Replenishable stent and delivery system
Apparatus and a method for treating an irregularity in a wall of a vessel of a patient defined by an irregular or afflicted wall portion with adjacent normal wall portions comprises a catheter having a distal end portion for being guided through the vessel to the site of the irregularity. A balloon associated with said distal end portion of the catheter for selective inflating to contact the walls of the vessel urges a stent carried by the distal end portion of the catheter in a constricted condition for passage through the vessel into an expanded form with the stent spanning the afflicted wall portion and contacting the adjacent wall portions. The catheter is formed with lumens for inflating the balloon, for receiving a guidewire for guiding the catheter through the vessel, and for connecting a port in the catheter proximate the afflicted wall portion to enable delivery of a therapeutic agent into the vessel to contact the stent and the irregular wall portion.
1. A catheter assembly for dispensing a stent and administering a therapeutic agent in a patient's vessel, said catheter assembly comprising:
(a) an elongated flexible tube having distal and proximal ends;
(b) a delivery lumen having distal and proximal ends within the elongated flexible tube;
(c) an expandable stent positioned proximate the distal end of the elongated flexible tube;
(d) a port positioned distally in the elongated flexible tube extending through the elongated flexible tube into the delivery lumen; and
(e) a membrane positioned over the stent wherein the membrane defines a replenishable reservoir of therapeutic agent.
2. The catheter assembly of claim 1 further comprising a guidewire lumen having distal and proximal ends within the elongated flexible tube.
3. The catheter assembly of claim 1 further comprising an inflation lumen having distal and proximal ends within the elongated flexible tube.
4. The catheter assembly of claim 3 further comprising a first expandable balloon positioned distally on said elongated flexible tube.
5. The catheter assembly of claim 4 further comprising a second expandable balloon positioned distally on said elongated flexible tube that is spaced apart from said first expandable balloon.
6. The catheter assembly of claim 5 further comprising a third expandable balloon positioned distally on said elongated flexible tube that is spaced apart from said first and second expandable balloons.
7. The catheter assembly of claim 4 wherein the stent is mounted on the first expandable balloon.
8. The catheter assembly of claim 7 wherein the first expandable balloon comprises an inner inflatable chamber and an outer chamber with an apertured, outer surface in communication with the port.
9. The catheter assembly of claim 7 wherein said elongated flexible tube includes electrodes disposed interiorly of the first expandable balloon wherein said electrodes are connected to an rf heating source.
10. The catheter assembly of claim 1 further comprising an evacuation lumen having distal and proximal ends within said elongated flexible tube and a vacuum port in said distal end of said evacuation lumen.
11. The catheter assembly of claim 1 wherein the stent is a self-expanding stent.
12. The catheter assembly of claim 1 wherein said membrane is comprised of a hydrophilic polymer.
13. The catheter assembly of claim 1 wherein said membrane is comprised of a hydrophobic polymer.