Sheath tip

• US 7,115,138 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2002
• Issued: 10/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Renati, Richard J., Demond, Jackson F., Krolik, Jeff A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes, Michael J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mendoza, Michael G.
• Application Number:
  US10/234,260
• Publication Number:
  US 20040044359A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,490 Days
• Field of Search: 606/191, 606/194, 606/200, 606/127, 604/263, 604/264
• US Class Current: 606/200
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/011 Instruments for their placement or removal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0008 elliptical or oval

Abstract

An embolic protection filter delivery and/or retrieval assembly. In one embodiment the assembly includes a shaft having a filter coupled thereto, a sheath, and a tapering member.

Claims

1. An embolic protection filter assembly, comprising;

an outer sheath having a proximal end, a distal end, a lumen extending therethrough and a central longitudinal axis;

an elongate shaft disposed in at least a portion of the lumen, the shaft having a distal end;

an embolic protection filter coupled to the shaft near the distal end thereof;

wherein a housing region is defined at the distal end of the sheath, the housing region including a housing lumen that is sized to accommodate the filter therein;

a tapering member coupled to the sheath and disposed near the distal end of the sheath, the tapering member being adapted and configured to shift between a first position and a second position, such that when the tapering member is in the first position, the tapering member provides the outer sheath with a tapered distal tip;

wherein the tapering member includes a notched tip disposed at the distal end of sheath, the notched tip including a plurality of segments having a plurality of notches disposed therebetween; and

wherein the plurality of segments is biased towards the central longitudinal axis in the first position.

2. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a marker member coupled to the sheath.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the segments are formed of a flexible material.

9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of notches narrow distally when the tapering member is in the first position.

4. An embolic protection filter assembly, comprising;

a sheath having a proximal end, a distal end, a lumen extending therethrough, and a central longitudinal axis;

a guidewire disposed in at least a portion of the lumen, the guidewire having a distal end;

an embolic protection filter coupled to the guidewire near the distal end thereof;

wherein a housing region is defined at the distal end of the sheath, the housing region including a housing lumen that is sized to accommodate the filter therein;

a tapering member coupled to the sheath and disposed near the distal end of the sheath; and

wherein the tapering member is adapted and configured to shift between a first position wherein at least a portion of the tapered region is disposed at the distal end of the sheath and a second position, and wherein the tapering member includes a flexible notched tip disposed at the distal end of sheath, the notched tip including a plurality of segments having a plurality of notches disposed therebetween, wherein the plurality of segments is biased towards the central longitudinal axis in the first position.

5. The assembly of claim 4, further comprising a marker member coupled to the sheath.

6. The assembly of claim 4, wherein tapering member includes a flexible tip having a flexible tapered tip portion.

7. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the tip portion is configured to expand when the tapering member shifts to the second position.

8. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the tip portion is configured to fold back proximally when the tapering member shifts to the second position.