Catheter system for stenting bifurcated vessels

摘要

A catheter system and method are described for stenting a vessel at a bifurcation or sidebranch of the vessel. The catheter system includes a first balloon catheter, a second balloon catheter and a releasable linking device for holding the first and second balloon catheters arranged in a side-by-side configuration and aligned with one another along a longitudinal axis. The linking device allows the catheter system to be advanced as a unit and helps prevent premature or inadvertent dislodgement of the stent from the catheters, yet is releasable so that one or both of the balloon catheters can be released from the linking device and maneuvered separately from the rest of the catheter system when desired. The method utilizes the described catheter system for stenting bifurcated vessels using a modified “kissing balloons” technique.

主权项

1. A method of catheterizing a patient, comprising:
providing a catheter system including a first catheter having a shaft with a proximal end and a distal end, a second catheter having a shaft with a proximal end and a distal end, and a releasable linking device; linking the first catheter and the second catheter together in a side-by-side configuration near the proximal ends of the catheters with the releasable linking device and preventing longitudinal movement of the first catheter and the second catheter with respect to each other; wherein the first catheter and the second catheter are linked together by placing an inner lumen of a split-tube linking device around a proximal section of the shaft of the first catheter and a proximal section of the shaft of the second catheter, the inner lumen being sized and configured to hold the proximal section of the shaft of the first catheter and the proximal section of the shaft of the second catheter with sufficient friction that the catheter system can be advanced as a unit without any relative longitudinal movement between the first catheter and the second catheter, the split-tube linking device having a longitudinal split through a wall of the split-tube linking device that connects the inner lumen with an exterior of the split-tube linking device; inserting the distal end of the first catheter and the distal end of the second catheter into the patient; advancing the catheter system as a unit.