Appeal No. 1998-3366
Application No. 08/591,506
Burton, the examiner’s secondary reference, is directed
to an instrument for the deployment of a self-expanding stent
in a body canal. Burton’s catheter comprises an outer sleeve
1 having a hollow core 5 axially disposed therein, and a
braided, self-expanding stent 10 disposed between the outer
sleeve and the hollow core. The stent 10 is constrained to a
contracted position by the outer sleeve 1 (column 6, lines 17-
23). The stent is deployed by withdrawing the outer sleeve 1
backward toward the handle of the core 5, thus exposing the
stent 10, which, free from the constraint of the outer sleeve,
expands to its expanded state (column 6, lines 37-47).
Provided around the periphery of the core at its distal end is
a grip member 9 that releasably grips the stent to prevent it
from moving axially relative to core during deployment (see
Figure 3). Alternatively, a grip member 9A in the form of a
coating of adhesive (see Figure 4) may be employed. The grip
member may also take the form of a core 5 made of high
friction material having an enlarged end portion 9B (see
Figure 5).
In rejecting claim 1, the examiner considers that Lau
discloses a catheter system generally as claimed including a
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