Importance

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Abstract

A stent designed with an attachable positioning apparatus to effectively place the stent at the precise deployment site within a narrowed vascular region such as an artery. In the preferred embodiment, the present invention comprises a stabilizing wire. The positional apparatus is, for example, frictionally engaged to the stent balloon and adjacent wire loops for frictional engagement with the walls to position the stent at the deployment site. Other means to engage the positional apparatus and stent balloon and adjacent wire loops can include: elastic bands, adhesion, or polymer bonding. The stent is maneuvered through the vessel by a balloon catheter that is guided by a guiding catheter up the vessel to where the narrowing is located. Upon exiting the guiding catheter and approaching the deployment site within the coronary artery, the wire loops expand and frictionally engage the artery walls and, thereby, effectively position the stent at the deployment site within the narrowed vessel. This apparatus and method is particularly useful for stent placement at an ostium (origin) of a vascular region.

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First Claim