Catheter with removable balloon protector and stent delivery system with removable stent protector

• US 7,618,398 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2000
• Issued: 11/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Scimed Life Systems Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Holman, Thomas J., Hanson, Scott M., Ellis, Louis G., Traxler, Richard J., Olson, Gregory K., Lorentzen Cornelius, Linda R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho; (Jackie) Tan-Uyen T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TYSON, MELANIE RUANO
• Application Number:
  US09/737,118
• Publication Number:
  US 20010001128A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,260 Days
• Field of Search: 604160-162, 604/103.05, 606/194, 623/1.11, 623/1.23, 623/23.64, 623/23.65, 623/23.66, 623/1.22
• US Class Current: 604/160
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0095 Packages or dispensers for prostheses or other implants for intraocular lenses A61F2/1691; for dental surgery A61C19/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/958 Inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9583 Means for holding the stent on the balloon, e.g. using protrusions, adhesives or an outer sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1081 having sheaths or the like for covering the balloon but not forming a permanent part of the balloon, e.g. retractable, dissolvable or tearable sheaths
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/104 used for angioplasty

Abstract

A protective sleeve for a balloon dilatation catheter includes an elongate tubular member having a neck portion and a slit extending along the entire length of the tubular member from a proximal end to a distal end thereof, wherein a distal portion of the tubular member is flared from the neck portion to the distal end of the tubular member to define an enlarged funnel-like opening.

Claims

1. A protective sleeve for a balloon dilatation catheter comprising:

an elongate tubular member having a neck portion and a slit extending along the entire length of the tubular member from a proximal end to a distal end thereof, wherein a distal portion of the tubular member is flared from the neck portion to the distal end of the tubular member to define an enlarged funnel-like opening.

2. A protective sleeve as defined in claim 1, wherein the slit extends along a plane that includes a longitudinal axis of the tubular member.

3. A protective sleeve as defined in claim 1 wherein the slit is helical.

4. A protective sleeve as defined in claim 1 further comprising:

an outer sleeve disposed about those portions of the tubular member proximal of the flared distal portion, the outer sleeve being configured to maintain the slit of the tubular member in a closed configuration.