Stent delivery with expansion assisting delivery wire

Abstract

A method for implanting a stent by providing an implantation system including a catheter, an expandable element, and a delivery wire, moving a first portion of the expandable element to exit the catheter, and maintaining a second portion of the expandable element within the catheter to establish a partially implanted configuration. Then moving the delivery wire independent of the expandable element in the partially implanted configuration, and enlarging a circumference of the expandable element in response to the moving the delivery wire.

1 . A vascular treatment system, comprising:
 a sheath comprising an inner lumen;   a stent collapsed within the inner lumen and comprising a distal anchor member disposed approximate a distal end of the stent and a proximal anchor disposed approximate a proximal end of the stent; and   a delivery wire extending through the stent and the inner lumen and comprising a distal bump positioned between the proximal anchor and distal anchor and configured to push the distal anchor distally through the inner lumen upon distal movement of the delivery wire and a shapeable portion disposed within the stent in a proximal direction in relation to the distal bump, the shapeable portion being in a substantially straight configuration and being movable to a curved configuration upon exiting the inner lumen.   
     
     
         2 . The vascular treatment system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the delivery wire further comprises a central bump positioned between the proximal anchor and the distal bump and sized to engage the proximal anchor, and   wherein the shapeable portion extends solely between the central bump and the distal bump.   
     
     
         3 . The vascular treatment system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the stent is movable to a partially implanted configuration by a distal movement of the delivery wire causing the distal bump of the delivery wire to engage with the distal anchor of the stent and push the distal anchor distally through the inner lumen, thereby expelling the distal anchor from the sheath,   wherein the delivery wire is movable independent in relation to the stent when the stent is in the partially implanted configuration, and   wherein the shapeable portion of the delivery wire is movable to provide a radial force from within the stent when the stent is in the partially implanted configuration.   
     
     
         4 . The vascular treatment system of  claim 3 , wherein the shapeable portion is movable distally, proximally, and rotationally in relation to the stent when the stent is in the partially implanted configuration. 
     
     
         5 . The vascular treatment system of  claim 3 , wherein metal of the shapeable portion of the delivery wire of is configured to press into the stent to provide the radial force from within the stent when the stent is in the partially implanted configuration. 
     
     
         6 . The vascular treatment system of  claim 3 ,
 wherein the delivery wire further comprises a proximal bump positioned in a proximal direction in relation to the proximal anchor and sized to engage the proximal anchor, and   wherein the vascular treatment system is configured such that, when the stent is in the partially implanted configuration, distal movement of the delivery wire moves the proximal bump into the proximal anchor to move the proximal anchor distally through the inner lumen.   
     
     
         7 . The vascular treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein the shapeable portion is movable to at least one of a symmetrical arc shape, an asymmetrical arc shape, an approximate “S” shape and an atraumatic shape in the curved configuration. 
     
     
         8 . The vascular treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein the shapeable portion comprises a memory shape material and the curved configuration is based at least in part on a predetermined shape of the memory shape material. 
     
     
         9 . The vascular treatment system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the stent is movable to exit a distal end of the sheath, and   wherein, when at least a portion of the stent is outside the sheath and the shapeable portion is in the curved configuration, the vascular treatment system is configured such that a rotation of the delivery wire in relation to the stent expands a radius of the stent.   
     
     
         10 . The vascular treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein the stent comprises a tubular braid extending between and affixed to the distal anchor and the proximal anchor. 
     
     
         11 . A method, comprising:
 extending a delivery wire comprising a distal bump and a shapeable portion capable of self-expanding from substantially straight configuration to a curved configuration through a lumen of a stent comprising a distal anchor and a proximal anchor; and   collapsing the stent within a lumen of a sheath such that the distal bump is positioned between the distal anchor and the proximal anchor, such that the distal bump is configured to push the distal anchor distally through the lumen of the sheath upon a distal movement of the delivery wire, and such that the shapeable portion is positioned within the lumen of the stent and in a proximal direction in relation to the distal bump.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 collapsing the stent within the lumen of the sheath such that a central bump of the delivery wire is positioned between the proximal anchor and the distal bump, such that the central bump is configured to push the proximal anchor proximally through the lumen of the sheath upon a proximal movement of the delivery wire, and such that the shapeable portion extends solely between the central bump and the distal bump.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 collapsing the stent within the lumen of the sheath such that the delivery wire is movable in a distal direction to cause the distal bump to push the distal anchor distally through the lumen of the sheath, thereby moving the stent into a partially implanted configuration in which the distal anchor is expelled from the sheath while the proximal anchor remains in the lumen of the sheath; and   configuring the delivery wire such that the delivery wire is movable independent in relation to the stent when the stent is in the partially implanted configuration and such that the shapeable portion of the delivery wire is movable to provide a radial force from within the stent when the stent is in the partially implanted configuration.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 configuring the delivery wire such that the shapeable portion is movable distally, proximally, and rotationally in relation to the stent when the stent is in the partially implanted configuration.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 configuring the delivery wire such that metal of the shapeable portion of the delivery wire is capable of pressing into the stent to provide the radial force from within the stent when the stent is in the partially implanted configuration.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 collapsing the stent within the lumen of the sheath such that a proximal bump of the delivery wire is positioned in the proximal direction in relation to the proximal anchor and such that the proximal bump is configured to push the proximal anchor distally through the lumen of the sheath upon a distal movement of the delivery wire when the stent is in the partially implanted configuration.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 forming the shapeable portion such that the shapeable portion is movable to at least one of a symmetrical arc shape, an asymmetrical arc shape, an approximate “S” shape, and an atraumatic shape in the curved configuration.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 forming the shapeable portion to comprise a memory shape material; and   forming a predetermined shape of the memory shape material into the curved configuration.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 collapsing the stent within the lumen of the sheath such that the stent is movable to exit a distal end of the sheath upon manipulation of the delivery wire; and   configuring the delivery wire such that, when at least a portion of the stent is outside the sheath and the shapeable portion is in the curved configuration, a rotation of the delivery wire in relation to the stent expands a radius of the stent.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 ,
 extending the delivery wire within a tubular braid defining the lumen of the stent.