Exoskeleton devices for use with elongated medical instruments
AssigneeTransit Scientific, LLC
InventorShawn P. Fojtik
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An exoskeleton device is capable of being applied to an outer surface of an elongated medical instrument, such as a catheter or a balloon (e.g., an angioplasty balloon, etc.). The exoskeleton device includes a sleeve or another element that is configured to be placed over a distal portion of the elongated medical instrument, one or more features on the sleeve or other element for performing a procedure within the body of a subject, and one or more elements that communicate with the sleeve or other element and/or the features carried thereby to enable performance of the procedure within the body of the subject. Methods of applying exoskeleton devices to elongated medical instruments and methods of using exoskeleton devices are also disclosed.
Claims16
An exoskeleton device configured for assembly with an elongated medical instrument, the exoskeleton device comprising:
- a body positionable over an entirety of an expandable element of the elongated medical instrument and capable of enabling removal of the expandable element from the body, the body including at least one blade that:
- is elongated;
- is capable of being positioned at a radial position around a circumference of the expandable element of the elongated medical instrument;
- and
- includes a scoring edge that extends along a length of the at least one blade with a tangential-radial orientation that changes relative to a longitudinal axis of the at least one blade while the body circumferentially expands.
An exoskeleton device for use with an elongated medical instrument, comprising:
- a body positionable over and removable from an expandable element of the elongated medical instrument, the body comprising an elongated tubular element capable of substantially surrounding the expandable element of the elongated medical instrument and of circumferentially expanding upon expanding the expandable element of the elongated medical instrument and resiliently circumferentially contracting following use of the exoskeleton device and retraction of the expandable element from its expanded state,
- the body including a plurality of blades:
- each blade of the plurality of blades comprising an elongated element;
- being positioned at different radial positions around a circumference of the body;
- and
- each blade of the plurality of blades including a scoring edge that extends along a length of the blade with a tangential-radial orientation that changes relative to a longitudinal axis of the blade while the body circumferentially expands.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.