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US 6,312,443 B1Granted
Expandable cannula
AssigneeNuVasive, Inc.
InventorCorbett W. Stone
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An expandable cannula having a plurality of wall surfaces, the wall surfaces being foldable together one over another such that the cannula assumes a first cross sectional area, and the wall surfaces being unfoldable such that the cannula assumes a second cross sectional area, wherein the first cross sectional area is smaller than the second cross sectional area.
Claims1
An expandable cannula comprising:
- an expandable elastic sheath;
- and
- a plurality of separate longitudinally extending wall sections disposed within the expandable elastic sheath, the separate longitudinally extending wall sections being initially deployed overlapping one another, with at least some of the wall sections disposed on top of adjacent wall sections at one side, and beneath an opposite wall section, at an opposite side when the elastic sheath is unexpanded;
- and wherein at least some of the wall sections are positioned with their longitudinally extending sides buttressing against one another around the circumference of the cannula after the elastic sheath has been expanded.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.