Medtronic, Inc.

Medtronic Instent Israel Ltd.

Ofer Nativ

Lone Wolinsky

Amir David Loshakove

Abraham Penner

The present invention provides radially-expandable stents that, in various embodiments, provide controllable expansive force profiles. The expansive force profiles can be controlled by varying the unrestrained expanded diameter of the stents, by varying the longitudinal length of the circumferential support sections in the stents, and/or by varying the circumferential width of the struts in the support sections. Also disclosed are methods of deploying the stents.

Radially-expandable stent with controllable force profile

The present invention provides radially-expandable stents that, in various embodiments, may reduce the bending stresses/strains associated with the compressed state of self-expanding stents and/or may prevent longitudinal expansion/contraction of radially expandable stents between the compressed and expanded states. In addition, stents according to the present invention preferably exhibit increased longitudinal flexibility in both the compressed and expanded states. The present invention also includes delivery systems in which threading of the guidewire through the delivery system may be simplified. In addition, the delivery systems according to the present invention may also incorporate a balloon to assist in radially expanding the stent and/or seating of the stent in the lumen during deployment without removing the stent delivery catheter. Further, the delivery systems may also include a support tube at the proximal end to assist in fixing the position of the stent relative to a guide catheter during deployment of the stent.

Radially-expandable stent and delivery system

A device for loading a medical stent on a balloon catheter. A tube, preferable pre-installed with a stent, is secured to one component having a pulling knob. The tube with stent extends into the bore of a second component, also having a pulling knob. The bore of the second component is conical and reduces down in the direction of the first component. For intended use, the preselected balloon catheter is inserted within the confines of the lumen of the tube (which places it within the center of the stent). Then, the two knobs are pulled apart. The force of the pull causes the tube, with the stent around the catheter within it, to pass through the decreasing bore, thereby loading and compressing the stent onto the balloon catheter. The tube serves as the vehicle to carry the balloon catheter and stent through the bore for loading the stent onto the balloon catheter. The tube can be Teflon coated to facilitate the pulling and stent loading or, alternatively, the tube can be elastic and/or plastic.

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Rishon Lezion, Israel

Ofer Nativ