Expandable cannula
DCFirst Claim
1. An expandable cannula having a contracted condition and being expandable from the contracted condition to an expanded condition, said expandable cannula comprising a longitudinally extending tubular sheath formed of a material capable of being extended from a condition in which a longitudinally extending passage through the tubular sheath has a relatively small cross sectional size to a condition in which the passage has a relatively large cross sectional size upon expansion of said cannula from the contracted condition to the expanded condition, a plurality of wires which are enclosed by said sheath and extend along an inner side of said sheath, said wires being disposed in a longitudinally extending array having a relatively small cross sectional size when said cannula is in the contracted condition and a relatively large cross sectional size when said cannula is in the expanded condition, and a pointed end portion for piercing body tissue, said pointed end portion of said cannula being formed by an end portion of said sheath and end portions of said wires.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Cannulas for surgical and medical use expand along their entire lengths. The cannulas are inserted through tissue when in an unexpanded condition and with a small diameter. The cannulas are then expanded radially outwardly to give a full-size instrument passage. Expansion of the cannulas occurs against the viscoelastic resistance of the surrounding tissue. The expandable cannulas do not require a full depth incision, or at most require only a needle-size entrance opening. In one embodiment of the invention, the cannula has a pointed end portion. In this embodiment of the invention, the cannula includes wires having cores which are enclosed by jackets. The jackets are integrally formed as one piece with a sheath of the cannula. The cannula may be expanded by inserting members or by fluid pressure. The cannula is advantageously utilized to expand a vessel, such as a blood vessel. An expandable chamber may be provided at the distal end of the cannula.
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Citations
64 Claims
- 1. An expandable cannula having a contracted condition and being expandable from the contracted condition to an expanded condition, said expandable cannula comprising a longitudinally extending tubular sheath formed of a material capable of being extended from a condition in which a longitudinally extending passage through the tubular sheath has a relatively small cross sectional size to a condition in which the passage has a relatively large cross sectional size upon expansion of said cannula from the contracted condition to the expanded condition, a plurality of wires which are enclosed by said sheath and extend along an inner side of said sheath, said wires being disposed in a longitudinally extending array having a relatively small cross sectional size when said cannula is in the contracted condition and a relatively large cross sectional size when said cannula is in the expanded condition, and a pointed end portion for piercing body tissue, said pointed end portion of said cannula being formed by an end portion of said sheath and end portions of said wires.
- 18. An expandable cannula having a contracted condition and being expandable from the contracted condition to an expanded condition upon insertion of a member into said cannula, said expandable cannula comprising a longitudinally extending tubular sheath formed of a material capable of being expanded from a condition in which a longitudinally extending passage through the tubular sheath has a relatively small cross sectional size to a condition in which the passage has a relatively large cross sectional size upon expansion of said cannula from the contracted condition to the expanded condition, and a plurality of wires enclosed by said sheath and extending along an inner side of said sheath, said wires being disposed in a longitudinally extending array having a relatively small cross sectional size when said cannula is in the contracted condition and a relatively large cross sectional size when said cannula is in the expanded condition, each of said wires having a longitudinally extending outer side surface area which is engageable with the member upon insertion of the member into the passage in said sheath to block engagement of the member with longitudinally extending inner side surface areas on said sheath, said longitudinally extending outer side surface areas on said wires being integrally formed as one piece with said sheath, at least a portion of one of said wires extends beyond an outer end portion of said sheath to enable said one of said wires to engage body tissue ahead of said sheath upon insertion of said outer end portion of said sheath into body tissue.
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22. An expandable cannula having a contracted condition and being expandable from the contracted condition to an expanded condition upon insertion of a member into said cannula, said expandable cannula comprising a longitudinally extending tubular sheath formed of a material capable of being expanded from a condition in which a longitudinally extending passage through the tubular sheath has a relatively small cross sectional size to a condition in which the passage has a relatively large cross sectional size upon expansion of said cannula from the contracted condition to the expanded condition, and a plurality of wires enclosed by said sheath and extending along an inner side of said sheath, said wires being disposed in a longitudinally extending array having a relatively small cross sectional size when said cannula is in the contracted condition and a relatively large cross sectional size when said cannula is in the expanded condition, each of said wires having a core formed of a first material and a jacket which extends at least part way around said core and is formed of a second material which is different than said first material, said jacket having a longitudinally extending outer side surface area which is engageable with the member upon insertion of the member into the passage in said sheath to block engagement of the member with longitudinally extending inner side surface areas on said sheath, at least a portion of one of said wires extends beyond an outer end portion of said sheath to enable said one of said wires to engage body tissue ahead of said sheath upon insertion of said outer end portion of said sheath into body tissue.
- 23. An expandable cannula having a contracted condition and being expandable from the contracted condition to an expanded condition upon insertion of a member into said cannula, said expandable cannula comprising a longitudinally extending tubular sheath formed of a material capable of being expanded from a condition in which a longitudinally extending passage through the tubular sheath has a relatively small cross sectional size to a condition in which the passage has a relatively large cross sectional size upon expansion of said cannula from the contracted condition to the expanded condition, and a plurality of wires enclosed by said sheath and extending along an inner side of said sheath, said wires being disposed in a longitudinally extending array having a relatively small cross sectional size when said cannula is in the contracted condition and a relatively large cross sectional size when said cannula is in the expanded condition, each of said wires having a core formed of a first material and a jacket which extends at least part way around said core and is formed of a second material which is different than said first material, said jacket having a longitudinally extending outer side surface area which is engageable with the member upon insertion of the member into the passage in said sheath to block engagement of the member with longitudinally extending inner side surface areas on said sheath, said cannula having a pointed end portion to pierce body tissue, said pointed end portion of said cannula being formed by an end portion of said sheath and end portions of said jackets and cores of said wires, said jackets being integrally formed as one piece with said sheath at said pointed end portion of said cannula.
- 31. A cannula comprising a longitudinally extending tubular sheath, a plurality of wires which are enclosed by said sheath and extend along an inner side of said sheath, said wires having parallel longitudinal axes which extend parallel to a longitudinal central axis of said sheath, and an end portion having surface means for piercing body tissue, said end portion of said cannula being formed by an end portion of said sheath and end portions of said wires, said surface means for piercing body tissue being at least partially disposed on said end portion of said sheath and on said end portions of said wires.
- 46. A cannula comprising a longitudinally extending tubular sheath, a plurality of wires which are enclosed by said sheath, and a pointed end portion for piercing body tissue, said pointed end portion of said cannula being formed by a pointed end portion of said sheath and said wires, said sheath having a longitudinal central passage which extends through said pointed end portion of said sheath, said wires being connected with an inner side of said central passage in said sheath at said pointed end portion of said sheath, said wires having parallel central axes which extend parallel to a central axis of said pointed end portion of said sheath.
- 62. A cannula comprising a longitudinally extending tubular sheath, said sheath having an end portion which is insertable into body tissue, and an array of wires which extend along an inner side of said sheath, said wires in said array of wires having longitudinal central axes which extend parallel to a longitudinal central axis of said sheath, said array of wires including at least one wire having a piercing end portion which extends outward from said end portion of said sheath to enable said one wire to pierce an imperforate surface on body tissue and initiate the formation of an opening in the imperforate surface on the body tissue when said end portion of said sheath is to be inserted into body tissue.
Specification