Expandable dilator
AssigneeBoston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
InventorsDaniel Presteng, James M. Anderson, John M. Edgell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An expandable dilator for use with an expandable sheath includes a shaft having a tapered distal tip, a body, a proximal end, and a lumen extending longitudinally from the distal tip to the proximal end. The expandable dilator includes an expansion mechanism extending radially outward from the outer surface of the shaft. When the expandable dilator is withdrawn proximally into the expandable sheath, the expansion mechanism engages the distal end of the sheath and expands the sheath as the expansion mechanism moves proximally through the sheath.
Claims20
A method of using a dilation system, comprising:
- advancing a tapered distal tip of an expandable dilator through a lumen of an expandable sheath to a position distal of the expandable sheath, the expandable sheath including one or more folds extending longitudinally from a distal end to a proximal end in a folded configuration, and the expandable dilator comprising:
- a shaft including the tapered distal tip;
- an expander positioned within a recess formed in the tapered distal tip, the expander having a first outer diameter when positioned within the recess than is less than an outer diameter of the shaft;
- and
- at least one tether extending proximally from the expander within a lumen of the shaft;
- pulling the at least one tether proximally to shift the expander proximally out of the recess, thereby causing the expander to shift to a second outer diameter larger than the first outer diameter;
- and
- withdrawing the expander through the expandable sheath, thereby causing the one or more folds to shift from the folded configuration to an expanded configuration.
A method of using a dilation system, comprising:
- advancing an expandable dilator into a lumen of an expandable sheath, the expandable sheath including one or more folds extending longitudinally from a distal end to a proximal end in a folded configuration, and the expandable dilator comprising:
- a shaft including a tapered distal tip, a hub coupled to a proximal end of the shaft, and at least one expandable member disposed proximal the tapered distal tip, wherein the at least one expandable member is biased toward a radially expanded configuration and is configured to be maintained in a compressed configuration when the expandable dilator is disposed within the lumen of the expandable sheath, wherein in the compressed configuration an outer diameter of the at least one expandable member is equal to or less than an outer diameter of the shaft;
- advancing the expandable dilator distally relative to the expandable sheath until the at least one expandable member is disposed distal of the distal end of the expandable sheath, thereby shifting the at least one expandable member to the radially expanded configuration, wherein in the radially expanded configuration the outer diameter of the at least one expandable member is greater than the outer diameter of the shaft;
- and
- thereafter, withdrawing the expandable dilator through the expandable sheath, thereby causing the one or more folds to shift from the folded configuration to an expanded configuration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.