Expandable sheath and methods of using the same
AssigneeEdwards Lifesciences Corporation
InventorsDavid Maimon, Eran Goldberg, Liron Tayeb
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The expandable sheath and methods of use disclosed herein are used to deliver a prosthetic device through a patient's vasculature. The sheath is constructed to be expandable in the circumferential direction, while maintaining sufficient stiffness in the longitudinal direction to withstand pushing and resist kinking The sheath includes a plurality of curved arms extending outwardly from a longitudinally extending spine. The curved arms move away from the longitudinal axis of the sheath when pushed radially outwardly by a passing prosthetic device, and move back toward the longitudinal axis once the prosthetic device has passed.
Claims21
An expandable sheath comprising:
- a first layer comprising:
- a first longitudinally extending spine, and
- a longitudinal axis extending parallel to the first longitudinally extending spine,
- a first plurality of curved arms attached to and extending away from the first longitudinally extending spine and around the longitudinal axis in a circumferential direction so as to at least partially define a longitudinally extending lumen,
- wherein the first plurality of curved arms are elastically resilient and configured to move away from the longitudinal axis when exposed to a radially outwardly directed force and to move back toward the longitudinal axis upon release of the force, and
- at least one additional layer positioned around the first layer, the additional layer comprising;
- an additional longitudinally extending spine, and
- an additional plurality of curved arms attached to and extending away from the additional longitudinally extending spine,
- wherein the additional plurality of curved arms at least partially overlay the first plurality of curved arms,
- wherein the additional plurality of curved arms are elastically resilient and configured to move away from the longitudinal axis when exposed to a radially outwardly directed force and to move back toward the longitudinal axis upon release of the force,
- wherein longitudinal motion is restricted between the first layer and the additional layer, and
- wherein the additional plurality of curved arms are configured to slide circumferentially along the first plurality of curved arms.
An expandable sheath comprising:
- a plurality of curved arms including a first and second curved arm rotationally coupled along a longitudinally extending axis;
- wherein the plurality of curved arms define a longitudinally extending lumen;
- wherein the plurality of curved arms move away from a central longitudinal axis of the sheath to an expanded state when exposed to a radially outwardly directed force, and the plurality of curved arms move toward the central longitudinal axis upon release of the force.
A method of delivering a prosthetic device through an expandable sheath, the method comprising:
- positioning an expandable sheath within the vascular system of a patient;
- moving a device through a longitudinally extending lumen of the expandable sheath, the lumen formed by a longitudinally extending spine and a plurality of curved arms having at least two layers extending from the spine;
- locally expanding a portion of the sheath to an expanded state by a radially outward force provided by advancement of the device, such that expansion of the sheath causes the plurality of curved arms to move away from a longitudinal axis of the sheath and the at least two layers to slide circumferentially with respect to each other so as to enlarge a diameter of the longitudinally extending lumen;
- and
- locally contracting the portion of the sheath from the expanded state at least partially back to a non-expanded state upon passage of the device from the portion of the sheath.
A method of delivering a prosthetic device through an expandable sheath, the method comprising:
- positioning an expandable sheath within the vascular system of a patient;
- moving a device through a longitudinally extending lumen of the expandable sheath, the lumen formed by a plurality of curved arms rotationally coupled along a longitudinally extending axis;
- locally expanding a portion of the sheath to an expanded state by a radially outward force provided by advancement of the device, such that local expansion of the sheath causes the plurality of curved arms to slidingly engage and move away from the longitudinally extending axis of the sheath;
- and
- locally contracting the portion of the sheath from the expanded state at least partially back to a non-expanded state upon passage of the device from the portion of the sheath.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.