Expandable transluminal sheath
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An expandable medical access sheath for providing minimally invasive access to body lumens or cavities, comprising:
- a length of proximal sheath tubing, said proximal sheath tubing being non-expandable;
a length of distal sheath tubing, said distal sheath tubing being collapsed to a diameter smaller than that of the proximal sheath tubing;
a transition zone between the distal sheath tubing and the proximal sheath tubing, wherein the transition zone tapers between the larger diameter proximal sheath tubing and the smaller diameter distal sheath tubing; and
a dilator disposed within both the proximal sheath tubing and the distal sheath tubing, wherein radial expansion of the dilator causes the distal sheath tubing to expand diametrically to substantially the same inner diameter as that of the proximal sheath tubing.
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Accused Products
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.
272 Citations
27 Claims
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1. An expandable medical access sheath for providing minimally invasive access to body lumens or cavities, comprising:
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a length of proximal sheath tubing, said proximal sheath tubing being non-expandable;
a length of distal sheath tubing, said distal sheath tubing being collapsed to a diameter smaller than that of the proximal sheath tubing;
a transition zone between the distal sheath tubing and the proximal sheath tubing, wherein the transition zone tapers between the larger diameter proximal sheath tubing and the smaller diameter distal sheath tubing; and
a dilator disposed within both the proximal sheath tubing and the distal sheath tubing, wherein radial expansion of the dilator causes the distal sheath tubing to expand diametrically to substantially the same inner diameter as that of the proximal sheath tubing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of instrumenting a body lumen comprising the steps of:
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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 and advancing said sheath to a target treatment site;
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. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An apparatus adapted for instrumenting a body lumen of a patient comprising:
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a sheath having a proximal end and a distal end;
means for radially collapsing the distal end of a sheath and maintaining said radially collapsed configuration;
means for introducing the sheath into the body lumen while the distal end is in its radially collapsed configuration;
means for dilating the radially collapsed distal end of the sheath;
means for maintaining the dilated configuration of the distal end of the sheath, following dilation by the dilator;
means for performing instrumentation, material introduction or withdrawal from the body lumen through the sheath; and
means for removal of the sheath from the body lumen. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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- 25. A device adapted for providing therapeutic or diagnostic access to a kidney through the ureter comprising a sheath having a non-expandable proximal end and a radially expandable distal end that can be expanded from an outer diameter of about 10 French or smaller to an outer diameter of greater than about 12 French.
Specification