Abbott Laboratories Vascular Enterprises Limited

Abbott Laboratories Corporation

Louise Balfe

Randolf Von Oepen

Lorcan James Coffey

Ib Erling Joergensen

Andrew Jeffrey

Volker Marx

Armin Stopper

Bodo Quint

Axel Grandt

Arik Zucker

Volker Trösken

Kay Unzicker

Volker Trosken

Zdravkica Dzakula

Lorcan Coffey

An improved apparatus for delivering and deployment of an expandable stent with a protection sheath within a blood vessel is provided. The system comprises a fluid pressure device which is coupled with a retraction device for the protection sheath such that after retraction of the protection sheath the stent is automatically deployed by the fluid pressure device. The advantage of the invention is an easy and simple operation of the apparatus.

Apparatus for delivery and deployment of an expandable stent within a blood vessel

Apparatus for delivering and deploying an expandable stent having a protection sheath within a blood vessel is provided. The apparatus comprises a fluid pressure device that is coupled with a retraction device for the protection sheath, wherein the stent is automatically deployed by the fluid pressure device after retraction of the protection sheath.

The present invention relates to a catheter having a soft distal tip that can be manufactured at lower cost than catheters in the prior art. In one embodiment, the catheter is produced by coupling a soft sleeve to the distal end of a catheter tube. The sleeve may affixed to the catheter tube under temperature and pressure conditions that cause the proximal end of the sleeve to taper against the outer surface of the catheter tube, avoiding or minimizing discontinuities in the insertion profile of the catheter, and that also cause the inner wall of the sleeve to taper against the distal end of the catheter tube, avoiding or minimizing discontinuities in the lumen of the catheter.

Catheter having a soft distal tip

The invention includes a catheter having an elongate main body having a proximal section and a distal section. The elongate main body further includes a plurality of stiffening members disposed along the length of the elongate main body. At least one stiffening member includes a plurality of clusters including helical turns or rotations disposed circumferentially about a tubular member and along the length of the cluster. The clusters can be configured to vary flexibility along the length of the tubular member. The catheter can include a sheath having a stationary section and a retractable section.

Catheter having plurality of stiffening members

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Stuttgart, Germany

Louise Balfe