Expandable percutaneous sheath

• US 20040006344A1
• Filed: 07/02/2002
• Published: 01/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Warsaw Orthopedic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Warsaw Orthopedic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Shaolian, Samuel M., Nguyen, Thanh Van, Pham, To V., Teitelbaum, George P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,329,268 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/72
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3431 being collapsible, e.g. made of thin flexible material A61B17/3423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3439 with means for changing the inner diameter of the cannula, e.g. expandable A61B17/3423, A61B17/3431 take precedence; catheters A61M25/0662
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7001 Screws or hooks combined with longitudinal elements which do not contact vertebrae A61B17/7058 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7083 Tools for guidance or insertion of tethers, rod-to-anchor connectors, rod-to-rod connectors, or longitudinal elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8872 Instruments for putting said fixation devices against or away from the bone A61B17/7074, A61B17/808 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00336 with a protective sleeve, e.g. retractable or slidable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00557 inflatable A61B2017/22051 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0024 Expandable catheters or sheaths
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/06 Body-piercing guide needles or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0662 Guide tubes

Abstract

Disclosed is an expandable percutaneous sheath, for introduction into the body while in a first, low cross-sectional area configuration, and subsequent expansion to a second, enlarged cross-sectional configuration. The sheath is maintained in the first, low cross-sectional configuration by a removable tubular restraint. In one application, the sheath is utilized to introduce a formed in place orthopedic fixation rod such as for use in spinal fixation procedures.

Claims

1. A percutaneous access sheath comprising an elongate tubular structure, at least a portion of said elongate tubular structure being expandable from a first, smaller cross-sectional profile to a second, greater cross-sectional profile, and a releaseable sheath carried by the access sheath to restrain at least a portion of said elongate tubular structure in said first, smaller cross-sectional profile.

2. The percutaneous access sheath of claim 1, in combination with an inflatable balloon to expand said portion from said first, smaller cross-sectional profile to said second, greater cross-sectional profile.

3. The percutaneous access sheath of claim 2, wherein the balloon is carried by a balloon catheter which is axially moveably positionable within the percutaneous access sheath.

4. A percutaneous access sheath comprising an elongate tubular structure, said elongate tubular structure having a distal section expandable from a first, smaller cross-sectional profile to a second, greater cross-sectional profile, and a releaseable restraint to restrain said distal section of said elongate tubular structure in said first, smaller cross-sectional profile.

5. The percutaneous access sheath of claim 4, wherein the releasable restraint comprises a peel away sheath.

6. A method of providing percutaneous access, said method comprising:

percutaneously inserting an elongate tubular structure having a first, smaller cross-sectional profile;

removing a tubular restraint from the elongate tubular structure; and

expanding said elongate tubular structure from said first, smaller cross-sectional profile to a second, greater cross-sectional profile.

7. The method of claim 6, additionally comprising the step of inflating a balloon to expand said elongate tubular structure from said first, smaller cross-sectional profile to said second, greater cross-sectional profile.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the percutaneously inserting step comprises percutaneously inserting the elongate tubular structure through an aperture in a bone anchor.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the percutaneously inserting step comprises percutaneously inserting the elongate tubular structure through an aperture in an anchor which is attached to a vertebral body.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of introducing an implant through the tubular structure when the tubular structure is in the second, greater cross sectional profile.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the implant comprises a formed in place orthopedic implant.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the percutaneously inserting step comprises percutaneously inserting the elongate tubular structure through at least a first bone anchor attached to a first vertebral body and a second bone anchor attached to a second vertebral body.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the inflating a balloon step is accomplished using a balloon catheter positioned within the tubular body.

14. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of removing the balloon from the tubular structure following the expanding step.