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US 4,997,424 AGranted
Catheter introducer and introducer slitter
AssigneeMedAmicus, Inc.
InventorRichard L. Little
Life of this patent
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AssigneeMedAmicus, Inc.
InventorRichard L. Little
Estimating the term…
This invention relates to an introducer slitter for slitting an introducer tube portion having, for example, a catheter extending therethrough and into a body vessel while the introducer tube is moved rearwardly relative to the catheter to facilitate separating the introducer from the catheter without having to slide the introducer tube portion over the proximal end of the catheter. The slitter includes an arcuate section having an inner peripheral wall that extends arcuately through an angle of at least about 180.degree. and is adapted to abut against the catheter, and a nose portion that extends between the catheter and introducer tube portions as the introducer is moved axially rearwardly relative to the catheter, a handle section extending radially outwardly of the arcuate section and a radially extending cutting edge for engaging the introducer tube portion for slitting the introducer tube portion as the introducer is pulled rearwardly relative to the slitter.
An introducer slitter for facilitating the removal of an introducer from a catheter or pacer lead that extends through the introducer and has its distal end extended into a body vessel without sliding the introducer tubular portion over the proximal end of the catheter wherein the catheter has a distal end and the catheter and introducer each have an axially elongated tubular portion with inner peripheral and outer peripheral walls, comprising an axially elongated handle section having a rear edge, a lower edge portion and a front edge portion, means defining a cutting edge joined to the handle section to extend forwardly of the axially adjacent part of the front edge portion and an axially elongated arcuate section joined to the lower edge portion to extend therebeneath and is transversely curved to open downwardly, the cutting edge having an axially adjacent part radially adjacent to the arcuate section, the arcuate section having a front nose portion extending axially forwardly of the axially adjacent part of the cutting edge for entering between the introducer inner wall and the catheter outer peripheral wall as the introducer is pulled rearwardly relative to the catheter tubular portion whereby the cutting edge axially slits the introducer tubular portion.
An introducer slitter to axially slit an introducer on a catheter that extends though the introducer and has its distal end extended into a body vessel for facilitating the removal of an introducer from the catheter without sliding the introducer tubular portion over the proximal end of the catheter wherein the catheter and introducer have axially elongated tubular portions with inner peripheral and outer peripheral walls, comprising an axially elongated handle section having a rear edge, a lower edge portion and a front edge portion, means defining a cutting edge joined to the handle section to extend forwardly of the axially adjacent part of the front edge portion and an axially elongated arcuate section that is joined to the lower edge portion to extend therebeneath and is transversely curved through an angle of at least about 180 .degree. to open downwardly for having the catheter extend into the arcuate section to abut against the inner peripheral wall of the arcuate section and have the cutting edge engage the introducer as the introducer is pulled rearwardly along the catheter relative to the cutting edge and catheter, the arcuate section having an outer peripheral wall and an inner peripheral wall for at least partially encompassing the catheter and the cutting edge extending above the arcuate section, including the arcuate section outer peripheral wall.
An introducer that is adapted to be slit along its entire axial length while having a catheter extended therethrough by a slitter that has an arcuate section front nose portion while the catheter extends within a body vessel, comprising an axially elongated tubular portion having a central axis and a proximal end portion, a tab portion joined to the proximal end portion to extend radially therefrom and being adapted to be grasped by the
An introducer slitter for facilitating the removal of an introducer from a catheter or pacer lead that extends through the introducer and has its distal end extended into a body vessel without sliding the introducer over the proximal end of the catheter wherein the catheter and introducer each have an axially elongated tubular portion with inner and outer peripheral walls, comprising a longitudinally elongated handle section having a longitudinal axis, a first edge transversely spaced from the longitudinal axis, a terminal second edge intersecting and extending transversely away from the first edge, a longitudinally elongated arcuate section joined to the first edge, having an inner peripheral wall that has a central axis and is adaPted to abut against the catheter outer peripheral wall, a slit extending the longitudinal length thereof to form two arcuate section longitudinal terminal edges to permit the catheter being moved radially therebetween for abutting against the arcuate section inner peripheral wall and a nose section adapted to enter between the introducer tubular portion and the catheter as the introducer is pulled toward the second edge, and a knife portion mounted at least in part by the handle section and having an exposed cutting edge longitudinally adjacent to the second edge to axially slit the introducer tubular portion after the nose portion enters between the introducer tubular portion and the catheter.
An introducer in combination with an introducer slitter for removing the introducer from a catheter or pacer lead that has an axially elongated tubular portion having a central axis, inner and outer peripheral walls, extends through the introducer and has its distal and extended into a body vessel without having to slid the introducer off the catheter tubular portion, the introducer having an axially elongated tubular portion that has inner and outer peripheral walls and a proximal end portion and only one tab portion joined to the introducer proximal end portion to extend radially therefrom to facilitate pulling the introducer tubular portion rearwardly along the catheter, the introducer tubular portion having a central axis and the introducer proximal end portion having at least an arcuate part radially opposite the tab portion that diverges from the central axis in a rearward direction to facilitate the entry of the slitter between the introducer tubular portion and the catheter as the introducer tubular portion is pulled rearwardly along the catheter to slit the introducer tubular portion radially opposite from the direction that the tab extends therefrom as the tab portion is pulled in a direction away from the catheter distal terminal end, and the slitter having an axially elongated handle section that has a rear edge, a lower edge portion and a front edge portion, a knife blade having a cutting edge mounted by the handle section to extend forwardly of the axially adjacent part of the front edge portion and an axially elongated arcuate section that is joined to the lower edge portion to extend therebeneath and is transversely curved to open downwardly, the arcuate section having a front nose port extending axially forwardly of the axially adjacent part of the cutting edge to enter into between introducer arcuate part and the catheter outer peripheral wall portion as the introducer is pulled axially away from the catheter distal end portion whereby the cutting edge axially slits the introducer tubular portion, the arcuate section having a peripheral wall portion that is transversely curved through an angle of at least about 180 degrees to open downwardly for having the catheter extended into by moving the handle section radially toward the catheter central axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.