INTRODUCTORY ASSEMBLY AND METHOD FOR INSERTING INTRACARDIAC INSTRUMENTS
First Claim
1. An introduction assembly structured to facilitate insertion of instrumentation through the wall of the heart and into the interior thereof, said introduction assembly comprising:
- an elongated sheath dimensioned for operative placement relative to the heart along a thoracic passage,said sheath including open distal and proximal ends and a predetermined configuration along at least a portion of its length,said predetermined configuration structured to facilitate orientation of said open distal end into said operative placement;
said operative placement comprising a substantially flush, confronting relation of said open distal end to an exterior of the heart wall adjacent an entry site,said sheath having a predetermined interior transverse dimensions sufficient to facilitate passage of the instrumentation there through into the heart, andat least a portion of the length of said sheath formed of a rigid material, said rigid material having sufficient rigidity to facilitate manipulation of said sheath and disposition of said open distal end into said operative placement.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An introduction assembly and method for the insertion of medical instruments through a thoracic passage into a selected one of either the left or right atrium of the heart. Catheters or other instruments dedicated to performing required cardiac maneuvers are passed through an introductory sheath having a distal end disposed within the targeted atrium. Upon completion of the required cardiac maneuvers the instruments are removed from the atrium and a closure assembly is passed through the introductory sheath into a closing relation to an entry site, formed in the pericardium and corresponding atrium wall, to facilitate healing thereof. The introductory assembly and method facilitates the concurrent, operative disposition of a plurality of catheters or other instruments into the interior of the selected atrium through different thoracic passages and entry sites thereby allowing synergistic interaction between the multiple catheters in the performance of the required cardiac maneuvers.
34 Citations
29 Claims
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1. An introduction assembly structured to facilitate insertion of instrumentation through the wall of the heart and into the interior thereof, said introduction assembly comprising:
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an elongated sheath dimensioned for operative placement relative to the heart along a thoracic passage, said sheath including open distal and proximal ends and a predetermined configuration along at least a portion of its length, said predetermined configuration structured to facilitate orientation of said open distal end into said operative placement;
said operative placement comprising a substantially flush, confronting relation of said open distal end to an exterior of the heart wall adjacent an entry site,said sheath having a predetermined interior transverse dimensions sufficient to facilitate passage of the instrumentation there through into the heart, and at least a portion of the length of said sheath formed of a rigid material, said rigid material having sufficient rigidity to facilitate manipulation of said sheath and disposition of said open distal end into said operative placement. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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11. An introduction assembly as recited in 10 wherein said predetermined transverse dimension of said lumen is greater than 7.3 mm.
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25. An introduction assembly structured to facilitate insertion of instrumentation into the heart through a wall thereof, said introduction assembly comprising:
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an elongated sheath including an open distal end and a predetermined configuration extending along at least a portion of the length of said sheath, said predetermined configuration disposed and structured to establish a substantially flush relation of said open distal end with an exterior of the heart wall, when said sheath is in said operative placement, a stabilizer assembly movably disposable within said sheath and including a stabilizing structure positionable through said open distal end into a retaining orientation within an entry site in the heart wall, said stabilizer assembly including a central lumen having a predetermined transverse dimension sufficient to facilitate the passage there through of instrumentation within the heart, a dilator movably disposable within said stabilizer assembly and including a dilating tip dimensioned and configured to facilitate passage into and expansion of the entry site, and said stabilizer structure disposable relative to said dilator into said retaining relation with the entry site upon the expansion of said entry site. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification