MXPA00009676A - Delivery catheter - Google Patents

Abstract

A medical catheter (1) for the transvascular deployment of a collapsible medical device such as a filter (2) has a tubular body formed by an inner tubular core (11) surrounded by an outer thin-walled tube (10) which is fixed to the core (11). The outer thin-walled tube (10) extends outwardly beyond a distal end (12) of the core (11) to form a fixed thin-walled medical device embracing pod (3). The filter (2) is carried on a guidewire (6) which is slidably engagable within a central lumen of the core (11) and the filter (2) can be collapsed against the guidewire (6) for loading within the pod (3). With the filter (2) thus loaded within the pod (3) the distal end of the catheter (1) can be manoeuvred through a patient's vascular system to a desired deployment site where the filter (2) is discharged from the pod (3) allowing the filter (2) to expand within the blood vessel for use filtering blood flowing through the blood vessel.

Description

APPLICATION CATHETER Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a medical catheter and more particularly to a catheter for the transvascular deployment of expandable medical devices, such as an intravascular bladder filter device, in a collapsed condition.

Background of the Invention The device described herein relates to an angioplasty procedure of the carotid with an intravascular filter that is placed distally to capture the procedural emboli that are being released. Other medical procedures that guarantee the use of distal protection systems are also applicable. Angioplasty and stenting of surgically implanted grafts of saphenous veins affected with stenoses that have primary treatment of renal arterial contraction are also applicable. Of course, the insertion of embolic protection devices to protect patients during any vascular surgery is perceived as being applicable to this invention. A particularly useful form of the embolic protection device in the form of a filter element has been described for placing in a desired position in our copending patent application number Q 99/23976 e-T content of which is incorporated herein by reference. For example, this filter element is compressed inside a housing or pod to advance it to the required position in a vessel. Once it has reached its position, the housing is removed or the filter element is advanced. The above allows the compressed filter element to expand to the required size and clog the vessel with the exception of the step or steps that provide a pathway for the blood and which have elements to capture and retain unwanted embolic material released during the surgical operation or Percutaneous interventional procedure. There are difficulties with such expandable devices, whether these are filters or other devices with respect to which they first have to be properly and efficiently compressed and retained within the sheath in such a way that when they are released from the sheath, 'These can be expanded to assume the correct form and not have to be distorted by compression within the sheath. Problems of distortion or incorrect expansion tend to be exacerbated if the medical device is stored for long periods of time inside the pod before use. Secondly, it is important that the sheath and the catheter tube itself be manipulated to the site of use without causing damage to, for example, the arteries through which they are being manipulated.The difficulties may arise if, for example, , the catheter tube, or more particularly the sheath as the sheath is effectively driven in the insertion, could damage the lateral wall of the artery and thus cause, for example, a detachment of the atherosclerotic plaque from the arteries In essence, the above leads to certain requirements.The device needs to be efficiently compressed.The resulting compressed device needs to be manipulated in its sheath as efficiently as possible.In addition, there is a need to load such catheters in a way that facilitates their use. It is known to elevate implantable medical devices to a distal end of an application catheter transverse liegue. Upon reaching a desired position within the vasculature of the patients, the catheter is removed relative to the medical device which thus allows the medical device to expand or be expanded within the blood vessel. In prior art WO98 / 07387 and US5064435 a stenting application system is shown which essentially comprises a catheter with a stent mounted in a collapsed state to a distal end of the catheter under a retractable outer tubular structure. A support within the inner diameter of the spaced catheter proximate the distal end of the catheter prevents the shrinkage of the external tubular structure from being withdrawn from the estento. Each of these devices has at least two main components, which are specifically an internal catheter and a tubular-external structure that is retractable in a sliding manner in the catheter to expose the stent for deployment. The application DE-A-37 06 077 describes an apparatus for the preparation prior to the operation of a vena cava filter and the subsequent implant of the filter in the lower vena cava. The apparatus comprises an applicator capsule and a guide element for assisting the loading of the vena cava filter into the capsule. These deployment catheters need to have lateral flexibility for the purpose of maneuvering through the vasculature but at the same time being sufficiently expandable so that they can be manipulated and manipulated through the vasculature. The mounting of a medical device within the distal end of the catheter greatly limits the size of the medical device that can be accommodated or needs an expansion of the catheter that restricts catheter access within the vasculature of a patient. Catheters of this type tend to be relatively long and the loading of a medical device into the distal end of the catheter before its use may be an operation somewhat uncomfortable for the surgeon. The length of the catheters makes it difficult to manage them to keep them sterile. There is also difficulty in ensuring that air is excluded from the medical device and the catheter during loading. The present invention is directed to overcome those problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the invention there is provided a medical catheter for the transvascular deployment of a medical device, which catheter comprises an elongated tubular body having a proximal end and a distal end, a sheath encompassing a tubular medical device that it is fixed at the distal end of the tubular body of the catheter for receiving the medical device, the sheath extending from the distal end of the tubular body of the catheter, a deployment element for engaging the medical device, the mobile deployment element a through the sheath to move the medical device between a position stored within the sheath and a position of the sheath in use externally, the sheath forming an integral extension of the tubular body of the catheter, thin-walled, and flexible with respect to the body tubular catheter.

Conveniently the sheath and the catheter form a single integral unit for the deployment of the medical device. Preferably, the catheter body has a tubular core embedded within an outer tubular structure of thin concentric wall which is fixed to the core, the tubular structure extending outwardly from the distal end of the breast to form the sheath. The advantage of using a thin walled tube is that the maximum volume is achieved to retain the medical device for deployment. In addition, the sheath is relatively flexible in the catheter which additionally facilitates its manipulation and its passage through the vasculature to the desired place of use. Preferably the internal tubular core is formed of a steel spring, but may alternatively be formed of a polymeric material. Any suitable material can be used considering that the core is now covered by the thin-walled outer tubular structure which is indeed the important tube, which is the contact surface of the vessel. Alternatively, a thin walled sheath can be achieved by locally thinning a polymeric tube at the distal end of the tube. Preferably the thin-walled tube is made of a low friction material and is ideally made of a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) frequently sold under the TEFLON Trade Mark. The thin-walled tube can also alternatively fabricate from any thin wall material of low coefficient of friction or employing friction reducing agent or component to minimize coefficient of friction. The advantage of the above is that first the catheter will not damage the arteries, for example the carotid, which knocks down the atherosclerotic plaque. In addition, anterior will allow easy removal of the catheter implant. Where the outer thin-walled tube is formed of PTFE, it would typically have a thickness of less than 0.1 mm. The thickness of the thin-walled tubes of other materials may vary in some way depending on the characteristics of the material being used. In another aspect the invention provides a method for loading such a catheter comprising: Inserting a loading tube into the sheath at a free end of the outer thin-walled tube; and Compress the medical device and distribute compressed medical device through the pod loading tube. The problem is that if one did not insert the tube loaded into the sheath the thin wall tube collapses in compression when trying to insert the medical device. Use of the charge tube prevents that collapse.

Preferably, the loading tube is also a thin-walled tube that is inserted into the sheath for even distribution of the medical device in the sheath. Ideally, the medical device is compressed by distributing the filter device through a tunnel and into the loading tube that is mounted on the exit of the tunnel. In another aspect the invention provides an application system for the transvascular deployment of a medical device, the system comprising a catheter in combination with a separate associated charging device which is operable to collapse the medical device from an expanded position in use to a collapsed position to receive inside the sheath. Preferably the charging device comprises an element for radially compressing the medical device. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the loading device comprises a tunnel having an expanded entrance end and a reduced exit end., the outlet end that is snaggable 'inside the pod. In another embodiment, the loading device comprises a main support having a tunnel-like inner diameter formed from a frusto-conical filter device that receives the portion terminating in a cylindrical portion formed by a thin-walled loading tube that .

It is projected from a main support. This tunnel-like arrangement is a very suitable arrangement for loading a sheath into the catheter with a compressible filter device: Ideally, the cone angle is between 15 ° and 65 ° and can preferably be between 35 ° and 45 ° . The above allows a sufficiently smooth compression of a filter device, particularly one of a polymeric material. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the main support is formed of a material that is available under the trademark "Perspex" and the thin-walled loading tube is formed of PTFE material. The perspex gives a smooth surface. Preferably the charging tube is mounted on the main support of a metal key cap at an exit end of the tunnel. In still another aspect, the invention provides a pad for an elongated intravascular catheter of the type comprising a tubular body with a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end adapted for receiving a medical device, the compress comprising a tray having an element for freely stopping the distal end of the catheter relative to an associated catheter loading device in a cooperative juxtaposition in the tray, the loading device being operable to collapse the medical device from a position in expanded use to a collapsed position for healing within the sheath. The above facilitates the incursion and correct loading of a medical device inside the catheter. Preferably the tray has a bath that retains liquid formed by the recess in the tray, the ba having a sufficient depth to accommodate the distal end of the catheter in a totally submerged state. a medical device for the submerged load of the medical device in the catheter. In another embodiment, the tray has a containment vessel communicating with the bath, the vessel defining the path around the tray that supports the catheter in its loading position in the tray. Preferably the catheter securing element within the vessel comprises a number of retainer spaced apart from each other along the vessel, each retainer q comprising two or more associated projections which project into the walls of the opposite side of the vessel adjacent to an outlet of the vessel. vessel, the projections q are elastically deformable for the resorvoir coupling of the catheter inside the vessel behind the projections. Conveniently an end ramp of the vessel communicating with the bath is provided to direct the distal end of the catheter to the bottom of the bath.

In another embodiment, an element is provided within the bath to support the distal end of the catheter above the bottom of the bath. Preferably the previous support element is a passage adjacent to the vessel. In another embodiment, an element is provided within the bath to support a catheter loading device for coupling with the distal end of the catheter to guide a medical device at the distal end of the catheter. Preferably the above element comprises a recess in a side wall of the bath for receiving a tunnel with a tunnel outlet pipe directed towards the vessel to be coupled within the distal end of the catheter. Ideally, it will be appreciated that the device for loading the catheter with a compressible filter device as described above can be used in conjunction with this pad. The advantage of this is that the filter device can be immersed in a saline bath during charging in the sheath which ensures that the air is excluded from the filter device when charging as this would obviously cause medical complications if the air were introduced to the bloodstream during an angioplasty and procedure of estento. The tray system with the distal end of the submerged catheter, combined with the proximal end of the appropriately designed catheter and the inflow techniques of the standard device can ensure that a device filled with fluid is introduced into the vasculature.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will be understood more clearly from the following description of some embodiments thereof, which are given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of an assembly in accordance with the invention. Figure 2 is a detailed partially sectioned elevational view showing an expandable filter device loaded within a distal end of the catheter. Figure 3 is a sectional view showing a portion of a distal end of the catheter and a loading device for use with the catheter. Figure 4a is a detailed sectional elevation view of the distal end portion of the catheter. Figure 4b is a view similar to Figure 4a showing another catheter construction. Figure 4c is a view similar to Figure 4a showing another catheter construction. Figure 5 is a detailed schematic view in partially sectioned perspective showing the distal end of the catheter that is about to be loaded.

Figure 6 is a detailed sectional elevation view of the distal end of the catheter loaded with the loading device still in position. Figure 7 is a detailed sectional elevation view of a filter device for use with the catheter shown in a position in expanded use. Figure 8 is a sectional view of the portion of the loading device. Figure 9 is a plan view of a pad for holding the catheter assembly according to the invention. Figure 10 are detailed plan views of the portions of the clamp clamp of the napkin of Figure 9. Figure 11 is a perspective view showing a portion of the napkin bath of Figure 9, and Figure 12 is a sectional view of the portion of the bath of the napkin illustrated in Figure 11.

Description of the Preferred Modalities Referring to the drawings and initially to the Figures 1 and 2 thereof, there is illustrated a catheter, indicated generally by means of the numerical reference 1, for mounting a folding filter 2 or other folding medical device. At its distal end, the catheter has a sheath "3" inside which the filter 2 compressed in Figure 2 is shown. A guide wire 6 on which the filter 2 is mounted is also illustrated in Figure 2. Figure 7 shows the foldable filter device 2, of the type described in our Patent Application Number WO 99/23976 in an expanded position in use The filter device 2 is mounted adjacent to the distal end of the guide wire 6 terminating at the end distal in a flexible spring tip 7. The filter device can be folded inwardly against the guide wire 6 for reception into the sheath 3 as shown in Figure 2. Referring particularly to Figures 2, 3, and 4a , the catheter 1 comprises an external thin-walled tube 10 of PTFE or another thin-walled polymer tube surrounding an elongated tubular body which forms an internal support core which in this mode is formed by a spring 11. The tube The thin outer wall 10 projects beyond a distal free end 12 of the spring 11 to form the sheath 3. An alternative construction of the catheter is shown in Figure 4b. In this case the catheter 1 is formed by a polymeric tube body 14 having a thin wall distal end portion 15 forming the sheath 3. This thin-walled sheath 3 is formed by locally thinning the polymeric tube body 14 at the distal end 15 of the tube body 14. Even a further construction is shown in Figure 4c in which in this case the inner support core is formed by polymer tubing 16. Figure 3 also illustrates a charging device indicated generally by means of a numerical reference 20, which loading device comprises a support 21 having a tunnel-like inner diameter 22 formed from a frustoconical filter device receiving the portion 25 ending in a cylindrical portion formed by a thin-walled stainless steel key plug 23 on which a charging tube 24 is mounted., again of a flexible thin wall material, which in this modality is PTFE. It will be appreciated in Figure 3 how the charging device 20 is inserted into the pod 3. To use the charging device 20, now specifically with reference to Figures 5 and 6, the filter 2 is connected to the guide wire 6 and pulls through the loading device 20 where it is compressed and pulled through the key cap 23 and the charging tube 24 until it rests inside the sheath 3 at a distal end of the sheath 3. With the guide wire 6 that remains firm relative to the catheter, the loading device 20 is removed leaving behind the filter 2 which is now mounted inside the sheath 3 as shown in Figure 2. It will be appreciated that the filter device 2 will move smoothly through the charging tube 24 since the charging tube 24 is in tension during charging. The catheter 1 can then be distributed transar- tially in accordance with standard clinical practice to a deployment site. As the catheter 1 moves through the arteries, a conductive end of the sheath 3 will be deflected which is flexible to assist in the conduction of the catheter 1 to the deployment site without damaging the artery wall. Once in position, the filter device 2 is held stationary while the body of the catheter incorporating the sheath 3 is retracted. When it is released, the filter device 2 will expand to fill the vessel. Advantageous to use simply as a deployment catheter, the wall thickness of the sheath can be minimized, and consequently the transverse profile of the catheter can be minimized, since the sheath need not be able to support compressive forces that could collapse the sheath . When the medical device is retained and when the medical device is pushed out of the deployment sheath, the wall of the sheath is tensioned and thus will not collapse. To load the medical device into the sheath, the charging tube of the charging device projects into the sheath to protect the sheath from compressive forces that could collapse the sheath.

It will be appreciated that instead of having the guide wire coaxially mounted within the catheter along the entire length of the catheter, the guide wire can only be coaxial with an external free end of the catheter. In this case, the guide wire is mounted along the catheter and is inserted into an entry hole adjacent to the free outer end of the catheter (typically 5-20 cm from the end of the catheter) to travel coaxially into the free outer end of the catheter . This configuration is commonly referred to as a FAST EXCHANGE system. It will be appreciated that the catheter / sheath assembly can be constructed with a single, polymeric tubing having an integral distal thin wall section describing the sheath. This construction can be achieved by means of a localized molding operation. Alternatively, a sheath can be adhered to the proximal tube by means of an adhesive or solder. The sheath described in any of the constructions with sufficient longitudinal hardness can be manufactured in such a way that it can withstand the compressive load of a filter element inside it. In this modality the application catheter can also be used as a recovery catheter. Referring now specifically to Figures 9 to 12, a compress to stop a catheter assembly is illustrated. Such a catheter assembly may be of a conventional construction or may be as illustrated, a catheter 1 in accordance with the present invention. Referring initially to Figures 9 and 10, the napkin has a molded plastic tray 30 which is separated to support parts of a catheter such as, for example, a depression 31 to retain a conventional Y-connector with a groove. associated center receiver 32 at one end for the reception of a center mounted at a proximal end of a catheter. A bath 33 is formed by another depression in the tray 30. A catheter or vessel mount depression 34 extends between the receiving slot of the center 32 and the bath 33. It will be noted that the vessel 34 has a shape for Define a desired curve without sharp curves and smooth transitions to facilitate the loading of a catheter in place. The vessel 34 is provided with a number of spacer clamps 37 spaced apart from each other illustrated in Figure 10. Each clamp 37 comprises three associated projections 42 which project into the opposite side walls 43 of the vessel 34 adjacent to an open mouth. upward of the vessel 34. These projections 42 and / or the side walls 43 of the vessel 34 are elastically deformable for a spring coupling of a tubular catheter body within the vessel 34 behind the projections 42. A sloping downward ramp is provided 44 at one end of the vessel 34 communicating with the bath 33 to direct a distal end of a catheter 1 towards the bottom of the bath 33. Additional separations 39 and 40 are provided respectively to retain an adapter and a syringe to wash the catheter 1 with a saline solution. Obviously, it will be appreciated that many other forms of apparatus can be provided. The bath 33 has a bottom 45 with a side wall 46 extending upwards. It will be noted that a passage 47 adjacent the vessel 34 is provided to support the distal end of the catheter 1 above the bottom 45 of the bath 33 to facilitate loading of the catheter 1 with a medical device 2. A depression 48 is formed in step 47 for receiving the loading device 20 for the catheter 1. When the loading device 20 is mounted in the depression 48 the charging tube 24 extends into the sheath 3 of the catheter 1 in a cooperative loading position. The handles 49 on each side of the depression 48 engage and hold the support 21 in the depression 48. These handles 49 are elastically deformable for a spring engagement of the support 21 in the depression 48 and to allow the release of the support 21 from the depression 48. An additional cup 50 is also provided for a balloon tube in the tray 30 having a number of clamping projections 52 spaced apart from each other (Figure 10) to hold a balloon tube in the vessel 50. In use, the catheter 1 is packed on the tray 30, which is mounted inside the cup 34 in such a way that it is fastened to the tray 30 in a position ready for loading. Saline is injected through catheter 1 to expel air from catheter 1 and bath 33 is filled with saline. Then the guide wire 6 having the filter 2 adhered is fed through the loading device 20 and through the catheter 1. The air is expelled from the filter 2 which is immersed in the salt bath and then the filter 2 is removed through the load device 20 inside sheath 3 at the distal end of catheter 1. The load is conducted under water to prevent it from being trapped by air in filter device 2 while filtering device 2 is loaded into the sheath 3 at the distal end of the catheter 1. It will be noted that the sheath 3 at the distal end of the catheter 1 is submerged and the catheter 1 is firmly held in the tray in a load coupling with the loading device 20 while the filter 2 is being loaded into the pod 3. The invention is not limited to the embodiments described hereinabove which may vary in both constructions and details within the scope of the appended claims .

Claims (30)

2 CLAIMS

1. A medical catheter (1) for the transvascular deployment of a medical device (2), which catheter (1) comprises an elongated tubular body having a proximal end and a distal end; a sheath comprising a tubular medical device (3) fixed at the distal end of the tubular body of the catheter for receiving the medical device (2); a sheath (3) extending from the distal end of the tubular body of the catheter; a deployment element for coupling with the medical device (2), the deployment element that is movable through the sheath (3) to move the medical device (2) between a position stored within the sheath (3) and a position in use externally of the sheath (3), which sheath (3) forms an integral extension of the tubular body of the catheter, which has thin walls, and which is flexible with respect to the tubular body of the catheter.

A catheter (1) according to claim 1 wherein the catheter body has an inner tubular core embedded within an outer tubular structure of thin concentric walls (10) that is fixed to the core, which tubular structure (10). ) extends outwardly from a distal end of the web to form the sheath (3).

3. A catheter (1) according to claim 2 wherein the inner core is a helically wound metal spring (11).

4. A catheter (1) according to claim 2 wherein the inner core is formed of polymer tubing (16).

A catheter (1) according to claim 1 wherein the sheath (3) is formed integrally with the tubular body of the catheter, which is formed by a thin wall distal end portion (15) of the tubular body of the catheter wall of reduced thickness relative to the proximal portion of the tubular body of the catheter.

6. A catheter (1) according to the preceding claim wherein the sheath (3) has sufficient axial rigidity to allow retraction of the medical device (2) directly into the sheath (3).

A catheter (1) according to any of the preceding claims wherein the wall thickness of the thin-walled sheath (3) is less than or equal to 0.004 inches (0.1 mm).

8. A catheter (1) according to claim 2 wherein the thin-walled outer tubular structure (10) is made of a relatively low friction material.

9. A catheter (1) according to claim 2 wherein the thin-walled outer tubular structure (10) incorporates a friction reducing agent.

A catheter (1) according to claim 2, wherein the thin-walled outer tubular structure (10) has a friction-reducing structure composite.

11. A catheter (1) in accordance with claims 2 to 9 wherein the outer thin-walled tubular structure (10) is made of a polytetrafluoroethylene material.

12. An application system for the transvascular deployment of a medical device (2), which system comprises a catheter (1) according to the preceding claim in combination with an associated separate charging device (20) which is operable for folding the medical device (2) from an expanded position in use to a collapsed position for reception into the sheath (3).

13. A system according to claim 12 wherein the loading device (20) comprises an element for radially compressing the medical device (2).

14. A system according to claim 12 or 13 wherein the loading device (20) comprises a tunnel having an expanded inlet end and a reduced outlet end, which outlet end can be engaged within the sheath (3). ).

15. A system according to claim 14 wherein the loading device (20) comprises a main support (21) having a tunnel-shaped inner diameter (22) formed from a receiving portion of the frustoconical medical device (25) terminating in a cylindrical portion formed by a thin-walled loading tube (24) projecting from the main support (21).

16. A system according to claim 15 wherein the cone angle of the inner diameter (22) is between 15 ° and 65 °.

17. A system according to claim 16 wherein the cone angle of the inner diameter (22) is between 35 ° and 45 °.

18. A system according to any of claims 15 to 17 wherein the main support (21) is formed of "perspex" and the thin-walled charging tube (24) of polytetrafluoroethylene.

19. A system according to any of claims 15 to 18, wherein the thin-walled charging tube (24) is mounted on the main support (21) on a metal key cap at an outer end. of the tunnel.

20. A medical catheter pad for an application system of the type according to any of claims 12 to 19, the napkin comprising an application system according to any of claims 12 to 19, and a tray (30) having an element for freely clamping the sheath (3) of the catheter (1) relative to the device associated separate charge (20) in a cooperative juxtaposition in the tray (30).

A sanitary pad according to claim 20 wherein the tray (30) has a liquid holding bath (33) formed by a recess in the tray (30), the bath 33 having a sufficient depth to accommodate in a state completely submerged the sheath (3) of the catheter (1) and the medical device (2) to submerge the medical device (2) inside the sheath (3).

22. A compress according to claim 21 wherein the tray (30) has a catheter holder (34) communicating with the bath (33), the glass ". (34) defining a path around the tray (30) supporting the catheter (1) in a loading position in the tray (30).

23. A compress according to claim 22 wherein an element for securing the catheter (1) within the vessel (34) comprises a number of fasteners (37) spaced apart from each other along the vessel (34), each fastener (37) comprising two or more associated projections (42) projecting inwardly from the opposite side walls (43) of the vessel (34) adjacent to the mouth of the vessel (34), the projections (42) that are elastically deformable for a coupling of catheter spring (1) inside the vessel (34) behind the projections (42).

24. A napkin according to claim 22 or 23 wherein a ramp (44) is provided at one end of the vessel (34) communicating with the bath (33) to direct the sheath (3) of the catheter (1) toward the bottom of the bathroom (33).

25. A napkin according to claim 24 wherein an element is provided within the bath (33) to support the sheath (3) of the catheter (1) above the bottom of the bath (33).

26. A napkin according to claim 25 wherein said support element is a step (47) adjacent to the vessel (34).

27. A napkin according to any of claims 21 to 26 wherein an element is provided within the bath (33) to support the catheter loading device (20) to engage with the catheter sheath (3). (1) to guide the medical device (2) into the sheath (3) of the catheter (1).

28. A napkin according to claim 27 wherein said element comprises a depression (48) in a side wall of the bath (33) for receiving a tunnel with a tunnel exit pipe directed towards the vessel (34) for fit inside the sheath (3) of the catheter (1).

29. A method for preparing a medical catheter for the transvascular deployment of a medical device, the method comprising the steps of: providing a medical catheter (1), which catheter (1) comprises an elongated tubular body having a proximal end and a distal end, a sheath (3) at the distal end of the tubular body of the catheter for receiving the medical device (2) and a deployment element for engaging with the medical device (2); providing a charging device (20) for folding the medical device (2) from an expanded position in use to a collapsed position for receiving inside the sheath (3), the loading device (20) having an inlet end and one exit end; coupling the output end of the charging device (20) inside the case (3); coupling the medical device (2) with the deployment element; retracting the deployment element proximally "through the tubular body of the catheter, to withdraw the medical device (2) through the loading device (20) into the sheath (3), so that in this way the medical device collapses (2), and uncoupling the loading device (20) from the sheath (3) .

30. A method for deploying a medical device (2) at a desired location in a vasculature, which method comprises the steps of: providing a medical catheter (1), which catheter (1) comprises an elongated tubular body having a proximal end and a distal end, a sheath (3) at the distal end of the tubular body of the catheter for receiving the medical device (2) and a deployment element for engaging with the medical device 2); providing a loading device (20) for folding the medical device (2) from an expanded position in use to a collapsed position for receiving inside the sheath (3), the loading device (20) having an inlet end and one exit end; coupling the output end of the charging device (20) inside the case (3); coupling the medical device (2) with the deployment element; retract the deployment element proximately through the tubular body of the catheter, to withdraw the medical device (2) through the loading device (20) inside the sheath (3), so that the medical device collapses ( 2); and uncoupling the loading device (20) from the sheath (3).