Catheter with stent and method for the production of a catheter with stent

Abstract

A catheter system for the introduction and implantation of a stent comprises a catheter ( 1 ) with an expandable portion ( 2 ) at its one end, elements at the opposite catheter end intended for communication with means for expanding the expandable portion, and a stent ( 3 ) made of a material to which a permanent deformation is imparted when the catheter is expanded until the desired insertion diameter is reached, said stent ( 3 ) being arranged around the expandable portion ( 2 ) of the catheter, where the stent ( 3 ) is adhesively connected to the expandable portion ( 2 ) of the catheter with adhesion forces between stent and support which are less powerful than the shear forces with which the expandable portion ( 2 ) of the catheter influences the adhesive connection when said portion is expanded, all of the above being obtainable by a method whereby the stent ( 3 ) is arranged around the expandable portion ( 2 ) of the catheter, the catheter surface is softened, e.g. by heating, whereupon the stent ( 3 ) is depressed into the catheter surface.

What is claimed:  
     
         1 . A catheter system for introducing and implanting a stent in a body comprising: 
 a catheter member having first and second ends, said first end having an inflatable portion, a lumen in fluid communication with said inflatable portion and said second end to provide means for inflating said inflatable portion;    an expandable stent member capable of permanent deformation when expanded, at least a portion of said stent member being attached to said inflatable portion by a bond, whereby upon inflation of said inflatable portion said bond is release from said stent to permit deployment of said stent member and removal of said catheter member.    
     
     
         2 . The catheter system of  claim 1  wherein said bond is an adhesive.  
     
     
         3 . The catheter system of  claim 1  wherein said bond is formed from said inflatable portion.  
     
     
         4 . The catheter system of  claim 1  wherein said bond is comprised of the same material as said inflatable portion.  
     
     
         5 . The catheter system of  claim 4  wherein said stent member is at least partially depressed into said inflatable portion to create said bond.  
     
     
         6 . The catheter system of  claim 5  wherein said stent member is depressed into said inflatable portion to a depth of about one twentieth to about one half of the wall thickness of said inflatable portion.  
     
     
         7 . The catheter system of  claim 1  wherein said stent member is formed of wires or an expandable tubular member with perforations.  
     
     
         8 . The catheter system of  claim 1  wherein said inflatable portion comprises a thermoplastic elastomer.  
     
     
         9 . The catheter system of  claim 8  wherein said thermoplastic elastomer is a polyurethane.  
     
     
         10 . The catheter system of  claim 9  wherein said catheter member is formed from a non-elastomeric thermoplastic material.  
     
     
         11 . The catheter system of  claim 10  wherein said non-thermoplastic material is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         12 . The catheter system of  claim 10  wherein said inflatable portion is formed of a non-elastomeric material enclosed within an elastomeric material.  
     
     
         13 . The catheter system of  claim 2  wherein said adhesive has a modulus of elasticity which is sufficiently similar to the modulus of elasticity of said inflatable portion such that upon expansion of said inflatable portion said bond does not separate from said inflatable portion and sufficiently less than the modulus of elasticity of said stent member such that bond will separate from the stent member upon inflation.  
     
     
         14 . The bond of  claim 13  wherein said adhesive is a polyurethane.  
     
     
         15 . A method for producing a catheter system for introducing and implanting a stent member, said method comprising the steps of: 
 (i) positioning an expandable, permanently  5  deformable tubular shaped stent member around an inflatable portion of a catheter member;    (ii) softening the surface of said inflatable portion; and    (iii) allowing the softened surface to return to its original unsoftened state, thereby adhering to said stent member.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said softening is achieved by application of heat.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said softening is achieved by application of a solvent.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said depressing is achieved by inserting said catheter system into a heated fixture.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  wherein said heated fixture is maintained at between about 50° C. and 250° C.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said depressing embeds said stent member to a depth of about one twentieth to about one half of the wall thickness of said inflatable portion.  
     
     
         21 . A method for producing a catheter system for introducing and implanting a stent, said method comprising the steps of: 
 (i) positioning an expandable, permanently deformable, tubular shaped stent around an inflatable portion of a catheter member; and    (ii) forming an adhesive bond at at least a point of contact between said stent and said inflatable portion, said bond having an elastic modulus which is sufficiently lower than the elastic modulus of the stent and sufficiently similar to the elastic modulus of said inflatable portion such that upon expansion of said inflatable portion said bond will be released from said stent but not from said inflatable portion.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein said forming step further includes: 
 softening a surface of said inflatable portion at said point of contact with said stent to adhere said stent to said inflatable portion.  
 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21  wherein said forming step further includes: 
 applying an adhesive to said inflation portion at said point of contact with said stent.  
 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein said applying step further includes: 
 providing an adhesive having a modulus of elasticity which is substantially similar to the modulus of elasticity of said inflation portion.