Recessed dilator-sheath assembly and method
AssigneeCook Incorporated
InventorConstantin Cope
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An introducer set including a sheath and dilator is formed within a heated mold to form a smooth external shape on the set. The distal end of the sheath is embedded in the dilator and also formed at an angle oblique to the longitudinal axis of the introducer set. This construction permits the sheath to be inserted into the body with a minimum of trauma to the patient and also permits easy removal of the sheath from the dilator.
Claims13
A dilator-sheath assembly for use in percutaneous entry comprising:
- a sheath having an external surface and one end adapted to be inserted into the body;
- a dilator within said sheath and having an external surface and a distal portion extending beyond the one end of the sheath so as to define a transition, said dilator having two ends and a longitudinal passageway extending between said ends, said external surface being formed to include an annular abutment surface against which said one end of said sheath abuts such that said transition from said external surface of said dilator to said external surface of said sheath is smooth, whereby said dilator shields said one end of said sheath when the dilator-sheath assembly is inserted in the body.
A dilator-sheath assembly for use in percutaneous entry comprising:
- a sheath formed of flexible plastic material, said sheath being compatible for insertion within the body and having one end adapted to be inserted in the body;
- a dilator within said sheath, said dilator defining a longitudinal bore sized to receive a guide wire therethough and having a distal and extending beyond said one end of said sheath, and said dilator formed of flexible plastic material;
- and
- a transition defined by an increase in the outer diameter of said dilator such that the outer diameter of said dilator is approximately equal to the outer diameter of said sheath at said one end of said sheath;
- and
- wherein said transition includes an annular abutment surface formed on said dilator against which said one end of said sheath abuts such that said transition is smooth.
A method a making a dilator-sheath assembly comprising the steps of:
- placing a sheath upon a dilator to form a dilator-sheath assembly with the sheath surrounding the dilator;
- heating said dilator-sheath assembly within a mold to a temperature sufficient to cause the dilator material to become flowable but insufficient to cause the sheath material to become flowable;
- and
- allowing said dilator material to flow to form an annular abutment surface abutting with one end of said sheath while forcing the outer surface of said dilator-sheath assembly against a surface of said mold to form a smooth transition between the outer surface of the dilator and the outer surface of the sheath.
A method of making a dilator-sheath assembly comprising the steps of:
- placing a sheath upon a dilator to form a dilator-sheath assembly with the sheath surrounding the dilator;
- heating a mold to a temperature sufficiently hot to form the dilator under pressure;
- and
- forcing the dilator-sheath assembly against the mold to cause the sheath to form a recess in the dilator within which one end of the sheath is received and such that a smooth transition between the outer surface of the dilator and the outer surface of the sheath is formed.
A dilator sheath assembly comprising:
- a sheath having one end adapted to be inserted into the body;
- a dilator within said sheath and having a distal end extending beyond the one end of the sheath, said dilator having a recess within which said one end of said sheath is received whereby said dilator shields said one end of said sheath when the dilator-sheath assembly is inserted in the body;
- said dilator and sheath being heat formed as an assembly causing the sheath and dilator to have an exact fit and a smooth outer surface transition between them.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.