Sheathless guide introducer

Abstract

A system for inserting a guide catheter into a relatively small vessel may include an expandable introducer configured for inserting into the vessel, expanding to dilate the vessel, and holding the vessel in an open condition. The system may also include a dilator configured for arrangement within the introducer and for dilating the introducer. The expandable introducer may be removable from a catheter extending therethrough. A related method of introducing a catheter into a relatively small vessel may include inserting an introducer with a dilator arranged therein into the relatively small vessel, advancing the dilator within the introducer to split the introducer and dilate the vessel, removing the dilator, inserting a catheter through the dilated introducer and into the vessel, and removing the introducer from the catheter extending therethrough by splitting the introducer and removing laterally from the catheter. An introducer, alone, may also be provided.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.