Multistage expandable loading dilator
AssigneeCook Medical Technologies LLC
InventorsDonald R. Sandmore, Erin Roberts
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A loading dilator may include a first portion and a second portion. The first portion may include a first proximal end, a first distal end, and a first outer surface extending between the first proximal end and the first distal end. The second portion may include a second proximal end, a second distal end, and a second outer surface extending between the second proximal end and the second distal end. The first outer surface may include a plurality of slits extending along at least a portion of the length of the first portion. The plurality of slits may be spaced apart circumferentially around a longitudinal axis of the first portion. The length of the second portion may be smaller than the length of the first portion.
Claims13
A system for providing a passageway into a body opening, comprising:
- a tubular member including an inner lumen extending through the tubular member;
- and
- a loading dilator including a first portion, a second portion, and a main lumen extending through the first portion and the second portion,
- wherein the first portion of the loading dilator is configured to transition between a relaxed state with a smaller diameter and a plurality of expanded states with a plurality of varying larger diameters,
- wherein the inner lumen of the tubular member is configured to slidably receive the loading dilator when the first portion of the loading dilator is the relaxed state,
- wherein at least a portion of the tubular member and the loading dilator form a snug engagement therebetween when the first portion of the loading dilator is in one of the plurality of expanded states, and
- wherein the first portion of the loading dilator has a first length, the tubular member has a second length, and the first length is greater than the second length.
A method of positioning a tubular member across a body opening, comprising:
- inserting a loading dilator through an inner lumen of the tubular member, the loading dilator including a first portion, a second portion, and a main lumen extending through the first portion and the second portion, wherein the first portion of the loading dilator includes a plurality of slits extending along at least a portion of a length of the first portion;
- inserting a support member into the main lumen of the loading dilator until at least a part of the first portion of the loading dilator is expanded into a snug engagement with an inner surface of the tubular member, such that a distal end of the tubular member is positioned proximally of distal ends of the plurality of slits and a proximal end of the tubular member is positioned distally of a first proximal end of the first portion of the loading dilator;
- introducing a distal end of the second portion of the loading dilator into the opening;
- advancing the tubular member, the loading dilator, and the support member as a unit into the opening until the tubular member is properly positioned;
- and
- removing the loading dilator and the support member from the tubular member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.