Dilator

Abstract

A dilator, the dilator being positionable substantially adjacent an aperture in a tissue and usable to enlarge the aperture, the dilator comprising a substantially elongated member, the substantially elongated member defining a member proximal end section, a substantially longitudinally opposed member distal end section and a member middle section extending therebetween, the member middle section including a tube defining a tube lumen extending substantially longitudinally therethrough and a reinforcing component located, at least in part, within the tube lumen, the member middle section being substantially less mechanically deformable than the member distal end section; whereby having the member distal end section substantially more mechanically deformable than the member middle section reduces risks of injuring the tissue with the member distal end section when positioning the member distal end section substantially adjacent the aperture while allowing for the transmission of substantially longitudinal forces from the member proximal end section to the member distal end section to enlarge the aperture by pushing, at least in part, the member distal end section through the aperture.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.