A method of making a delivery system for a prosthesis includes providing a catheter shaft, sliding a plurality of rings over the catheter shaft, each of the rings having an inner diameter larger than an outer diameter of the catheter shaft, fixing a pull wire to each of the plurality of rings at a common circumferential location of the catheter shaft, and coupling a sheath to the pull wire, the sheath positioned over the prosthesis at a distal end of the catheter shaft. Fixing the pull wire to each of the plurality of rings can include wrapping a heat shrink film around each of the plurality of rings and the pull wire, and heating the heat shrink material.

A method of making a delivery system for a prosthesis includes providing a catheter shaft, sliding a plurality of rings over the catheter shaft, each of the rings having an inner diameter larger than an outer diameter of the catheter shaft, fixing a pull wire to each of the plurality of rings at a common circumferential location of the catheter shaft, and coupling a sheath to the pull wire, the sheath positioned over the prosthesis at a distal end of the catheter shaft. Fixing the pull wire to each of the plurality of rings can include wrapping a heat shrink film around each of the plurality of rings and the pull wire, and heating the heat shrink material.

Delivery catheters for delivery of prosthetic heart valves are provided. The delivery catheters include brim recapture funnels configured for recapture of prosthetic heart valves. The brim recapture funnels are configured to recapture valve brims of partially deployed prosthetic heart valves to reduce or minimize damage to patient anatomy during a valve withdrawal procedure.

A medical device delivery system includes a joining element with a bumper having a distal end portion configured to engage a proximal portion of a medical device and a proximal end portion adjacent a distal end portion of an elongated tubular member. The proximal end portion defines a slot having a length along a first direction. The joining element further includes an aperture extending through the bumper and having a first, greater, cross-sectional dimension along a second direction and a second, smaller, cross-sectional dimension along a third direction. The system can include an elongated shaft having a distal region and a flattened region proximal of the distal region, the flattened region having a greatest cross-sectional dimension that is smaller than the first cross-sectional dimension but larger than the second cross-sectional dimension The flattened region can be received within the slot.

A method and an assembly for securing a crimped medical device over a deflated balloon of a balloon catheter is provided. The medical device is positioned in its expanded state over the deflated balloon of the balloon catheter, and is then crimped over the deflated balloon. First and second eyelets of first and second strings, respectively, are then threaded through first and second rings, respectively, that are provided on the medical device. Next, a locking wire is advanced through a lumen defined between the sheath and the catheter body to exit the distal end of the sheath, and then advanced through the first and second eyelets and into the distal tip of the balloon catheter. The sheath is then advanced over the crimped medical device to the distal tip to completely cover the crimped medical device.

Apparatus for progressively dilating the lumen of a narrow natural vessel such as an iliac artery and implanting a tubular device enabling access through the dilated lumen to conduct subsequent procedures via the dilated lumen, includes an inflatable integrated balloon locatable at least partially within the tubular device, the tubular device having a length L1 providing a self-expanding tubular body having at least a portion including stents, so that when the integrated balloon is removed the dilated lumen of the natural vessel remains dilated and supported by the tubular device.

Apparatus for progressively dilating the lumen of a narrow natural vessel such as an iliac artery and implanting a tubular device enabling access through the dilated lumen to conduct subsequent procedures via the dilated lumen, includes an inflatable integrated balloon locatable at least partially within the tubular device, the tubular device having a length L1 providing a self-expanding tubular body having at least a portion including stents, so that when the integrated balloon is removed the dilated lumen of the natural vessel remains dilated and supported by the tubular device.

Provided is a medical tubular body delivering device that is less likely to kink without reducing operability. The device has an outer tube through which the medical tubular body is disposed; a guidewire insertion member provided proximal to the medical tubular body; and an inner insertion member provided in the outer tube, and the guidewire insertion member has a penetration passage; a guidewire tube is provided in the penetration passage; the inner insertion member is partially fixed to the guidewire insertion member; a protection member is provided outside a part of the inner insertion member proximal to a fixing portion; the protection member has a reduced-area section where the protection member has a cross-sectional area in a cross-section perpendicular to an axis direction decreases towards a distal end; and the protection member in the reduced-area section is biasedly located against the guidewire tube with respect to the inner insertion member.

Provided is a medical tubular body delivering device that is less likely to kink without reducing operability. The device has an outer tube through which the medical tubular body is disposed; a guidewire insertion member provided proximal to the medical tubular body; and an inner insertion member provided in the outer tube, and the guidewire insertion member has a penetration passage; a guidewire tube is provided in the penetration passage; the inner insertion member is partially fixed to the guidewire insertion member; a protection member is provided outside a part of the inner insertion member proximal to a fixing portion; the protection member has a reduced-area section where the protection member has a cross-sectional area in a cross-section perpendicular to an axis direction decreases towards a distal end; and the protection member in the reduced-area section is biasedly located against the guidewire tube with respect to the inner insertion member.

Some embodiments are directed to methods and systems for percutaneously treating dissections in a patient's vasculature, such as, without limitation, the aorta. The method can include deploying a catheter containing a collapsed anchoring element, frame, and cover through a first vessel to an entry point of the dissection. The anchoring element can be secured to the second branch vessel. The frame can be expanded in the first branch vessel. The cover can be unfolded over at least a portion of the entry point. The cover then reduces blood flow into the entry point.