Expandable Vascular Sheath and Method of Use

摘要

An expandable vascular sheath utilizes a set of expandable members such as shape memory alloy wires for expanding its distal end. The wires are slidable along a portion of the sheath's elongate shaft. In certain embodiments, the distal end of the shaft is manufactured with a more pliable and elastic polymer relative to more proximal portions of the elongate shaft, so that as the wires advance into distal portions of the shaft, they expand, causing the distal end opening of the shaft to expand. A method for retrieving a foreign object from a vasculature utilizes a retrieval tool that can be advanced through the expandable vascular sheath.

主权项

1. An expandable vascular sheath comprising:
an elongate shaft wall and a lumen extending between a proximal end and a distal end along a longitudinal axis, the elongate shaft wall terminating distally in a distal end opening, the elongate shaft wall further comprising a first portion and a second portion, wherein the second portion is distal of the first portion, and wherein the second portion comprises the distal end opening; a plurality of channels extending longitudinally through the elongate shaft wall; and a plurality of expanding members slidably disposed within the plurality of channels; wherein the plurality of expanding members are configured to expand the distal end opening away from the longitudinal axis responsive to sliding the plurality of expanding members in a distal direction.