Pliant members for receiving and aiding in the deployment of vascular prostheses

Abstract

A vascular prosthesis deployment device and related methods are disclosed. In some embodiments the deployment device may include a delivery catheter assembly. The delivery catheter assembly may include a pliant member, wherein the pliant member is configured receive a vascular prosthesis. The pliant member may also be configured to aid in incrementally deploying a vascular prosthesis.

1 . A prosthesis delivery catheter assembly, comprising:
 an outer sheath;   an inner sheath disposed within the outer sheath, the inner sheath comprising a first outer diameter; and   a distal tip disposed at a distal end of the inner sheath, the distal tip comprising:
 a distal portion; 
 a proximal portion; and 
 a shoulder disposed between the distal portion and the proximal portion, 
 wherein the proximal portion comprises:
 a shaft comprising a second outer diameter larger than the first outer diameter; and 
 a proximal end comprising a proximally facing transition from the first diameter to the second diameter. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The prosthesis delivery catheter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the proximally facing transition comprises a concave shaped surface. 
     
     
         3 . The prosthesis delivery catheter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the proximally facing transition comprises an inclined surface. 
     
     
         4 . The prosthesis delivery catheter assembly of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the outer sheath comprises a lumen, and   wherein the shaft is disposable within the lumen.   
     
     
         5 . The prosthesis delivery catheter assembly of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the inner sheath comprises a lumen, and   wherein the distal tip comprises a lumen in communication with the lumen of the inner sheath.   
     
     
         6 . The prosthesis delivery catheter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the distal portion comprises a radially inward taper extending from the shoulder to a distal end of the distal portion. 
     
     
         7 . The prosthesis delivery catheter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the distal tip comprises a nylon material. 
     
     
         8 . The prosthesis delivery catheter assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the nylon material is a polyether block amide. 
     
     
         9 . The prosthesis delivery catheter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the inner sheath and the distal tip comprise a unibody construct. 
     
     
         10 . A prosthesis deployment device, comprising:
 a prosthesis delivery catheter assembly comprising:
 an outer sheath; 
 an inner sheath disposed within the outer sheath, the inner sheath comprising a first outer diameter; and 
 a delivery tip disposed at a distal end of the inner sheath, the delivery tip comprising:
 a distal portion; 
 a proximal portion; and 
 a shoulder disposed between the distal portion and the proximal portion, wherein the proximal portion comprises:
 a shaft comprising a second outer diameter larger than the first outer diameter; and 
 a proximal end comprising a proximally facing transition from the first diameter to the second diameter; 
 
 
   a pliant member surrounding a portion of an exterior surface of the inner sheath, the pliant member configured to engage a constrained prosthesis; and   an actuator operably coupled to the outer sheath and configured to proximally translate the outer sheath relative to the constrained prosthesis to deploy the constrained prosthesis.   
     
     
         11 . The prosthesis delivery catheter assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the proximally facing transition comprises a convex shaped surface. 
     
     
         12 . The prosthesis delivery catheter assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the proximally facing transition comprises an inclined surface. 
     
     
         13 . The prosthesis delivery catheter assembly of  claim 10 ,
 wherein the outer sheath comprises a lumen, and   wherein the shaft is disposable within the lumen.   
     
     
         14 . The prosthesis delivery catheter assembly of  claim 10 ,
 wherein the inner sheath comprises a lumen, and   wherein the delivery tip comprises a lumen in communication with the lumen of the inner sheath.   
     
     
         15 . The prosthesis delivery catheter assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the distal portion comprises a radially inward taper extending from the shoulder to a distal end of the distal portion. 
     
     
         16 . The prosthesis delivery catheter assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the delivery tip comprises a nylon material. 
     
     
         17 . The prosthesis delivery catheter assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the nylon material is a polyether block amide. 
     
     
         18 . A method of deploying a prosthesis, comprising:
 proximally translating an outer sheath of a prosthesis delivery catheter relative to a prosthesis;   deploying the prosthesis from an inner sheath;   proximally displacing the inner sheath relative to the deployed prosthesis,   wherein a proximally facing transition of a distal tip coupled to the inner sheath is displaced through the deployed prothesis without catching on any portion of the prosthesis.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the proximally facing transition comprises a convex shaped surface. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the proximally facing transition comprises an inclined surface.