second side member radiopaque marker positioned on the side member at a location spaced from the first side member radiopaque marker, wherein the second side member radiopaque marker is arranged to be aligned with the side hole of the stent when the free distal end of the side member extends into the branch vessel; wherein the first catheter radiopaque marker and the first side member radiopaque marker are arranged side-by-side in a first configuration and the third catheter radiopaque marker and the second side member radiopaque marker are arranged side-by-side in a first configuration, wherein the first side member radiopaque marker and first catheter radiopaque marker are separated in a second configuration to indicate that the free distal end of the side member is advancing into the branch vessel.