Surgical dilators with tips having curved tapers
AssigneeAlfred E. Mann Foundation for Scientific Research
InventorJoseph L. Calderon
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Surgical dilators with tips having curved tapers and with a minimal distance between the distal and proximal ends of the dilator tips provide for precision placement of miniature medical devices at a target area in a body with reduced insertion force. A contour of a longitudinal cross section of the dilator tip comprises a first convex portion extending from the distal end to a first interface; a concave portion extending from the first interface to a second interface; and a second convex portion extending from the second interface to a third interface at the proximal end. The first convex portion and the second convex portion are convex relative to an interior of the tip and the concave portion is concave relative to the interior of the tip.
Claims25
A dilator comprising:
- a dilator tip having a distal end, a proximal end and a circular lateral cross section having a radius increasing from a minor radius at the distal end to a major radius at the proximal end, wherein a longitudinal contour of the tip comprises:
- a first convex portion extending from the distal end to a first interface;
- a concave portion extending from the first interface to a second interface;
- and
- a second convex portion extending from the second interface to a third interface at the proximal end, wherein the first convex portion and the second convex portion are convex relative to an interior of the tip and the concave portion is concave relative to the interior of the tip.
An apparatus comprising:
- a dilator tip having a distal end and a proximal end:
- a dilator shaft connected to the proximal end,
- the dilator tip having a circular lateral cross section having a radius increasing from a minor radius at the distal end to a major radius at the proximal end, wherein a longitudinal contour of the tip comprises:
- a first convex portion extending from the distal end to a first interface;
- a concave portion extending from the first interface to a second interface and contiguously connected through the first interface to the first convex portion;
- and
- a second convex portion extending from the second interface to a third interface at the proximal end and contiguously connected to the concave portion through the second interface, wherein the second convex portion is contiguously connected to the dilator shaft through the third interface and wherein the first convex portion and the second convex portion are convex relative to an interior of the dilator tip and the concave portion is concave relative to the interior of the dilator tip.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.