Delivery system assemblies for implantable medical devices

摘要

A delivery system assembly includes an elongate inner member that extends distally through a lumen of an elongate outer tube of the assembly; the outer tube is moveable relative to the inner member between first and second positions to deploy an implantable medical device that is held within the outer tube lumen. The inner member may include a flared distal end that abuts, and preferably conforms to, the proximal end of the device, when the device is held within the outer tube lumen. The assembly further includes a stability sheath that surrounds a limited length of the outer tube, in proximity to the handle, to provide an interface for both an operator, who handles the assembly, and for an introducer sheath that provides passage for the assembly into the venous system, so that movement of the outer tube is not hindered by either during device deployment.

主权项

1. A delivery system assembly facilitating deployment of an implantable medical device, the assembly comprising:
a handle including at least one control member; an elongate inner member including a proximal end fixed within the handle, and a flared distal end spaced distally apart from the handle and configured to conform to a proximal end of the implantable medical device, wherein the elongate inner member includes a pull wire extending from a proximal end thereof, contained within the handle, to a distal end thereof anchored to the inner member in proximity to the flared distal end of the inner member; an elongate outer tube forming a lumen in which the inner member extends, the outer tube including a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the outer tube being contained within the handle and coupled to one of the at least one control member of the handle, the lumen of the outer tube being sized to hold the medical device in proximity to the distal end of the outer tube, and to allow retraction of the outer tube relative to the inner member, from a first position to a second position, the retraction of the outer tube being controlled by the control member to which the proximal end of the outer tube is coupled, and the first position corresponding to the distal end of the outer tube being spaced distally from the flared distal end of the inner member so that an entirety of the medical device can be contained within the lumen of the outer tube between the distal end thereof and the flared distal end of the inner member at the first position; and a stability sheath surrounding a length of the outer tube and including a proximal end fixed to the handle, the stability sheath being relatively rigid and allowing movement of the outer tube relative thereto, for retraction; wherein the length of the outer tube surrounded by the stability sheath is less than a distance between the handle and the distal end of the outer tube, when the outer tube is in either the first position or the second position.