Catheter system for introducing an expandable heart valve stent into a patient's body, insertion system having a catheter system, and medical device for treating heart valve abnormalities
The invention relates to catheter system for introducing an expandable heart valve stent (150) into the body of a patient, the catheter system comprising: a catheter tip (10) having a seat portion for accommodating the stent (150) in its collapsed state and a stent holder (15) for releasably fixing the stent (150), wherein the seat portion is constituted by a first sleeve-shaped member (11) and a second sleeve-shaped member (21), said sleeve-shaped members (11, 21) being moveable relative to each other and relative to the stent holder (15), and a catheter shaft (30) for connecting the catheter tip (10) to a handle (70). The catheter shaft (30) comprising: first force transmitting means (31) connected to the first sleeve-shaped member (11), second force transmitting means (41) connected to the second sleeve-shaped member (21) and a distal end section connectable to second operating means (81) of the handle (70), and guiding means (51) having a passageway extending there between, wherein the first and second force transmitting means (31, 41) are at least partly received within the passageway such as to be moveable relative to the guiding means (51), and wherein the proximal end of the guiding means (51) terminates distal to the catheter tip (10).
