Balloon catheter having a branched distal section with secured branches

Abstract

An improved stent design and stent delivery catheter assembly for repairing a main vessel and a side branch vessel forming a bifurcation. The stent includes rings aligned along a common longitudinal axis and connected by links, where the stent has one or more portals for aligning with and partially expanding into the opening to the side branch vessel. The stent is implanted at a bifurcation so that the main stent section is in the main vessel, and the portal section covers at least a portion of the opening to the side branch vessel. A second stent can be implanted in the side branch vessel and abut the expanded central section to provide full coverage of the bifurcated area in the main vessel and the side branch vessel. Radiopaque markers on the stent and on the tip of the delivery catheter assist in aligning the portal section with the opening to the side branch vessel.

1 .- 54 . (canceled)  
   
   
       55 . A stent delivery balloon catheter, comprising: 
 a) an elongated shaft, having 
 i) a proximal section having a first inflation lumen;  
 ii) a bifurcated distal section having a first branch with a second inflation lumen within at least a portion thereof, and a second branch with a third inflation lumen within at least a portion thereof, the second and third inflation lumens each being in fluid communication with the first inflation lumen, the bifurcated distal section further having a secured portion along which the first and second branches are permanently secured together, and an unsecured portion proximally adjacent to the secured portion and along which the first and second branches are not secured together;  
 iii) an intermediate section joining the proximal and distal sections together, and having a fourth inflation lumen in fluid communication with the first, second, and third inflation lumens; and  
 iv) a joining wire lumen extending within the proximal section, the intermediate section, and the first branch, and a guidewire lumen extending within at least the intermediate section and the second branch; and  
   b) a first balloon on the first branch having an inflatable interior in fluid communication with the second inflation lumen, and a second balloon on the second branch having an inflatable interior in fluid communication with the third inflation lumen, and the inflatable interior of the first balloon and the inflatable interior of the second balloon are located distal to the secured portion of the bifurcated distal section;    c) a coupler secured to the second branch, located distal to the inflatable interior of the second balloon, and configured for releasably coupling the first and second branches together to form a coupled configuration; and    d) a stent releasably mounted on the first and second balloons, located distal to the secured portion of the distal shaft section.    
   
   
       56 . The catheter of  claim 55 , wherein the secured portion is formed at least in part by a tubular outer band member which constrains the first and second branches of the distal shaft section together.  
   
   
       57 . The catheter of  claim 56 , wherein the tubular outer band member is adhesively bonded to the first and second branches.  
   
   
       58 . The catheter of  claim 55 , wherein the secured portion is a first secured portion located approximately midway between a proximal end of one or both of the first and second balloons and a proximal end of the branched distal shaft section.  
   
   
       59 . The catheter of  claim 58 , including a second secured portion adjacent to and proximally spaced apart from the proximal end of one or both of the first and second balloons, such that the second secured portion is distally spaced apart from the first secured portion by an unsecured portion of the first and second branches of the distal shaft section.  
   
   
       60 . The catheter of  claim 55 , wherein the secured portion is formed at least in part by a tubular outer band member of heat shrink tubing, heat shrunk around the first and second branches, and conforming to the underlying outer surfaces of the secured first and second branches such that the tubular outer band member has an hourglass shape.  
   
   
       61 .- 83 . (canceled)  
   
   
       84 . A balloon catheter, comprising: 
 a) an elongated catheter shaft having a proximal section, a branched distal section with a first and a second branch, an inflation lumen, a first wire lumen extending at least within the first branch of the branched distal section, and a second wire lumen extending at least within the second branch of the branched distal section;    b) a first balloon on the first branch with an inflatable interior in fluid communication with the inflation lumen, and a second balloon on the second branch with an inflatable interior in fluid communication with the inflation lumen; and    c) wherein the first branch has at least one secured portion along which the first branch is permanently secured to the second branch at a location spaced between a proximal end of the branched distal shaft section and a proximal end of the inflatable interiors of the first and second balloons.    
   
   
       85 . The catheter of  claim 84 , wherein the secured portion is formed at least in part by a tubular outer band member which constrains the first and second branches of the distal shaft section together.  
   
   
       86 . The catheter of  claim 85  wherein the first and second branches have a single tubular outer band member securing the branches together, and have a proximal unsecured portion proximal to the single tubular outer band member and a distal unsecured portion distal to the single tubular outer band member.  
   
   
       87 . The catheter of  claim 84  wherein the secured portion is a first secured portion located approximately midway between a proximal end of one or both of the first and second balloons and a proximal end of the branched distal shaft section, and including a second secured portion adjacent to and proximally spaced apart from the proximal end of one or both of the first and second balloons, such that the second secured portion is distally spaced apart from the first secured portion by an unsecured portion of the first and second branches of the distal shaft section.  
   
   
       88 . The catheter of  claim 87 , wherein the first and second secured portions are formed at least in part by tubular outer band members of heat shrink tubing, heat shrunk around the first and second branches, and conforming to the underlying outer surfaces of the secured first and second branches such that the tubular outer band members have an hourglass shape.