Catheter with retractable cover and pressurized fluid

Inventors

COHEN, Itshak • MAXIMUK, Shahar • MOISEYEV, Gilad

Assignees

Medinol Ltd

Abstract

Apparatus and method for delivering and deploying an intravascular device into the vessel including an outer and inner tube that are axially linked by a housing structure at the proximal end of the catheter, and a retractable sleeve structure having a middle tube and sleeve tip. The sleeve tip is sealed to the inner tube at the distal end, and continuously extends into the middle tube. At the proximal end of the sleeve structure, the middle tube is sealed to either a housing structure or slideable proximal ring, forming a sealed chamber between the inner tube and the sleeve structure. A radial space is formed between the sleeve tip and the inner tube optimized for intravascular device placement. During retraction of the sleeve structure, the fold of the sleeve tip peels away from the device, which expands to its deployed state while minimizing axial forces and friction.

Core Innovation

The invention relates to a catheter system for delivering and deploying intravascular devices, including stents and grafts, using an inner tube and an outer tube arranged to create separate lumens. A retractable sleeve structure is positioned between the inner tube and outer tube, and the retractable sleeve structure comprises a middle tube and a sleeve tip. The sleeve and the inner tube form a sealed chamber, with sealing that maintains separation of adjacent fold portions during deployment.

During deployment, pressurized fluid is maintained within the sealed chamber to reduce friction between adjacent fold portions as the sleeve tip peels away from the device. The pressurized fluid can be provided with a hydrogel, including a dry hydrogel or swelling hydrogel, or can be delivered via a sleeve-tip micro-orifice. An air evacuation is also described in connection with the catheter structure.

The catheter system further includes a housing structure at the proximal end, with the inner tube comprising a curved inner tube portion that is immovably affixed to the housing structure. Multiple deployment and mounting mechanisms are described, including retracting sleeves using a sliding handle/proximal ring, a collapsible proximal portion with accordion-like folding, a rear retractable portion folding over an insertion tube, and a curved proximal inner tube/coiling embodiment.

Claims Coverage

The document provides one independent claim (clm-00001). It sets out core structural coverage in which a retractable sleeve and an inner tube form a sealed chamber, with a curved inner tube portion immovably affixed to a proximal housing.

Independent claim coverage is directed to a catheter system structure comprising inner and outer tube lumens with a retractable middle-tube/sleeve-tip sleeve positioned between them, where the retractable sleeve and the inner tube form a sealed chamber, and where a curved inner tube portion is immovably affixed to the proximal housing.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications