Appeal No. 1998-3366
Application No. 08/591,506
subsequent to the final rejection on October 23, 1997 has been
entered. See the advisory letter mailed November 17, 1997.
Appellants’ invention pertains to a catheter system for
introducing and implanting a stent into a tubular vessel
within the body. The system includes a catheter member having
an inflatable portion and an expandable stent, capable of
permanent deformation when expanded, releasably attached to
the inflatable member by a bond. Claim 1, the sole
independent claim on appeal, is representative of the appealed
subject matter and reads as follows:
1. A catheter system for introducing and implanting a stent
member in a body comprising:
a catheter member having first and second ends, said
first end having an inflatable portion, a lumen in fluid
communication with said inflatable portion and said second end
to provide means for inflating said inflatable portion; and
an expandable stent member capable of permanent
deformation when expanded, at least a portion of said stent
member being releasably attached to said inflatable portion by
a bond, said bond being capable of adhesively connecting said
stent member to said inflatable portion with an adhesive force
which is less powerful than a shear force applied by the
inflatable portion upon inflation of said inflatable portion
such that said bond is capable of separating from said stent
member and remaining with said inflatable portion upon release
of said stent member from said inflatable portion upon
inflation of said inflatable portion to permit deployment of
said stent member and removal of said catheter member.
3
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007