Patent · US Expired

Protective intraluminal sheath

US5647857A · kind A · utility

401Cited by
25References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 16, 1995
Grant dateJul 15, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 16, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61M2025/1081
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A sheath holds a device against a balloon catheter for delivery in the lumen of a patient. The device can be a stent and graft combination. The stent is kept properly centered over the balloon catheter by the sheath as the graft is placed in a blood vessel. The smooth outer surface of the sheath protects the vessel wall from the rough surface of the stent. A notch is formed in the end of the sheath where the free end of a strand of thread protrudes from the sheath. The sheath is removed from the graft by pulling on the free end of the strand otherwise located distally from the outer surface of the sheath. The strand cuts through and splits open the sheath as a result of the force applied on the free end of the strand. The other end of the strand is attached to a reinforced collar at the other end of the sheath. The strand does not cut through the collar. After reaching the collar, the proximal force applied on the strand now pulls the split sheath from the graft and stent combination without disturbing the placement of the stent over the balloon delivery catheter.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.