Expandable introducer

An expandable introducer comprising:

• an introducer hub;
• and
• an introducer sheath coupled to the introducer hub and extending distally therefrom, the introducer sheath including a sheath wall, the sheath wall having an interior surface defining a lumen of the introducer sheath and an exterior surface disposed radially outward from the interior surface,
• wherein the introducer sheath is radially expandable from a folded, unexpanded state to an unfolded, expanded state,
• wherein the introducer sheath includes a folded region and a non-folded region when the introducer sheath is in the folded, unexpanded state,
• wherein in the unfolded, expanded state the exterior surface is wavy in a longitudinal direction such that an outer diameter of the sheath wall alternates smoothly in a longitudinal direction between a first outer diameter and a second outer diameter, the second outer diameter being larger than the first outer diameter, and
• wherein the sheath wall includes a spine at the non-folded region of the introducer sheath.

An expandable introducer comprising:

• an introducer hub;
• and
• an introducer sheath coupled to the introducer hub and extending distally therefrom, the introducer sheath including a sheath wall, the sheath wall having an interior surface defining a lumen of the introducer sheath and an exterior surface disposed radially outward from the interior surface,
• wherein the exterior surface of the sheath wall is wavy in a longitudinal direction such that an outer diameter of the sheath wall alternates smoothly in a longitudinal direction a plurality of times between a first outer diameter and a second outer diameter, the second outer diameter being larger than the first outer diameter, and
• wherein an inner diameter of the introducer sheath remains constant along a length of the introducer sheath and a thickness of the sheath wall varies longitudinally such that the exterior surface is wavy.