Expandable transluminal sheath

• US 8,597,277 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2011
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Terumo Medical Corporation (Terumo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Onset Medical Corp. (Terumo Corporation)
• Inventors: Lenker, Jay, Tchulluian, Onnik, Nance, Edward J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lucchesi, Nicholas
• Assistant Examiner(s): MEDWAY, SCOTT J
• Application Number:
  US13/046,519
• Publication Number:
  US 20110282156A1
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: 264/301, 427/2.1, 604/103.09, 604/104, 604/106, 604/264, 604/524, 604/508, 604/509, 604/239, 604/272, 604/107, 606/194, 606/198, 600/208
• US Class Current: 604/533
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3439 with means for changing the inner diameter of the cannula, e.g. expandable A61B17/3423, A61B17/3431 take precedence; catheters A61M25/0662
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0024 Expandable catheters or sheaths
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0681 Systems with catheter and outer tubing, e.g. sheath, sleeve or guide tube
• 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 25/0026 Multi-lumen catheters with stationary elements catheter assemblies comprising a catheter in combination with a guide tube, sheath or sleeve A61M2025/0681; catheters comprising telescoping coaxial elements A61M2025/0175
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0045 multi-layered, e.g. coated coating materials A61L29/08
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/005 with embedded materials for reinforcement, e.g. wires, coils, braids
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0052 Localized reinforcement, e.g. where only a specific part of the catheter is reinforced, for rapid exchange guidewire port
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0108 using radio-opaque or ultrasound markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0662 Guide tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 29/02 Dilators made of swellable material balloon catheters for angioplasty A61M25/104

Abstract

Disclosed is an expandable transluminal sheath, for introduction into the body while in a first, low cross-sectional area configuration, and subsequent expansion of at least a part of the distal end of the sheath to a second, enlarged cross-sectional configuration. The distal end of the sheath is maintained in the first, low cross-sectional configuration and expanded using a radial dilatation device. In an exemplary application, the sheath is utilized to provide access for diagnostic or therapeutic procedures such as ureteroscopy, cardiac electrophysiology, gastroenterology, and spinal access.

Claims

1. A method of instrumenting a body lumen comprising the steps of:

inserting a dilator into a sheath, said sheath having a radially collapsible distal end;

collapsing the distal end of the sheath radially inward around the dilator such that the distal end of the sheath is smaller in diameter than the proximal end of the sheath;

inserting the sheath and dilator into the body lumen transurethrally and advancing said sheath to a target treatment site of a bladder, ureter, or kidney;

expanding the dilator, wherein the dilator expansion causes the distal end of the sheath to expand to a diameter substantially the same as that of the proximal end of the sheath;

removing the dilator, wherein a central lumen remains that is substantially the same diameter moving from the proximal end to the distal end of the sheath; and

introducing instruments or catheters through the central lumen of the sheath for a therapeutic or diagnostic procedure.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of removing the sheath from the body lumen, following completion of the procedure.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of introducing a guidewire into the body lumen prior to introducing the sheath into the body lumen.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of introducing the dilator and sheath over the guidewire, wherein the guidewire passes through a lumen in the dilator.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of collapsing the distal end of the sheath prior to removing the sheath from the body lumen.