INTRODUCER SHEATH, PLACEMENT DEVICE FOR BLOOD VESSEL TREATMENT INSTRUMENT, AND METHOD FOR SHORTENING INTRODUCER SHEATH

• US 20130184805A1
• Filed: 03/05/2013
• Published: 07/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha (Terumo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha (Terumo Corporation)
• Inventors: SAWADA, Akira
• Application Number:
  US13/785,491
• Publication Number:
  US 20130184805A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/9517 handle assemblies therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/962 having an outer sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/97 the outer sleeve being splittable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0675 Introducing-sheath slitters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0681 Systems with catheter and outer tubing, e.g. sheath, sleeve or guide tube
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0097 characterised by the hub connectors A61M39/10
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0668 splittable, tear apart

Abstract

A placement device for a blood vessel treatment instrument has an introducer sheath functioning as an outer tube, and also has an inner tube. The introducer sheath has a flexible tube-shaped sheath body and a hub into which the base end of the sheath body is inserted. The hub takes-up the base end of the sheath body into the hub by way of take-up shafts while slitting the base end of the sheath body by cutting blades, and thus the length of extension of the sheath body from the hub can be shortened.

Claims

1. An introducer sheath into which is insertable an elongated shaft, the introducer sheath comprising:

a hub possessing a distal end;

a flexible tubular sheath body possessing a proximal-most portion and a distal-most portion;

a movable shortening member mounted on the hub;

the proximal-most portion of the sheath body including a plurality of axially extending slits which circumferentially separate a plurality of terminal portions of the sheath body, at least one of the terminal portions being connected to the shortening member, and the distal-most portion of the sheath body extending distally beyond the distal end of the hub; and

the shortening member being movable relative to the hub to move the sheath body relative to the hub and shorten an axial extent to which the distal-most portion of the sheath body extends distally beyond the distal end of the hub.

2. The introducer sheath according to claim 1, wherein the proximal-most portion of the sheath body includes two slits which are diametrically opposed to each other so that the proximal-most portion of the sheath body includes two circumferentially spaced apart terminal pieces.

3. The introducer sheath according to claim 2, wherein the movable shortening member is a first movable shortening member, and including a second movable shortening member spaced apart from the first movable shortening member, the second movable shortening member being mounted on the hub and being movable relative to the hub.

4. The introducer sheath according to claim 1, wherein the shortening member is rotatably mounted on the hub, and one of the terminal portions of the proximal-most portion of the sheath body is wound on the rotatable shortening member as the shortening member is rotated.

5. The introducer sheath according to claim 1, further comprising a cutter positioned adjacent the proximal-most portion of the sheath body to contact and cut the proximal-most portion of the sheath body as the sheath body is moved relative to the hub to shorten the extent to which the distal-most portion of the sheath body extends distally beyond the distal end of the hub.

6. The introducer sheath according to claim 1, wherein the movable shortening member includes a plurality of take-up shafts each rotatably mounted on the hub, with each of the terminal pieces being connected to a respective one of the take-up shafts.

7. The introducer sheath according to claim 6, further comprising cutters mounted in the hub at positions to cut the sheath body and extend the slits;

The terminal portions comprising two terminal portions spaced apart from one another such that with the sheath body horizontally positioned, the two terminal portions are spaced apart from one another in a first direction and are positioned on opposite sides of a horizontal plane containing a central axis of the sheath body; and

the plurality of take-up shafts comprise two take-up shafts disposed at positions spaced from each other in the first direction.

8. The introducer sheath according to claim 7, wherein the cutters are spaced apart cutting blades each positioned adjacent the sheath body to contact and cut circumferentially spaced apart different portions of the sheath body.

9. The introducer sheath according to claim 6, wherein the hub comprises an interlocking mechanism by which the plurality of take-up shafts are rotationally interlocked so that rotation of one of the take-up shafts rotates another of the take-up shafts.

10. An introducer sheath into which is insertable an elongated shaft, the introducer sheath comprising:

a flexible tube-shaped sheath body possessing a proximal portion and a distal portion;

a hub in which the proximal portion of the sheath body is positioned with the distal portion of the sheath body extending distally beyond a distal end of the hub; and

the hub being configured to take-up the proximal portion of the sheath body into the hub while slitting the proximal portion of the sheath body to shorten a length of the sheath body extending distally beyond the distal end of the hub.

11. The introducer sheath according to claim 10, wherein the hub includes:

a cutting section to axially slit the proximal portion of the sheath body and separate the proximal-most portion of the sheath body into a plurality of terminal pieces; and

a plurality of take-up shafts, with one of the terminal pieces being connected to each of the take-up shafts.

12. The introducer sheath according to claim 11, wherein the cutting section is configured to form slits at circumferentially opposite locations on the proximal portion of the sheath body so that the terminal portions are spaced apart from one another in a first direction;

and

the plurality of take-up shafts comprise two take-up shafts disposed at positions spaced from each other in the first direction.

13. The introducer sheath according to claim 11, wherein the cutting section comprises a plurality of spaced apart cutting blades each positioned adjacent the sheath body to contact and slit circumferential-directionally different portions of the sheath body.

14. The introducer sheath according to claim 11, wherein the hub comprises an interlocking mechanism by which the plurality of take-up shafts are rotationally interlocked so that rotation of one of the take-up shafts rotates another of the take-up shafts.

15. The introducer sheath according to claim 11, wherein the hub includes rotation restraining mechanisms that inhibit the take-up shafts from rotating in an unwinding direction.

16. The introducer sheath according to claim 11, wherein the hub comprises:

a hub body having a hollow section forming an inside in which the take-up shafts and the proximal portion of the sheath body are positioned;

a rotational operating section operatively connected to the take-up shafts and rotatably operable from outside the hub body to rotate the take-up shafts; and

the hub body being liquid-tight so that liquid flowing into the inside of the hub through the sheath body does not leak to outside the hub.

17. A blood vessel treatment instrument placement device by which a self-expanding blood vessel treatment instrument is delivered to and placed indwelling in a desired treatment site in a blood vessel, the blood vessel treatment instrument placement device comprising:

an introducer sheath having a sheath body for housing the blood vessel treatment instrument on an inner circumference of a distal portion of the sheath body;

an inner tube slidably positioned inside the sheath body;

the introducer sheath comprising;

a flexible tube-shaped sheath body possessing a proximal portion and a distal portion;

a hub in which the proximal portion of the sheath body is positioned with the distal portion of the sheath body extending distally beyond a distal end of the hub; and

the hub being configured to take-up the proximal portion of the sheath body into the hub while slitting the proximal portion of the sheath body to shorten a length of the sheath body extending distally beyond the distal end of the hub.

18. A method for shortening an introducer sheath in which an elongated shaft is inserted, the method comprising:

slitting a proximal portion of a sheath body positioned in a hub to form at least two terminal portions at the proximal portion of a sheath body;

drawing the sheath body into the hub in which the proximal portion of the sheath body is positioned; and

taking up the terminal pieces of the sheath body.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the sheath body is drawn into the hub and the terminal pieces are taken up by winding at least one of the terminal portions on a rotatable take-up roll.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the sheath body is drawn into the hub and the terminal pieces are taken up by winding two of the terminal portions on respective rotatable take-up rolls.