Endoscope with preloaded or preloadable stent

Abstract

The present invention is directed to an endoscopic stent delivery device. The device includes an endoscope having an elongate shaft including a proximal end, a distal end, an outer wall and a longitudinal working channel through the elongate shaft defining an inner wall of the elongate shaft; a stent juxtaposingly disposed to a distal portion of the inner wall; and an inner tubular member slidably disposed within the working channel and having a stent holding member engaging an interior portion of the stent for releasably securing the stent to the distal portion of the inner wall. The device may further include a viewing device disposed at the distal end of the endoscope and/or an illuminating device disposed at the distal end of the endoscope.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An endoscopic stent delivery device, comprising:
 an elongate shaft comprising a proximal end, a distal end, an outer wall, a longitudinal working channel through the elongate shaft defining an inner wall of the elongate shaft, and at least one additional channel extending through the elongate shaft from said proximal end to said distal end;   a stent having a proximal end, a distal end, and an inner surface, said stent disposed in a distal portion of the working channel;   an inner tubular member slidably disposed within the working channel, the inner tubular member including a stent holding member, said inner tubular member extending through the stent lumen, wherein said stent holding member directly secures an interior portion of said stent against said inner wall of said working channel of said elongate shaft.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the stent holding member includes a hollow tubular band at least partially disposed around said inner tubular member. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the stent holding member retains only the proximal end of the stent. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one additional channel includes a viewing channel and an illuminating channel extending through said elongate shaft from said proximal end to said distal end, the device further comprising a viewing device extending through said viewing channel and an illuminating device disposed at a distal end of the illuminating channel. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the stent is a radially distensible stent, and wherein the radially distensible stent has a radially contracted state and a larger radially expanded state, and further wherein the stent is disposed within the working channel in the radially contracted state. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the radially distensible stent is a polymeric stent. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the stent is a braided stent. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the stent is a zig-zag stent comprising a plurality of undulating filament portions. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a graft disposed over at least a portion of the stent, wherein the graft is selected from the group consisting of a covering, a liner, a film, a coating and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein the stent is a braided polymeric stent and the graft comprises silicone. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the inner tubular member comprises inner and outer telescoping members, and further wherein the stent is disposed over the inner telescoping member. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the outer telescoping member has a larger outer diameter than an outer diameter of the inner telescoping member, and further wherein exterior wall portions of the outer telescoping member are disposed within the working channel. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the stent is a radially distensible stent having a radially contracted state and a larger radially expanded state, and further wherein the outer telescoping member abuts a proximal end of the stent in the radially contracted state of the stent. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a suture thread looped radially around a proximal portion of the stent, whereby a pulling force applied on the suture thread moves the stent within the working channel. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14 , further comprising a stent loading member for radially compressing the stent into the working channel. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a package for enclosing the device for hermetically sealing the device within the package. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising multiple stent holding members axially spaced apart along said inner tubular member. 
     
     
         18 . An endoscopic stent delivery kit, comprising:
 an elongate shaft comprising a proximal end, a distal end, an outer wall, a longitudinal working channel through the elongate shaft defining an inner wall of the elongate shaft, and at least one additional channel extending through said elongate shaft from said proximal end to said distal end;   a radially distensible stent having a radially contracted state and a radially expanded state;   an inner tubular member slidably disposed within the working channel and having a stent holding member engaging an interior portion of the stent for releasably securing the stent directly against the inner wall of the working channel; and   a stent loading member for loading the stent into a distal portion of the working channel, said stent loading member having a conical geometry, wherein said stent loading member is unattached to said elongated shaft.   
     
     
         19 . The kit of  claim 18 , said stent loading member is removably attached to distal end of said elongate shaft. 
     
     
         20 . The kit of  claim 18 , further comprising a package for enclosing the device for hermetically sealing the elongate shaft, the stent, the inner tubular member and the stent loading member within the package.