Splittable tubular medical device and method for manufacture
First Claim
1. A medical device having a distal end and a proximal end, said medical device comprising a hollow body portion defining an internal surface and an external surface and having a distal portion and a proximal portion wherein the external surface of the proximal portion includes at least one longitudinally extending preferential tear line extending between said proximal end and an intermediate point along said external surface and the internal surface of the distal portion includes a plurality of longitudinally extending grooves, at least one of said longitudinal grooves extending distally from a proximal point adjacent said intermediate point of said at least one longitudinally extending preferential tear line to a distal point at about said distal end of said medical device.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
This invention relates to a splittable medical device incorporating two sets of preferential tear lines. The first set of preferential tear lines preferably includes two longitudinally extending skives formed along the exterior surface of the proximal portion of the splittable medical device. The second set of preferential tear lines preferably includes a plurality of grooves formed along a distal portion of the interior portion of the splittable medical device. The skives should be substantially aligned with some of the grooves. This configuration facilitates splitting of the medical device along the skives and along one or more of the grooves to allow a clinician to split the medical device completely into two pieces. This invention includes a special mandrel having a plurality of ribs formed along a distal portion thereof and process that is used to manufacture the splittable medical device.
131 Citations
11 Claims
- 1. A medical device having a distal end and a proximal end, said medical device comprising a hollow body portion defining an internal surface and an external surface and having a distal portion and a proximal portion wherein the external surface of the proximal portion includes at least one longitudinally extending preferential tear line extending between said proximal end and an intermediate point along said external surface and the internal surface of the distal portion includes a plurality of longitudinally extending grooves, at least one of said longitudinal grooves extending distally from a proximal point adjacent said intermediate point of said at least one longitudinally extending preferential tear line to a distal point at about said distal end of said medical device.
Specification